CA democrats caught planning to delay budget

[charrison]

Sacramento -- The state's budget crisis took a surreal turn Monday after a frank discussion by a group of Democrats on the budget and its impact on their re- election was accidentally broadcast throughout legislative and reporters' offices.

Members of the Assembly Democrats' progressive caucus were heard making candid, if not intemperate, statements such as one by Los Angeles Assemblyman Fabian Nunez that they may want to "precipitate a crisis" over the budget this year. That might persuade voters to lower the two-thirds vote threshold needed to pass a spending plan, he reasoned.

"It seems to me if there's going to be a crisis, the crisis should be this year," Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, said during the meeting. "What you do is you show people that you can't get to this without a 55 percent vote."

linkage

 

[tnitsuj]

Ummm... Don't all parties try and precipitate budget crisis every year? I can remember the Republicans doing that to the federal budget not so long ago. Not exactly an unheard of thing.

 

[Moonbeam]

I'm outraged.

 

[Lucky]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj
Ummm... Don't all parties try and precipitate budget crisis every year? I can remember the Republicans doing that to the federal budget not so long ago. Not exactly an unheard of thing.

Gore lost. Get over it.

 

[zantac]

haha, they are gonna have a tough time holding those seats come election time.

 

[Moonbeam]

I bet they'll all be reelected.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
I bet they'll all be reelected.

Term Limits... good and bad...
Increase the tax on the rich and lets get on the road.. who cares anymore.. do something even if they get dumped.

 

[Corn]

Increase the tax on the rich and lets get on the road.. who cares anymore.. do something even if they get dumped.

So what's it like being a slave?

 

[chowderhead]

Originally posted by: LunarRay

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
I bet they'll all be reelected.

Term Limits... good and bad...
Increase the tax on the rich and lets get on the road.. who cares anymore.. do something even if they get dumped.

It is outrageous that these Democrats want to play politics with the budget. Get to work and pass a budget.
As a strong Democrat, I will gladly vote to recall Gov. Davis if we can all vote to recall the entire state legislature for being derelict in their duties. Unfortunately with term limits and the redistricting to extremely safe seats, practically no one will be around when the sh*t hits the fan. It happened with energy deregulation and it will happen with this budget (which will be a budget of mostly delaying tough decisions and carrying over structural deficits).

With safe seats on both sides, legislators see no need to compromise and work out a good deal. With term limits, we get inexperienced people who don't know what the heck they are doing and who aren't there long enough to care out the long term consequences of their actions.

Regarding term limits, I don't understand why people cannot trust themselves to vote for the most qualified person. Why would you vote to limit your choices?

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Corn

Increase the tax on the rich and lets get on the road.. who cares anymore.. do something even if they get dumped.

So what's it like being a slave?

The joy of prop 13...

I am free.... thank god I'm free of tax...

I'm a net consumer... so I only get to complain about the weather...

What they do or don't do occurs around me and near me but, not on me...

Where is my bandana?

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: chowderhead

Originally posted by: LunarRay

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
I bet they'll all be reelected.

Term Limits... good and bad...
Increase the tax on the rich and lets get on the road.. who cares anymore.. do something even if they get dumped.

It is outrageous that these Democrats want to play politics with the budget. Get to work and pass a budget.
As a strong Democrat, I will gladly vote to recall Gov. Davis if we can all vote to recall the entire state legislature for being derelict in their duties. Unfortunately with term limits and the redistricting to extremely safe seats, practically no one will be around when the sh*t hits the fan. It happened with energy deregulation and it will happen with this budget (which will be a budget of mostly delaying tough decisions and carrying over structural deficits).

With safe seats on both sides, legislators see no need to compromise and work out a good deal. With term limits, we get inexperienced people who don't know what the heck they are doing and who aren't there long enough to care out the long term consequences of their actions.

Regarding term limits, I don't understand why people cannot trust themselves to vote for the most qualified person. Why would you vote to limit your choices?

I'm starting to become apathetic... takes too much energy to think... who cares anymore... everyone just gripes and then goes on about their thing... the only people who care are never elected because they also won't lie to get elected... ya need to lie, cheat and steal.. kiss a baby or two and know the power broker...
Guess the rich guy will foot the bill as usual... or they will cut some program or another and a few more will bite the dust... In this the fifth largest economy on the planet... and no one really cares... or not enough... to matter...

 

[Moonbeam]

California's debt is so large that laying off every state worker won't solve it. There has to be a tax increase as well as service cuts to succeed. Compromise will have to be done but the Republicans are playing politics hoping to unseat Davis by having no budget agreement at recall time.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
California's debt is so large that laying off every state worker won't solve it. There has to be a tax increase as well as service cuts to succeed. Compromise will have to be done but the Republicans are playing politics hoping to unseat Davis by having no budget agreement at recall time.

Install an existence tax... all people in the state when the music stops pay 100$ for their existence. We have 30m people plus some visitors... say 30 mil and we're 30 bil short... so we have 1 music stoppage per month... if you die during the month you don't have to pay... we'll solve the shortfall in no time..

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
California's debt is so large that laying off every state worker won't solve it. There has to be a tax increase as well as service cuts to succeed. Compromise will have to be done but the Republicans are playing politics hoping to unseat Davis by having no budget agreement at recall time.

Did you not read the article? Must be the overcast skies

CkG

 

[DealMonkey]

Democrats want to see a temporary half- cent sales tax increase, but the GOP has refused to consider any tax increase.

First of all, this is not the first time the CA budget has been delayed. Often to the point where crucial payments start getting missed. In fact it happens all the time. This year, with serious cash shortfalls, seems like you have to do something. The article doesn't really say what the Republican's plan is precisely...

Also, and correct me if I'm wrong (I'm sure), but isn't much of this budget crisis a result of decreased funds from the fed?

 

[chowderhead]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey

Democrats want to see a temporary half- cent sales tax increase, but the GOP has refused to consider any tax increase.

First of all, this is not the first time the CA budget has been delayed. Often to the point where crucial payments start getting missed. In fact it happens all the time. This year, with serious cash shortfalls, seems like you have to do something. The article doesn't really say what the Republican's plan is precisely...

Also, and correct me if I'm wrong (I'm sure), but isn't much of this budget crisis a result of decreased funds from the fed?

If the half-cent sales tax increase is "temporary," I will eat my computer. We still have that temporary quarter cent sale tax increase from the 1989 earthquake. I guess we are still using that money for rebuilding - yeah right.

A lot of the deficit does come from increased security costs and underfunded mandates from the feds. A lot more comes from the energy bailout. It's only shocking to the budget people up in Sacramento that with the tech bust, capital gains tax/revenue will drop to the floor.
This is an article from 2 years ago which clearing demostrated this yet, California refused to stop spending money it did not have.

Stock drop hits tech-rich states

I sound more and more like a Republican but I cannot help it. argh.

 

[DealMonkey]

What pisses me off the most is that CA is reinstating the "car tax." I was so happy when they eliminated the tax a few years back. My yearly car registration went from $400+ down to about $150. If you ask me, the increase in local/state taxes is going to totally offset any tax reduction brought about by the Bush tax cut(s).

-DM

 

[jjones]

More unsurprising news. What's next? An expose on politicians being influenced by polls?

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
California's debt is so large that laying off every state worker won't solve it. There has to be a tax increase as well as service cuts to succeed. Compromise will have to be done but the Republicans are playing politics hoping to unseat Davis by having no budget agreement at recall time.

Such simplistic reasoning. Increase those taxes any further and you're going to have more people getting layed off and more business driven out of the state and soon you'll have no one to tax.

Californians, individuals and businesses, CANNOT afford any more taxes...period.

Ever read about the Worker's Comp crisis or tripled vehicle registration?

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
What pisses me off the most is that CA is reinstating the "car tax." I was so happy when they eliminated the tax a few years back. My yearly car registration went from $400+ down to about $150. If you ask me, the increase in local/state taxes is going to totally offset any tax reduction brought about by the Bush tax cut(s).

-DM

Are you rich?

Yeah, the car tax situation was quite the dirty trick, I think the whole California gov't is in need of replacement...or atleast a few swift kicks to the groin.

CkG

 

[Moonbeam]

I think the whole California gov't is in need of replacement...
------------------------------
Dispite the fact that such a remark is clearly irrational, full of spitefullness and maybe eveh hate, I rather agree. The problem, one problem is that term limits have given lobbyists even more power than before. Another problem is that committees can be altered depending on the issue and vote, and also that the legislature can 'walk' not vote on an issue even though present, as a means to defeat a bill without registering a position. It really sucks. The banks, dispite a popularity state wide of 97% voter wise, shot down a bill allowing Californians to keep their financial information private according to their wishes instead of allowing financial institutions to earn 500 million selling it here and there. This will go to the inititive process instead. They need replacing, but it won't help unless the rules are changed. One suggestion was, no vote, no pay.

 

[LunarRay]

What we really need in California is a very strong Power Broker... like in the sixties... Jesse Unruh.. As speaker, he ran California... despite who was Governor.. Big Daddy made sure the needs of the citizen was met... and that the legislators did their job... regardless of the party folks liked Unruh because he did something... that few could argue with ... at the end of the day..

Without a central power... it is all spread about... everyone thinks they have equal power and voice and form cliques for this pet project or that... this is how we get into the mess we is in... I say.. let's get back to the way it was when we had someone in control.. be they Dem or Rep someone has to be in charge... governors are not really the best choice... they have other agendas... often... that compromise their ability to do the job...

 

[Zebo]

Arnold would be a power broker. Hes already weathly so does'nt NEED to be bought, popular, and seems to have very good integrity.

 

[Drift3r]

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
What pisses me off the most is that CA is reinstating the "car tax." I was so happy when they eliminated the tax a few years back. My yearly car registration went from $400+ down to about $150. If you ask me, the increase in local/state taxes is going to totally offset any tax reduction brought about by the Bush tax cut(s).

-DM

Are you rich?

Yeah, the car tax situation was quite the dirty trick, I think the whole California gov't is in need of replacement...or atleast a few swift kicks to the groin.

CkG

Hey if it were not for the fact that the prison guard lobby had so much power this bill would of not pased. The increase in car registration fees was needed to balance-out the raise the prison guards union wanted and recieved for all it's members during this budget crisis. I guess it's three strikes and we are all broke huh.

 

[Drift3r]

Originally posted by: Zebo
Arnold would be a power broker. Hes already weathly so does'nt NEED to be bought, popular, and seems to have very good integrity.

Really I would love to hear Arnold's ideas on fixing our budget problems wouldn't you ? I mean besides cutting back on services and on government programs like G.D. is doing. I may not like the guy ( Grey Davis ) but at least he has the balls to make the deep spending cuts that are needed to get us back on track. Why the GOP in California is wasting the tax payer dollars on this stupid recall bewilders me. I mean what would the GOP do that G.D. has not done ? Across the board budget cuts ? Naw G.D. is doing that already. Man I really hate partisan politics as it really is such a waste of time.