*California officially out of money*

Out of curiosity I went and looked at city data forum to see what the people of California are saying, and was surprised it is not even being discussed.

amatine

Thats the point I don't get.........its not in the media and its not being discussed by the mass public. But the ones that do post show the real light of what is going on.

People are discussing it here, BTW I am between Modesto and Ripon in California. I have been coming here on and off for over a year now, so I have seen businesses close, people lose jobs, lay-offs etc.

There are a lot of seasonal related agricultural businesses and some of it is cyclical, but the businesses I deal with are industrial, and many have cut back, shut down, etc.

But after talking with some others who do bussiness here and elsewhere in the country, California while bad, I am told is not as bad off as some other places in the USA.

I think California gets a lot of media focus because of its financial crisis at the state government level.... THEY HAVE THE MONEY to pay out in tax returns but are intentionally withholding it until they can get labor to agree to a mandatory state worker/contractor furlough. 2 days per month without pay I believe... What is pissing off many Californians is that they need that money, the state HAS IT, and wont give it to them.

Combine that with so many people losing there jobs, and you have a recipe for 'civil unrest'

I live in Northern California and we have had alot of services being cut off in our city over the last 6 months. The mayor has even asked some officers to retire early so that they don't have to let others go as they make less. Our fire departments have been downsized and most of the men who are risking their lives are doing so as volunteers. The only thing you see from the time you leave your home till the time you get back into your driveway is people getting pulled over and ticketed for EVERYTHING.
The MSM isn't going to be able to hide these major problems soon, as most people get their social checks this week with the stamps for food. My sis had to go on them when she lost her job (2 months ago) and her ex decided he wasn't going to pay support anymore.
I have no idea how people are going to survive this. It is going to get messy really soon and people need to be ready for it and be prepared to stay away from areas that are prone to riots.
As far as the national guard we have them the army the marines and the coast guard here. ( I am not sure who else as I haven't seen any others yet.)

xoxo stacie

Good luck to you!! Keep us posted!

reply to post by Walkswithfish


The government is running as if it is the middle of the housing boom. It is obvious that tax revenue from income and property has taken a hit but the state insists that it keep spending at the same rate.

Now that state spending is vastly exceeding the tax revenues, the state wants to adjust to the downturn not by cutting back to a size in proportion with revenue, they want to increase revenue through higher taxes.

The state might have money but it doesn't have enough for all of it's programs. The state legislature is so beholding to state worker unions that they will NOT CUT BACK AT ALL.

If the state were to lose 99% of income tax revenue, the state unions would insist on increasing taxes by 99% to make that up instead of cutting back.

There are some republicans in the state legislature that are blocking an increase in taxes to shore up the budget. The democrats don't want to cut back or cut spending. California law makes it so that the state legislature needs 2/3 vote to raise taxes and the Dems don't have enough.

This is why the state is in trouble. Dems don't want to cut, Reps don't want to tax. There is no budget, there is not enough revenue to handle current spending, the state can't borrow without a budget, and that is why there state is running out of money.

Considering that California is already the highest taxed state, I am gonna have to side with the Republicans on this one. Why the hell would the Democrats and Arnold want to tax us more in a falling economy. Don't we already pay enough? Don't we already put up with enough? Isn't the cost of living in California absurdly high enough already with all the embedded taxes? California is already at 10% unemployment, how is raising taxes going to help? There are already enough businesses moving out, and with that productive citizens, do the Dems want to chase them all away?

A little look at what is happening and the real problems that are sure to come.

Facing yawning budget gaps, California's public universities are shifting thousands of applicants into a community college system already swamped by newly unemployed adults and students priced out of other schools.

By holding down enrollment, the shift would help balance budgets at UC and CSU campuses. But officials say the move seems likely to worsen problems at the state's 110 two-year campuses, many of which already face budget shortfalls that have them chopping courses, laying off part-time faculty and cramming classrooms so full that students have to perch on windowsills.

"We hope to serve as many students as we can get in, but we're near the breaking point," said Jack Scott, statewide chancellor of the California community college system.

www.latimes.com... nsfer3-2009feb03,0,3355180.story

Declaring itself officially broke, the state government will begin issuing IOU's instead of check for grants, schools and any other organization or program which was previously receiving funding. Additionally, your California income tax refund check this year will not be sent out until after a balanced budget is passed. Those who have already filed their taxes will get an announcement noting the delay. Schools will feel a great deal of pain, as the state has been forced to hold back on $13 million in college funding through the Cal Grants program, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. While state universities might have alternative funds to draw from, the pinch is likely to affect community college students the most.

www.hometownstation.com... get-crisis-2009-02-02-01-20.html

reply to post by Exuberant1


Excuse me, but this must make two idiots in a row. The first guy thought the amero factored in somehow to a statewide concon, and now you continue his fallacy. No, it's simple. The amero, if it is ever to happen, would be a national initiative. Whether or not Canada stomps her feet doesn't matter at this point. it won't happen at a state concon. Why can't you read?

reply to post by SpencerJ


"Why can't you read?"

I don't know - I must have been born that way.

Scrip Currency will be making a comeback in the USA, especially in California. The need some sort of medium of exchange....

reply to post by Exuberant1


Sorry for being harsh. I'm tired of this "lemming" like behavior where one person does something ignorant or says something that does not enter into the argument at all and someone takes it and runs with it.

People, please keep it limited to California's state of affairs!

reply to post by SpencerJ


"I'm tired of this "lemming" like behavior where one person does something ignorant or says something that does not enter into the argument at all and someone takes it and runs with it."

That is your problem...

If you cannot see the Connections between the 'World's 8th Largest Economy' going bankrupt, along with the reduction in credit Nation-wide and record state debts across the country in combination with the MSM rhetoric/propaganda about the Amero... It is your problem.

Cheers Friend!

reply to post by Exuberant1

That is your problem...

If you cannot see the Connections between the 'World's 8th Largest Economy' going bankrupt, along with the reduction in credit Nation-wide and record state debts across the country in combination with the MSM rhetoric/propaganda about the Amero... It is your problem.

Cheers Friend!

Ah how very touching. I was all set to put this behind me, but you have proven you are for real a stubborn prick who does not retract anything brash he ever says and is intent on making a fool of himself. Okay then...

As you put yourself, the Amero's not going to happen without Canada's say, so when Canada hurts, that's when I'll be more concerned with drawing "connections" as you put it, which in the meanwhile, simply do not exist.

Please don't start acting like a tard now simply because you jumped in the middle of a conversation that has nothing to do with the Amero, and want to hijack it so you don't look all the more like an idiot.

Cheers, friend!

The Independent ran a piece today about Eminem's comeback. What struck me most was this passage.

Today, Detroit is ground zero of America's economic meltdown, its motor industries bankrupt and its housing market worthless. Entire streets in Warren, the bleak suburb where Eminem grew up, can be brought and sold for less than a family car. Hotels, shops and even bars on 8 Mile, the road that gave its name to the semi-autobiographical film Eminem made, have bars protecting their workforce from feral locals. Across great swathes of the city, the only surviving industries involve prostitution and drugs.

Visitors are warned not to venture out of doors after dark – though the bitterly cold Michigan winter hardly encourages such adventure, particularly now that the state has run out of money to grit or snowplough its roads. Last week, the corpse of a homeless man was discovered encased entirely in a block of ice in the basement of a city-centre skyscraper. No one knew how long he'd been there.

I take it the author is not just waxing lyrical - quite shocking.

Just wanted to check on how Cal members are doing this day of the 4th. Post some comments if you have any new news. Keep us informed because we want hear it in the media.

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks),will deprive the people of their property until their
children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
Thomas Jefferson

Originally posted by Cloudsinthesky
Just wanted to check on how Cal members are doing this day of the 4th. Post some comments if you have any new news. Keep us informed because we want hear it in the media.

Supposedly the state legislature is nearing a deal that would raise taxes but cut down on some environmental restrictions.

More taxes for us, perfect timing in a bad economy, especially in the highest taxed state.

Thanks for the update. Boy, that sounds like a good idea!! Tax the people more.........and we know thats not going to work. Keep us informed if anything breaks...........

Really? I heard they are no closer to an agreement than they were weeks ago. In fact, Schwarzenegger's plan to furlough state employees takes effect starting this Friday.

Source

Meanwhile, our state politicians gallop around, making "wasteful spending" accusations at each other - like that's going to do anything. Get back to work!

The Democrats are what's really holding us up, holding out for all the damn special interests and tax revenue. Bastards.

Here's a sample of news from socal:

Standard & Poor lowered California's bond rating to A, lower than....drum roll, please......Louisiana's!!.....oh my freaking god!!!!

www.latimes.com...

Apparently in Riverside, they're cutting mental health and services for the aged so they can keep building a new prsion, although the county supers do note that since the police budget is 63% of the whole, it will have to suffer somewhat, also. Sheeesh!

www.mydesert.com...

San Diego was already in difficulty a few years ago due to early hedge fund failyres and not funding the pension fund to help cover the losses. The Mayor has cut trash pickup, libraries, lifeguards: the usual "non-essentials".

www.voiceofsandiego.org...

and finally...counties are preparing to refuse to send tax payments to the state:

www.ktvu.com...#-

damndamndamndamndamndamn

Originally posted by Walkswithfish


I think California gets a lot of media focus because of its financial crisis at the state government level.... THEY HAVE THE MONEY to pay out in tax returns but are intentionally withholding it until they can get labor to agree to a mandatory state worker/contractor furlough. 2 days per month without pay I believe... What is pissing off many Californians is that they need that money, the state HAS IT, and wont give it to them.

Combine that with so many people losing there jobs, and you have a recipe for 'civil unrest'

I happen to work for the State government. In fact, I work for the State tax agency.


What is being delayed, by order of the State Controller, is State Income Tax REFUNDS, not returns.


Returns are what you fill out and send in; a Refund is what you hope to get back.


A small point perhaps, but it is grating to hear the two terms mis-used so frequently. Even by the media. Especially by the media!


The delay is only for 30 days (so far), and is intended to conserve the State's immediately accessible cash reserves.

There are a number of programs (expenses) the State is required, by law, to fund on a preferential basis. Without a State budget in place, there is no means to appropriate the necessary funds to meet the requirements of these programs. The State essentially is allowed to pay these expenses out of One budgetary "pocket"; no budget, no pocket.

If the State defaults on any of those programs, it risks being sued, in some cases by the Federal government.

The delay in issueing State tax refunds is meant to provide a General Fund source of cash, if needed, to try and keep those programs from "defaulting".



Speaking as a State employee, on the other hand, the Governor's furlough program is meant as a sleazy attempt to not only coerce concessions from the state employees Union; it is meant to "break" the Union itself, leaving the state employees at the "mercy" of the Governor and his minions.


The state and the employee's Union have been in contract negotiations since at least June of 2008. The Union has offered an number of concessions, and even a list of possible budgetary savings options.

All have been rejected by the state negotiation team.


The Governor realizes that if he can break the employee's Union, he can break the employees.

If the state employees are broken, there is nothing to stop him from "outsourcing" more jobs to his political and financial supporters in the private sector; read India, Indonesia, South Korea, etc..

More pork for His barrel!


More political capital to grease his way into his next "role".