[TheDon]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) holds up a chart showing what he said was a need for passage of more then $15 billion in bonds while discussing his proposed 2004-05 state budget during a news conference held in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, Jan. 9, 2004. Schwarzenegger's proposed $99 billion budget includes cuts in spending in the state' s medi-cal program, welfare to work programs along with user fee increases for state parks and college students. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

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[TheDon]

According to estimates updated this week, the state will have a deficit of nearly $27 billion by June 2005 — created by an existing deficit of $12.6 billion run up over the past three years and a projected shortfall of $14 billion by the June 30, 2005.

Schwarzenegger and the Legislature have put a $15 billion bond issue on the March that would pay off the existing deficit, but the $14 billion projected deficit for next year remains.

What a mess! It's amazing the Demrats will even show themselves in public.

[The Old Hoosier]

social service advocates

IE, government parasites.

[KellyAdmirer]

It's a good start. I note that he is in fact keeping his promise to keep the tuition hikes for undergrads to 10%, as usual the scare stories from yesterday are incorrect. The beauty of the liberal agenda from their perpective is evident - any rollback of the huge liberal spending programs of the past is "balancing the budget on the back of the poor and needy." Naturally, anything they get now is just inviolate to them. That's how governments decline and fall over time, the built-in costs just get overwhelming over time and their constituencies too powerful. They will keep their greedy hands out until the end.

[george wythe]

AP Article, not excerpted.

[Tempest]

That! That! RINO!!!! < /sarcasm >

[Kay Soze]

Stupid conservative!

[Recovering_Democrat]

Schwarzenegger did not include any new taxes in his budget plan Friday, but in addition to the cuts, he requested higher state park fees and tuition increases... with undergraduates paying 10 percent more, graduate students paying 40 percent more...Community college students would be asked to pay $8 per unit more — from $18 per unit to $26.

Oh, Dear God in Heaven Above!! No!! Don't make students pay for their education!!! Especially those graduate students who often are academic milquetoasts who think Michael Moore is God's gift to documentaries.

<\SARCASM>

[Naspino]

"I expect that there will still be hard hits on health programs that will hurt children and working families very hard," said Catherine Teare, spokeswoman for the Oakland-based advocacy group, Children Now. "I just don't see how this all gets done."

This mindset is so annoying. You shouldn't have had the money in the FIRST place. Amazingly other people in this country do just fine without the overboard California spending programs.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Let the whining begin.

[Solson]

Did ANYONE see Letterman last night with his "Unfair Edit"?? They were hillarious, especially the two of Schwarzenegger!!

[Phantom Lord]

Are these actual cuts, or just reductions in the previously proposed increases? I suspect the latter.

[commish]

But But But how can this be. We were told by so many that AHNOLD was just a RINO and he would tax tax tax and be just horrible as Governor.

How can it be that he is asking for real cuts, and not raising taxes. Although, I am sure to save face the naysayers will start bloviating about how raising park fees, and tuition costs is "the same thing as raising taxes"

At the moment I would rather have "RINO" AHNOLD than lets see how much we can raise taxes "Conservative" Bob Riley as my Governor.

[N. Theknow]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) unveiled a $99.1 billion budget plan Friday and proposed cutting billions of dollars from public health and welfare programs to help pay for it.

GASP!

When I first saw this thread I said to myself, "I wonder if he will cut the places that NEED cutting, or wimp out and cut only the services that benefit the people who pay the bills, aka the taxpayers."

[commish]

Oops my prediction on Post 28 was too late, the "raising fees is the same as raising taxes" mantra has already begun on post 25.

[BreitbartSentMe]

I think Arnold's been studying stratergey from Dubya. I found this gem buried in this thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1054810/posts

From the SacBee: "By law, the state is not allowed to reduce pension benefits already granted to current state workers. But Schwarzenegger will propose offering new workers reduced benefits, sources said, similar to those in place before the Legislature sweetened pensions in 1999."

This puts the unions in an untenable position. They have to oppose it, that same issue was one of the main things that lead to the grocery strike, that's still ongoing. If they don't come out with guns blazing, the rank and file will crucify them. If they do come out against it, the general public will see them as a big part of the problem, and not willing to give a little to get out of this mess (like the education unions have already agreed to.) How's that for a poisoned pill??

[Cyber Ninja]

Billions in Cuts (No new taxes)

I think this was etched on the sword of Conan the Barbarian.
It is a powerful double edged sword.

Swing it mightily Govertator!!

[zbigreddogz]

But I thought Arnold was a RINO who wouldn't cut anything and raise taxes on everybody! The McClintiacs told me so! Is it possible they were WRONG?!?!?! HMMMMMMMMM?!?!?!?!

[drypowder]

All of the public agencies throughout the state need to be audited. I know of a few special districts in my area that have over a million $ of tax payer monies in their bank account. Since public agencies are budgeted annually I fail to see any reason why they need to hoard tax dolors. Surely they should have an emergency and growth fund but $1 million in a Mosquito Abatement District's account is a bit much. That money ought to be returned immediately to whom it belongs.