"Dogs and Cats, sleeping together . . ."
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 ...
How about cutting more crap AND sending the illegals home (thus resulting in an immediate savings in education, social services and crime)?
Pure grandstanding. Based on union work rules and government contracts, this “process” will take months.
lawmakers had failed for the last thirty years
GOVERNMENT LAYOFFS IN CALIFORNIA! CONSERVATIVE PARTY!!!
there should be celebration parties like the 0bama parties seriously this is great
When people see the state can still function without those 20,000 it will be eye opening...
This is partly the result of the “bipartisan” Reid/Pelosi process we have seen in the House and Senate. Why trust Democrats in a crisis when their chief end is to turn the crisis into a one-party state?
"Dogs and Cats, sleeping together . . ."
Democrat heroin.
“When people see the state can still function without those 20,000 it will be eye opening...”
We’ll have to see if that episode of “CA Reality TV” makes it to air. I can’t wait!
That’s $14.4 bil. per YEAR. Not total. Multiply that by the “temporary” 5 years and that’s the burden.
SZ
They need to be laying off the benefits to illegals and welfare deadbeats.
No more services for illegals of any kind.
Make the welfare a workfare program. Limit families to benefits for no more than two kids and put severe restrictions on what the money meant for the children can go to. And, no, not for drugs, booze, and take out for the parents.
Maybe, but maybe not. The pockets are empty and the Mastercard is maxed out. A couple of cities have already invalidated contracts with police and fire. The Titanic is an overused analogy, but government operates on the premise that there is unlimited funding, and that they are too big to fail. "Oh, yes. I assure you, this ship CAN sink." Contracts and union work rules will go out the window in the rush for the life boats.
I don't take any pleasure in the sinking of the CA economy.
Obama’s fault
20,000 slightly used shovels for sale on e-bay.
My husband filed our state and federal tax returns VERY early this year and I’m glad we did. After CA’s mess and now Kansas saying they won’t pay income tax returns, I’m surprised Two-Penny Jenny (Michigan’s governatrix) hasn’t thought of that by now.
We’ve got our refunds. If taxpayers don’t revolt over tax returns they never will.
This is the effect of Socialism and it is just the beginning. The only option State and Federal Governments will have is to downsize, especially when the Federal Debt market goes bust.
The next bubble will be hundreds of thousands unemployed Government workers w/o any unemployment checks.
Although I live there I have no sympathy for the state whatsoever. The state has been spending like a drunken sailor for decades now. But it’s time to pay the piper and their broke. It was bound to happen given the state’s continuous spending binge. When will they ever learn. First it was the anti business atmosphere the state engendered which loaded down the business community with choking regulations and stiff taxation for lawmakers pork. So the businesses packed up in droves and left the state to find other states with a more friendly business atmosphere, less taxes and fewer regulations to abide by. What is so hard to understand about that? It only shows that politicians do not live in the real world. Such politicians should have their salaries cut back drastically and their benefits as well so that they would come to know how it feels to live in the real world and not the rarified elite atmosphere they are used to. Remember what happened to another politician who told their citizenry “let them eat cake” when told the people had no bread.
Apparently California is down by the bow and responds sluggishly to the helm with the engine room flooding.
“When people see the state can still function without those 20,000 it will be eye opening...”
So they get laid off and now will collect unemployment and eventually welfare. Which will be more taxes.
The solution is send the illegals home. But will they do that? No......
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