California: Record budget deficit could lead to tax hikes (Democrats say )

The Orange County Register ^ | May 14, 2002 | ALEXA HAUSSLER AP

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Democrats say they will likely be needed to shore up a projected $22 billion shortfall. Republicans are firmly opposed.

SACRAMENTO

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Looks like Alexa has added more material to a piece that was posted earlier by kattracks.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ndx

[Wolfie]

Really, shutting down the prisons is the first thing they'd do? Poppycock. Scare tactics. On the other hand, if the People of California want big government, then they should be willing to pay for it.

[KC_Conspirator]

Of course, reversing an forever expanding state government is never an option.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Earlier piece:

Calif. Lawmakers Battle Over Budget

[joltinjoe]

I love how the democraps always threaten us with letting the prisoners loose. I guess in Steve Peace's world there is not ONE SINGLE PROGRAM in California that can be cut except the prisons.

[Hugin]

"The Republicans have chosen, just like they chose in the energy crisis, to be nonparticipants," Peace said.

The Dems have total control of the Governorship and the legislature, yet they still try to find some way to blame th Pubs for their screw up. It was the Governor who locked us into buying energy long term at high prices, in order to avoid a (temporary) raise in rates. Energy that is now being sold at a loss. If he had simply allowed the utilites to raise rates, it would have fixed itself in a couple of months. That ruined CA credit rating raising the interest we are paying in bonds. Not that it stops them from putting ever more bond issues on the ballot.

[dixiechick2000]

"Really, shutting down the prisons is the first thing they'd do?"

Yep, they will shut down prisons, defund parks, shut down schools, cut police/firefighter budgets...
IOW, cut/defund popular things while conveniently finding funds for unpopular/pet projects.
Need to raise taxes, donchya know, and that wouldn't happen if the popular issues were funded.

[Wyatt's Torch]

Some interesting comments by a hedge-fund manager (Ashby Foote, Vector Money Management)

SNAP, CRACKLE, POW.........................
That's the sound a bullwhip makes when it is cracked by someone who knows what he is doing. A soft piece of cowhide that makes up just 2% of the whip makes a sound that reverberates across the corral and gets the attention of every man and animal around. In state after state we are now witnessing the top 2% of the tax rolls snap and roil state budgets like never before even as the consumer confidence of middle America stands tall. We are now seeing the dark side of a tax code that over the past 15 years has put more and more of the tax burden on the top 10% of tax payers. California was one the biggest benificiaries of the technology boom of the late 90s. Salaries went up but more important total income from stock options and capital gains exploded to approximately $200 billion in 2000, up from $25 billion in 1994. In 2001 it fell to $70 billion and is the main reason the state is looking at a $20 to $25 billion shortfall for this fiscal year. To the budgeteers - "taste the whip and consider again a flat tax."

[sailor4321]

I think they should give us a prisoner as a personal slave.....we could eliminate the entire prison system!

[gunshy]

How about we cut the salaries of our elected reps, cut their staff by 50%, do away with their pension fund contributions until they balance the budget without raising taxes, do away with their taxpayer paid junkets and the automobiles and drivers, free lunches etc. That could raise a few millions of dollars. That's what I would call a good start.

[lowbridge]

California: Record budget deficit could lead to tax hikes (Democrats say )

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California: Bill Clinton looking down Bride's cleavage could lead to tax hikes (Democrats say )

California: Thunderstorms could lead to tax hikes (Democrats say )

California: Being born could lead to tax hikes (Democrats say )

California: Getting old could lead to tax hikes (Democrats say )

[Clemenza]

More native white Californians will move out of the state

...and they will continue to ruin Arizona, Washington, Nevada, etc. with their tree hugging ways and lousy driving.

[Mr. Jeeves]

"There's either going to be tax increases or we are going to eliminate programs like shutting down prisons and letting prisoners out..."

How about shutting down schools and letting the prisoners out?

California, the "technology state", could lead the nation by providing a set of interactive computer DVD's containing the entire K-12 curriculum free to all students - and shutting down the massive public miseducation bureaucracy. Based on the results delivered to date, California's students would be no worse off if the entire public school system ceased to exist.

[heleny]

shutting down prisons

Gray Davis was already planning to shut down five privately run prisons (all well-run, according to a state audit) which were not part of the CCPOA prison guards union. He raised the salaries of unionized prison guards by 34%, costing $1 Billion. The prison guards donated $251,000 to Davis two weeks later.

A few articles on this topic:
Davis - A big prison paycheck San Francisco Chronicle | April 2, 2002
California:Governor is looking to kill privately run prisons Sacramento Bee | May 9,2002
(mentioned Report links money to key legislation Sacramento Bee | March 19, 2002)

[cuervo]

governor davis , adds 27,000 state employees to the payroll and the first thing they come up with is " shutting down prisons and letting prisoners out ". i truly hope they are serious , maybe it'll finally open the eyes of their ignorant constituents .

[Gophack]

Really, shutting down the prisons is the first thing they'd do? Poppycock. Scare tactics.

Of course it's scare tactics. That's what the Democrats do. "Either we'll raise taxes or let out all the rapists and murderers. Your choice."

[Gophack]

Yes, and the prisons he wants to shut down are the most efficient and cheapest prisons to operate.

Oh, but that would tick off the prison guard union and they just gave him over $250,000 ... and he gave them a huge raise. In the middle of the budget crisis. Hmmmmm ....

[lowbridge]

Of course it's scare tactics. That's what the Democrats do. "Either we'll raise taxes or let out all the rapists and murderers. Your choice."

And if we let them raise taxes, they'll still let the criminals go free via their appointments of soft on crime liberal judges.