Thursday, January 08, 2009

California budget failure

Since 1978 – Proposition 13- the California public schools have been under funded. Since the mid 1980’s California has had a dysfunctional prison and parole system with a constantly increasing budget.
The current legislature and the prior legislature can not pass a budget significantly as a consequence of the 2/3 rule. And, the Governor’s office issues press releases but provides no leadership.
Each side guards its territory and vilifies the other side. But, the state is not being governed.
Special interests pass laws but the public interest is being ignored. Over time an un governed state declines economically- as California is declining.
The public disapproval ratings of the legislature and the governor reveal that the voters recognize this incompetence.
The political stalemate in Sacramento makes the national recession worse. More workers will loose their jobs, more school budgets will be cut.

"Without an immediate fix to the state's estimated $40 billion budget deficit, California could run out of cash next month. State finance officials warn that the state would have to give IOUs to state vendors and elected officials, as well as delay refunds for taxpayers."
Perhaps we should respond in kind. Perhaps all of the taxpayers in the state should send in IOU's rather than their tax payments.
We would hope that soon some adults begin to provide leadership in Sacramento.

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