California may have a budget

[-Jrabbit]

California Lawmakers Reach Deal on Budget

California lawmakers, their state broke and its credit rating
shot, finally sealed a deal Monday night with Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger on a plan to close a $26 billion budget gap.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/us/21calif.html?_r=1&hp

[MrFun]

Even idiots (referring to some in BOTH parties) can accomplish something at the last minute, sometimes.

[SlowwHand]

They've always had a budget, they just couldn't stick to it. Nothing guarantees that their latest effort will succeed.

[Dinner]

Again sloww shows he knows nothing. Yes, they did have to admend the budget like three times but it was not because of increased spending but instead because the recession caused falling revenue. Interestingly enough the estimated fail in revenue was ~$25 billion or all but $1 billion of the deficit.

[SlowwHand]

Whatever, Oerdin. Use the words that make you comfortable, but I see little difference in my saying "They've always had a budget, they just couldn't stick to it." and you saying " Yes, they did have to admend the budget like three times but it was not because of increased spending but instead because the recession caused falling revenue.".

Dickhead.

[Dinner]

I'm talking about the last fiscal year's budget, the politicians are still debating this fiscal year's budget. Last year they stuck to the budget very well, there was no going over the budget as you claimed, and instead the problem was that because of the recession actual revenue didn't meet projected revenue and so the budget had to be revised downwards several times.

You're just completely wrong on everything as usual.

[Ben Kenobi]

Sucks if you are the municipalities.

26 billion dollar deficit, only 15 billion in cuts. Not enough. California will be in bigger trouble next year.

[Dinner]

The sticking point at this time is wither or not to suspend prop 98 (I think that's the number) which requires 50% of state tax revenue to be spent on education. Legally, they can temperarially suspend props if the state is in deficit but the education lobby doesn't want that to happen and wants tax increases rather then spending cuts while Republicans are demanding $10-$12 billion in education cuts. The total state education budget is only about a bit higher then $50 billion so we're talking around 20% across the board cuts which would be pretty damn severe.

Personally, I'd rather they suspend prop 13 and force people to pay current fair market evaluations as the basis for their property taxes. Unfortunately, the insane 2/3rds rule will prevent that from ever happening.

[DinoDoc]

The sticking point at this time is wither or not to suspend prop 98 (I think that's the number) which requires 50% of state tax revenue to be spent on education. Legally, they can temperarially suspend props if the state is in deficit but the education lobby doesn't want that to happen and wants tax increases rather then spending cuts while Republicans are demanding $10-$12 billion in education cuts. The total state education budget is only about a bit higher then $50 billion so we're talking around 20% across the board cuts which would be pretty damn severe.

Yeah, I'm not feeling too sorry for your State education system: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,3038809.story

[Ben Kenobi]

The sticking point at this time is wither or not to suspend prop 98 (I think that's the number) which requires 50% of state tax revenue to be spent on education. Legally, they can temperarially suspend props if the state is in deficit but the education lobby doesn't want that to happen and wants tax increases rather then spending cuts while Republicans are demanding $10-$12 billion in education cuts. The total state education budget is only about a bit higher then $50 billion so we're talking around 20% across the board cuts which would be pretty damn severe.

I'm not convinced that public education especially in CA is in good shape. I think they waste a huge amount of money. I was looking at a study which showed that total enrollment has dropped, but the teachers, the administrators have stayed the same. There is no way you will stay on budget with those numbers.

Personally, I'd rather they suspend prop 13 and force people to pay current fair market evaluations as the basis for their property taxes.

You want to increase the numbers of defaults? If you raise the evaluations through the roof many more people will default.

Unfortunately, the insane 2/3rds rule will prevent that from ever happening.

It's a damn good thing too. People who worked hard saved and now own their own houses shouldn't be subject to a cash grab by a bankrupt state. Why should you treat homeowners as ATMs?

[SlowwHand]

Let me ask this, why does California's shortfalls of anything matter more than anyone else's? FU and your mass rationalization. California is in the same world, in theory, as everyone else.

[Dinner]

Yeah, I'm not feeling too sorry for your State education system: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,3038809.story

That amounts to just $10 million per year so out of $50 billion education budget we're talking peanuts. Besides that's basically just people are appealing job cuts and they continue to get paid until the job cut is finalized so really we're only talking about a handful of people for a short time each year. Please come up with something substantial or admit you're once again talking out of your ass.

[Dinner]

I'm not convinced that public education especially in CA is in good shape. I think they waste a huge amount of money. I was looking at a study which showed that total enrollment has dropped, but the teachers, the administrators have stayed the same.

Total enrollment has actually gone up last I heard but even so the politicians have promised to lower class sizes because having one teacher in a class of 60 students means students don't get much individual time and many fall behind. The goal is to half it to 30 students for 8-12 and to 20 students per class in k-7.

Of course this means more teachers but it also means students get more individual attention from teachers and so they get a higher quality education.

[Dinner]

Let me ask this, why does California's shortfalls of anything matter more than anyone else's?

Who the hell said it did, you idiot? You're the only one making that claim so stuff it.

[SlowwHand]

I know this much, when I left there 30 years ago there were highway ramps that arched into mid-air and ended, because of shortfalls in budget. It doesn't appear that much has changed, nor will change. Go ahead and rattle your sword.