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Deep Cuts Could Reshape California
NYTimes ^ | May 30th 2009

Posted on 05/30/2009 5:38:02 PM PDT by Steelfish

Deep Cuts Could Reshape California

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER May 30, 2009

LOS ANGELES — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not get the election results he sought. Now he seems determined to show California voters the consequences.

Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

In a special election on May 19, voters rejected a batch of measures on increasing taxes, borrowing funds and reapportioning state money that were designed to close a multibillion-dollar budget gap.

The cuts Mr. Schwarzenegger has proposed to make up the difference, if enacted by the Legislature, would turn California into a place that in some ways would be unrecognizable in modern America: poor children would have no health insurance, prisoners would be released by the thousands and state parks would be closed.

Nearly all of the billions of dollars in cuts the administration has proposed would affect programs for poor Californians, although prisons and schools would take hits, as well.

“Government doesn’t provide services to rich people,” Mike Genest, the state’s finance director, said on a conference call with reporters on Friday. “It doesn’t even really provide services to the middle class.” He added: “You have to cut where the money is.”

In less than two weeks, the administration has gone from warning residents that a vote against the budget measures would send the state — some $24 billion in the red — into utter turmoil to sanguine acceptance that “the people have spoken” and that the government must move on.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: California
KEYWORDS: calbudget
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To: NormsRevenge
(( ping ))

You do not want to miss this.

“Government doesn’t provide services to rich people,” Mike Genest, the state’s finance director, said on a conference call with reporters on Friday. “It doesn’t even really provide services to the middle class.” He added: “You have to cut where the money is.”

41 posted on 05/30/2009 7:03:36 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Steelfish
Nearly all of the billions of dollars in cuts the administration has proposed would affect programs for poor Californians, although prisons and schools would take hits, as well...a sleazy and obvious attempt to strongarm voters into going along with more taxes somehow - cuts should come first in those areas affecting the least people - parks, museums, bike paths, preservation of litle critters and the rest - all maybe worthwhile, but appealing to a relatively small number of the populace compared to schools, police protection, and transportation - extortion is particularly unattractive when practiced by politicians......
42 posted on 05/30/2009 7:08:50 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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To: MIchaelTArchangel

The root problem with CA, is the pay and retirement packages of Government workers, at all levels. They have stolen the wealth of productive Californians and now will take it out on the poor.


43 posted on 05/30/2009 7:13:34 PM PDT by D Rider
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To: Intolerant in NJ

California must not cut important “green” programs that will save the world from “global warming”, and certainly, embryonic stem cell research MUST continue until it finally yields something useful.


44 posted on 05/30/2009 7:13:44 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: jessduntno

Yep! Except it should be “2020” instead of 2080.


45 posted on 05/30/2009 7:14:05 PM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is another agitator for republicanism like Sam Adams when we need him?)
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To: Texican

Actually, someone submitted a bill to limit the pay for the members of all of those useless boards to just the hours actually worked. Of course, most of those board members are either termed-out legislators or their family members. So the brave souls in the Assembly Appropriations Committee have shelved the bill. This accomplishes two things - one, the board members still get their $100k salaries for meeting once a month and two, no one in the legislature actually has to be seen voting to continue this wasteful practice. Some great courage they have...


46 posted on 05/30/2009 7:57:45 PM PDT by CA Conservative
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To: Steelfish
“Government doesn’t provide services to rich people,” Mike Genest, the state’s finance director, said on a conference call with reporters on Friday. “It doesn’t even really provide services to the middle class.” He added: “You have to cut where the money is.”

Eventually the Feds, perhaps the Obamanation administration, is going to extend this paradigm to social security. It will only be for the poor.

47 posted on 05/30/2009 8:00:36 PM PDT by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began,)
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To: D Rider; All
Another FReeper, whose name I forgot, crunched the numbers: IF Cali laid off or stopped paying EVERY state employee, they'd still be out of whack(over budget -costs- vs. revenue.) That's how bad they are.

Welfare and freebies are going to have to go.

48 posted on 05/30/2009 8:10:44 PM PDT by investigateworld ( Abortion stops a beating heart.)
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To: 4rcane
yes, a good start is the cut anyone working for government with 6 figures salary

Six-figure saleries are very common for state (and city) workers in Calif. When govt workers retire, they can get a pension that is something like 98% of their prior salary PLUS they can go back to work and essentially get a double salary.

The state needs to go bankrupt.

49 posted on 05/30/2009 9:20:34 PM PDT by UnwashedPeasant (Don't nuke me, bro)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

High level CA officials have told me that this budget was made to alarm people. It is pure manipulation by threatening the 2/3 federal subsidy on child healthcare, and closing all state parks.

The journalist is falling for the manipulation, hook and line.


50 posted on 05/30/2009 9:20:54 PM PDT by Wiseghy ("You want to break this army? Then break your word to it.")
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To: Lancey Howard

Ah yes, greenie stuff and embryonic stem cell research - they’d go under the heading of “Over-rated scams of interest mainly to those getting lots of government funding in return for political contributions to those giving the funding” - they should go to the top of the “Out of Here” list.......


51 posted on 05/30/2009 9:23:03 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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To: Steelfish
Why Not cut every budgeted item by a flat percentage calculated by the amount of budget deficit than all cuts will be equal?

Then everything that runs on that money will just have to make do and let the cards fall where they have to.

Too simplistic I suppose.

I work in the private sector and I got laid off 2 weeks ago with 18 years with the company.

People will vote smarter next time.

Oh, that's what the politicians are afraid of!

52 posted on 05/30/2009 9:32:21 PM PDT by right way right (Do not mistake Religion for God.)
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To: right way right

The protected groups-police, fire, and prison unions won’t accept this.


53 posted on 05/30/2009 9:41:02 PM PDT by Steelfish
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To: Steelfish
Do they write the budget?

Yeah, I know they vote.

I wonder what would Reagan would do?

54 posted on 05/30/2009 9:48:33 PM PDT by right way right (Do not mistake Religion for God.)
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To: UnwashedPeasant
When govt workers retire, they can get a pension that is something like 98% of their prior salary PLUS they can go back to work and essentially get a double salary. The state needs to go bankrupt.

If/when the states/cities actually declare bankruptcy, can we modify the pension plans of existing retire'es like they (judges/arbitrators ?) do to the normal retired folks with pensions who were employed by private firms in bankruptcy?

55 posted on 05/30/2009 10:14:24 PM PDT by Dosa26
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To: Nonstatist
"Why not cut State salaries by 15 % and cut the number of beauracrats ? The terminator is a wimp"

How about cutting the gold plated retirements of public employees? In what other industry do you get to retire after 20 years and collect your full salary for life? It's not sustainable.

56 posted on 05/30/2009 10:21:22 PM PDT by boop (Democracy is the theory that the people get the government they deserve, good and hard.)
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To: boop
How about cutting the gold plated retirements of public employees?

I just sniffed around for that blood in the post above yours. Normal firms break contracts through bankruptcy, can a referendum declare a state bankrupt? Sharks circling.

57 posted on 05/30/2009 10:35:57 PM PDT by Dosa26
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To: Intolerant in NJ
they should go to the top of the “Out of Here” list

I haven't even heard them mentioned yet in all this talk of "cuts"....

58 posted on 05/30/2009 10:42:44 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Steelfish

Make some real cuts, your proposals are just nibbeling around the edges!!!

Eliminate 90% of the commissions, fire 50% or more of the State workers, cut the rest of the workers pay by 30% or more, remove the excessive taxes on oil and open up all offshore drilling, and cut school funding for starters.


59 posted on 05/30/2009 10:53:19 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: jessduntno

So Texans will be running Del Norte then?...

(no, that’s not sarcasm)


60 posted on 05/30/2009 10:59:33 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (Got Tea?)
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