IOU's coming, deficit widens as California's Legislature remain...

California's controller will start paying many of the state's bills with IOUs as soon as today after lawmakers failed to close the state's worsening budget deficit, adding a new measure of indignity to a state sinking deeper into dysfunction.

[HER MAIN MAN]

I know when I go to pay my State Income Tax I'm sending an IOU! screw Arnold and the State!

[Dano]

The welfare state is finally sinking. We, the working people will bear the burden.

[abcdefg]

I want to see Arnold and the State lawmakers give up thier saleries. they are the ones that got us into this mess. why slash teachers saleries for the mistakes of the lawmakers.

there are alos many pet projects and studies that need to be slashed.

[Get Real]

Welcome to Liberal America, as California goes so goes the Nation. The State and Nation don't need to be fiscally responsible, they just need more tax revenue to spend to make-up the 26% decline in current tax revenues.

[James C]

I say just let the state crash. They have way toooo many pet projects, way tooooo many deep pockets. Let the state crash and rebuild. IOU's could you imagine if we were to send our creditors an IOU?????

OUT WITH THE GOV.

[EL CHOLO]

HA,THATS WHAT YOU PEOPLE GET FOR VOTING IN THE TERMINATOR AS YOUR GOV.IOU!PRICELESS.

[Stanley Engel]

Jean Ross wrote:

Jean Ross, executive director of the California Budget Project:“But there's a fourth culprit at work right now in California, one we can do something about: the state's two-thirds vote requirement to pass a budget and tax increases,” she says. Ms. Ross says that without the two-thirds vote requirement, mandated by the state Constitution, it's likely that California's policymakers would have been able to come to an agreement that could have averted the issuing of IOUs.

So who submitted the insane two-thirds legislative requirement to the voters? The answer of course is the Republicans. Who approved this idiocy? Why, that was done by the California electorate who magically achieve wisdom once in a voting booth.

Face facts. No legislature in the world would be functional if there was a two-thirds majority requirement. That's why the California legislature is non-functional and why there is this budget crisis.

What's the solution?(1) Have Obama appoint a special commissioner to administer state affairs and make sure all bills get paid on time.(2) Treat California like the southern states after the Civil War.(3) After a while, get a new California constitution that requires a two-thirds majority for voter initiatives. Otherwise, the legislature rules by majority vote like in rational socieities.

California's Austro-American Governor is unable to run things from Sacramento so let's have an Afro-American do it from DC.

[Reality]

Stanley Engel wrote:

<quoted text>
So who submitted the insane two-thirds legislative requirement to the voters? The answer of course is the Republicans. Who approved this idiocy? Why, that was done by the California electorate who magically achieve wisdom once in a voting booth.
Face facts. No legislature in the world would be functional if there was a two-thirds majority requirement. That's why the California legislature is non-functional and why there is this budget crisis.
What's the solution?(1) Have Obama appoint a special commissioner to administer state affairs and make sure all bills get paid on time.(2) Treat California like the southern states after the Civil War.(3) After a while, get a new California constitution that requires a two-thirds majority for voter initiatives. Otherwise, the legislature rules by majority vote like in rational socieities.
California's Austro-American Governor is unable to run things from Sacramento so let's have an Afro-American do it from DC.

Actually the two thirds rule is the only thing preventing us from being taxed into oblivion.

The real problem is that the districts have been gerrymandered to guarantee that most of the seats are "safe" for incumbents and will virtually never swap party sides. This leads to legislators who don't feel they have to listen to the people because their job is safe.

Thankfully the districts will be drawn by an independent commission in the future thanks to a voter initiative (did you decry that one too?).

Good places to start fixing this mess? Stop providing ALL non-emergency services to illegals. Get rid of 90% for-life pensions. Impose a REAL spending cap. Hire more social service fraud investigators.

[Switching parties]

The 2/3 majority vote requirement is the only thing saving us from being taxed to Mars, and if we did not have it, our politicians would continue to ignore correcting the real problems. Thank your lucky stars that we have this rule in place, at this time. We do not have equal representation. Without the 2/3 vote, the majority, tax, spend, Special Interest Group pocket-lined, politicians would continue their luxurious spending, for their own careers' sake, at CA's expense. The 2/3 vote ensures that bad solutions are not accepted, and requires our politicians to learn to work together, rather than against each other. We pay them to do this, and we expect it. They just continue to refuse to do it. All of our politicians have numerous pet projects that they hold dear to their hearts, and are refusing to give up. The fact is we can't afford them, and we need to get back to basic requirements, if CA is going to survive, which requires total reform of the state. Our politicians were repeatedly given very clear instructions to cut 24.3 billion, without raising taxes. To raise taxes will continue to send business, and our declining taxpayers (now less than 50% of our population) out of state. And CA now stands as the highest Welfare state in the nation with 12% of Californians paying for 34% of Welfare recipients, an obviously doomed situation, if allowed to continue. Unfortunately, our Democrats repeatedly disregarded these instructions by refusing to cut programs, and in the end the best they could offer was a 3 billion cut, which included adding additional taxes on specific groups, who are not at all related to the areas requiring reform. At this stage, our Dems are an embarrassment, living in some kind of fantasy world of eternal wealth. We are broke. If they had followed instructions, they easily could have made appropriate, intelligent cuts. They have childishly held out till the last moment to get their way, and by doing so, have now put many of our citizens at risk of losing essential programs. I hold them entirely responsible. The real problems must be addressed, and should have been addressed from the get go. Cut all the waste, focus on essentials, with a view to long-term recovery, and survival.

[Elaine Hill]

The Star News could do us all a real service during this period by reporting directly, in detail from the legislature -- what proposals are being introduced, who is getting real, who is being obstructionist and petty. I don't want their after-session sound bites - tell us what they are really doing in there so we can treat them appropriately come election time.

And to my fellow voters - may I suggest two new (budget)year resolutions?

1 - NEVER EVER sign a petition in a parking lot to put ANYTHING on the ballot - the unintended consequences are what got us into this mess;
2 - Pay attention to what your own State rep. and senator are doing during this mess so you can make an informed, rather than partisan, decision as to whether they deserve another term.

[geez]

More jobs lost, with no real solution. I wonder if Davis, would have done a better job????

[HER MAIN MAN]

geez wrote:

More jobs lost, with no real solution. I wonder if Davis, would have done a better job????

We would have been though some tuff years with him, but in the long run I thing so!

[Kate]

Stanley Engel wrote:

<quoted text>
So who submitted the insane two-thirds legislative requirement to the voters? The answer of course is the Republicans. Who approved this idiocy? Why, that was done by the California electorate who magically achieve wisdom once in a voting booth.
Face facts. No legislature in the world would be functional if there was a two-thirds majority requirement. That's why the California legislature is non-functional and why there is this budget crisis.
What's the solution?(1) Have Obama appoint a special commissioner to administer state affairs and make sure all bills get paid on time.(2) Treat California like the southern states after the Civil War.(3) After a while, get a new California constitution that requires a two-thirds majority for voter initiatives. Otherwise, the legislature rules by majority vote like in rational socieities.
California's Austro-American Governor is unable to run things from Sacramento so let's have an Afro-American do it from DC.

You have no clue of what you are talking about, you have to live here, in California to know the realities in order to have a pertinent opinion.

[Kate]

California controller, Chiang protested last year's governor request to stop all paychecks for the lawmakers unless they pass a bugdet.
Chiang said that the state has more than sufficient money and he is in charge with issuing checks, not the governor.
Hahaha, I would like to see the director of payroll in my company telling the CEO that he is the one paying the people, the CEO does not have the right to cut their salaries, then sue the CEO for abusing the power!

Controller Chiang is just a public servant, and should act like one, the Governor is the one who makes pay decisions.
BTW, the unions and Chiang sued the governor on workers pay/furloughs case. Well they lost.

[Stanley Engel]

Kate wrote:

<quoted text>
You have no clue of what you are talking about, you have to live here, in California to know the realities in order to have a pertinent opinion.

Sure, so people in Arizona and Oregon lack that special telepathic sense that only California residents possess. I guess Jean Ross is wrong but some anonymous "Kate" knows the REAL answers.

[Popcorn]

It's a forgone conclusion, vote those obstructionist Repubs out of office and change the law to eliminate insane rules designed to kill the budget. These politicians need to be taught a lesson on Public Service, it's the interest of the state that comes first and not their political ambitions.

[Stanley Engel]

Switching parties wrote:

The 2/3 majority vote requirement is the only thing saving us from being taxed to Mars, and if we did not have it, our politicians would continue to ignore correcting the real problems. Thank your lucky stars that we have this rule in place, at this time. We do not have equal representation. Without the 2/3 vote, the majority, tax, spend, Special Interest Group pocket-lined, politicians would continue their luxurious spending, for their own careers' sake, at CA's expense. The 2/3 vote ensures that bad solutions are not accepted, and requires our politicians to learn to work together, rather than against each other. We pay them to do this, and we expect it. They just continue to refuse to do it. All of our politicians have numerous pet projects that they hold dear to their hearts, and are refusing to give up. The fact is we can't afford them, and we need to get back to basic requirements, if CA is going to survive, which requires total reform of the state. Our politicians were repeatedly given very clear instructions to cut 24.3 billion, without raising taxes. To raise taxes will continue to send business, and our declining taxpayers (now less than 50% of our population) out of state. And CA now stands as the highest Welfare state in the nation with 12% of Californians paying for 34% of Welfare recipients, an obviously doomed situation, if allowed to continue. Unfortunately, our Democrats repeatedly disregarded these instructions by refusing to cut programs, and in the end the best they could offer was a 3 billion cut, which included adding additional taxes on specific groups, who are not at all related to the areas requiring reform. At this stage, our Dems are an embarrassment, living in some kind of fantasy world of eternal wealth. We are broke. If they had followed instructions, they easily could have made appropriate, intelligent cuts. They have childishly held out till the last moment to get their way, and by doing so, have now put many of our citizens at risk of losing essential programs. I hold them entirely responsible. The real problems must be addressed, and should have been addressed from the get go. Cut all the waste, focus on essentials, with a view to long-term recovery, and survival.

So, to put it another way, you don't really like democracy, a system where majority votes in legislatures enact laws and budgets. As it is, a 35% minority can nullify the desires of a 65% majority.

It shows how totally idiotic are the right-wing voter initiatives in California. Popular initiatives do not work, especially the ridiculous California system where any small pressure group can put craziness on the ballot.

[sosickof this]

Just for those that don't know. Arnold doen's take a paycheck!!! Quit blaming him...it's the legistlature and their special interest programs...you know...Welfare, taking care of the illegals, sending them to our schools...and printing in spanish and every other language (it cost millions to print & we voted in the 90's to stop the printing and won by an 88% landslide, but the lib's ran to the courts saying it was unconstitutional..oh brother). We can't continue to tax those that work hard for their money and tax business's at such a high rate that we are forcing bus & individuals to move out of the Welfare state. Please vote them out of office, so we can turn this State around!!!!

[sosickof this]

Just a tid-bit of info. I had to take a Lic exam in the State of California. When I was taking the written exam, there where Mong's and Hispanic's taking the written with interpreters helping them...Well how much extra do you think that cost...not to mention, how frustrated I was trying to concentrate and hearing all this babble in the back ground. I requested a private room and they said they didn't have the staff to accomodate me....OMG...Well why don't they have to learn English and test like everyone else? More cost to the state??? I worked in a hospital...we had illegals in there everyday for the sniffles..using the emergency room...we had welfare/medical magic cards..people coming in on ambulances for sniffles...back ache...headache and such daily....what do you imagine that cost the tax payers? This is ridiculous. So once again, our financial problems could be solved if they would quit pandering to the dems/social votes! Follow the Law! Kick the Illegal's out..get people off the welfare tit! Print in English (all material, books for the spanish speaking kids..c'mon) Some of you just don't get it! Money doesn't grow on tree's and we can not afford all the social programs!!!!! We own a business and employ people/provide medical benefits...but we are seriously considering moving out of this state. More and more people are doing this daily! We must stop the insanity! Get a job or get out!