Posted on 02/17/2009 6:29:45 AM PST by marshmallow
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- After a frustrating holiday weekend that failed to yield the one vote needed to end California's budget stalemate, the state is poised to begin layoff proceedings Tuesday for 20,000 government workers.
In addition to the layoffs, the state also plans to halt all remaining public works projects, potentially putting thousands of construction workers out of jobs.
"We are dealing with a catastrophe of unbelievable proportions," said state Sen. Alan Lowenthal, a Democrat from Long Beach and chairman of the Senate transportation committee.
Senate leader Darrell Steinberg announced late Monday that lawmakers had failed to find the final vote in his chamber as Republicans refused to support tax increases. He called a session for Tuesday and said he would put the tax provisions of the budget proposal up for a vote, even if they would not pass.
Steinberg warned lawmakers to bring their toothbrushes, saying they would not leave until that vote was secured.
"One member," Steinberg said. "One more member to put the interest of the state ahead of ideology and ahead of any parochial concern."
Like other states, California faces plunging tax revenue that has imperiled state services. The proposal put before lawmakers this weekend was negotiated by Schwarzenegger and the four legislative leaders and appeared to have support of the required two-thirds majority in the state Assembly.
However, it was falling one Republican vote short in the Senate, a situation that had not changed throughout a weekend marked by long hours and uncertainty over the state's future.
The plan includes $15.1 billion in program cuts, $14.4 billion in temporary tax increases and $11.4 billion in borrowing. The package also would send five ballot measures to voters in a special election to be held May 19.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I am a drunken sailor. I never spent that much.
3/M
Can we like, triple or quadruple this amount? PLEASE!!!!!!!
California will continue to be a 100 billion dollar corporation based on tax revenus and fee - they tax everything and get fees for everything. It, will continue and not sink.
The issue is the pensions they failed to fund and steal from the taxpayer, the special interest groups demanding to be paid and the doubling of government in the last administration.
So a few projects have to be moved back but the reality is, they have 100 billion to play with, not the additional 40 billion in new taxes they want.
LOL!
I hope you’re correct. I’ve dealt with Government agencies for the last thirty years, and the goldfish bowl looks very different from the inside than the outside. Funding priorities are so weird in governmental entities, you have to live it to believe it.
My stepfather worked for a federal office supply warehouse. $5 for a Bic pen. I kid you not. Tell me why the deficit is like it is. Someone is skimming off the top, side and bottom.
Our state legilature is an insult to drunken sailors everywhere! In fact our state legislature is an insult to village idiots everywhere too! The state legislature makes village idiots look like candidates for MENSA by comparison!
Fire citizens and give perks to illegals. That makes no sense.
That’s because you don’t make that much! I know, I was in the Marine Corps!
Translation: We can't spend more money.
Like you, the rest of us that have a brain “get it”. The RATS don’t and don’t want to. It’s all about power. Nothing else.
Cheers,
SZ
LOL. OK, that was damn funny!
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