Posted on 02/08/2011 12:43:19 PM PST by SmithL
Sacramento - Democrats are divided over whether to reveal to the public exactly what might be cut from the state budget if voters do not approve tax increases and extensions to help close California's $25.4 billion deficit.
Gov. Jerry Brown has challenged Republicans in the Legislature to put taxes on the ballot in an attempt to stave off what he says will be deeper budget cuts. But Brown so far has refused to tell people exactly what they would be deciding.
He has said he does not want to appear to be threatening voters.
The state Senate has requested that the Legislative Analyst's Office prepare a list of possible cuts, but members of the Assembly have avoided the subject.
Brown and Democrats in the Legislature are seeking Republican support for a two-thirds vote of lawmakers to put tax extensions and increases on a June special election ballot. The taxes would be in place for five years.
At a recent meeting with reporters, Brown put the onus on Republicans to come up with a proposal for additional cuts if they object to putting taxes on the ballot. But in response to a question about whether he would reveal his own plan for a budget without the taxes, he said that "it's so horrible" that he did not want to release it.
On Monday, Gil Duran, a spokesman for Brown, said generally the cuts would be made in public and higher education, public safety, and health and social services, but he was not specific.
"The stakes are clear: If the Legislature enacts the $12.5 billion in cuts proposed by the governor and the voters decline to extend the temporary taxes now in effect, the alternative will be to eliminate up to $9 billion in existing state programs," Duran said in a written statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
How can any democrat tell voters about budget cuts when they don't understand the concept and are unable to use the phrase in a sentence?
We FReepers slashed up that budget and created multibillion dollar surpluses in the span of 2 minutes. Actually, that was kinda fun.
Any discussion of “cuts” is wrong-headed.
Seems to me that the fiscon Republicans and Libertarians should make the case for starting from scratch every year, thus:
Look at your anticipated revenues for the year. (We can leave aside the notion of lowering taxes and fees and regulations from current levels, though that can and should happen.)
Then decide what you want to fund, and how. (Which, by the way, is how people manange their own finances .... I’d like to live in a mansion in Beverly Hills, but well, I can’t afford that, so I live in a smaller place in a neighborhood I can afford...)
What would people want to pay for under that discussion, do you think?
Schools, (though not at union-subsidized rates), Public safety, highway maintenance would surely be on the list.
Lavish pensions, services for illegals, welfare for able-bodied adults and all the rest? I’m guessing not so much.
Which is why the ‘Rats don’t want to have that conversation. But what’s up with the pubbies, hmmm....?
The point I see in this article is Jerry Brown ducking responsibility once again, as usual, and letting the stuff fly over his ducked head to hit the Republicans in the face, and if they stupidly fall for his typical, and often used trick they accept full blame for everything.
FTA: “Gov. Jerry Brown has challenged Republicans in the Legislature to put taxes on the ballot in an attempt to stave off what he says will be deeper budget cuts.”
Brown is a blatant player of games. A whiz kid at political skullduggery. A master at ducking responsibility. If the Republicans fall for his trick, they deserve what they get.
What a bunch of children. California is doomed with this kind of elected official.
They need a double dose of reality.
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