FLASHBACK: 2011 Dems reject GOP plan to eliminate CA's $15.4 B deficit. Defict now $16 B

cbs47 ^ | 5-14-12 | cakid1

[cakid1]

FLASHBACK.. 2011 Democrats reject GOP plan to eliminate CA's $15.4 billion deficit without tax hike.... From 2011 !

Deficit is now $16 billion...

For some in California its Déjà vu all over again.

This week Governor Jerry Brown announced his ‘Honest’ budget from last year is now $16 billion in the red. Republicans did not support his plan. They offered their own plan to cut state spending and balance the budget without tax hikes.

Now, one year later the Governor's new plan is convince voters to approve $63 billion in new taxes (over 7 years) According to an LA Times article the big hurdle is what to cut and how to convince voters to approve about $9 billion in higher taxes per year for seven years.

Ironically, it was this time last year (see below) that the Republican state leadership outlined their plan to deal with a projected $15.4 billion deficit without tax hikes.

From... May 12th 2011 ...Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway, of Tulare, represents the 34th Assembly District in the California Legislature:

Today, I sent a letter to Speaker Pérez on behalf of Assembly Republicans, laying out what we are calling our “Roadmap to a No Tax Increase Budget.”

We have heard a constant drumbeat from Sacramento liberals that sky will fall unless the voters agree to a $55 billion tax increase. This is a myth. In fact, they want you to pay a massive tax hike so they can grow government by 31 percent. This shows how out of touch liberals really are with working families.

[kingu]

And this is where the GOP comes in and starts booking up commercials about fiscal responsibility and runaway budgets and unions who are looting the taxpayers...

Oh, right, I forget, they’ll spend money here, but only in October to push Romney.

But they’ll be very eager to send out yet another ‘Survey’, AKA ‘gimme more money, we didn’t forget you’ campaign. They’ll take our money, go spend it on useless campaigns, where here you have a golden opportunity to virtually retake the state from liberals simply by hammering them on this budget and more taxes.

[Yulee]

California is acting just like those they try to emulate, the socialist states of Europe. Instead of taking responsibility, cutting spending, and tightening their belts, like individuals with their budgets, they keep spending money they don't have.

Of course the Obama administration is doing the same. Strange thing is that many states can't borrow and spend without limit because their constitutions call for a balanced budget. If our senators were appointed by the states, rather than popular election, maybe we could return to fiscal responsibility.