California broke?

[Nuggler]

California controller to suspend tax refunds, welfare checks, student grants - Los Angeles Times



"Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger has ordered that most state workers take two days off per month without pay -- equivalent to about a 10% pay cut. The governor also ordered most state offices -- including all DMV field offices -- to close on those two days. The order is being challenged in court by labor unions."

______________
He must have spoken to Bob Rae.
There are times unions should go suck canal water. Sheesh.






California controller to suspend tax refunds, welfare checks, student grants

 

[dj03]

I remember hearing last fall the California usually borrows money late in the year to cover expenses until tax revenues come in in the spring. Schwarzenegger was looking for federal loan guarantees due to the credit crunch.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Schwarzenegger could be telling the state workers that they're all taking a 10% pay
cut to help balance the budget, or that 10% of all state workers will be culled and the
remaining will soak up the increased workload with zero pay increase...but he's not.
Two extra unpaid days off per month, where they can work at a casual labour job or
mow their lawns or go lay on the beach.....what a villain (not) !!!

California is in an ugly financial pickle, and their state economy must be one of the
biggest (if not the biggest) in the whole of the USA. They have to roll back to live
within their means, or they'll financially implode and God only knows what'll get
dragged down with that. California doesn't HAVE to lead the continent in emissions
enforcement and so many of the other self inflicted legislation's that they (and everyone
else peripherally) have to pay for. Belt tightening is never fun, and this is just the beginning.

1/3rd of Welfare recipients are in L.A. and they'll be covered. 2/3rds aren't and that's
disturbing, but maybe the other jurisdictions will follow L.A.'s example...or not. This will
be ugly. At least Schwarzenegger is familiar with the political & financial landscape, and
isn't just walking in the door to find this mess.

 

[Nuggler]

:-|Yepper; I can't help but compare this to Bob's "Rae Days", which IMO were a good idea. Everyone got to keep their job, just make a bit less money......And, the recession we were going through that time was a teeny weeny one compared to this'un.

For this he was hung in effigy in Nathan Phillips Square, and villified to this day. And it was a recession he walked into, didn't create.

BUT!! I don't think he would make a good el Primo. Too polite. No instinct for the jugular. Well, maybe now, but not then.

Water under the bridge.

But, again. At least gays can't marry in Californeeee..........Now there's a sterling piece of legislation................not.

8O

 

[lone wolf]

Robbed by Nugg's quick draw....

It sounds like Awnode is pulling pages from Rae's book and Harris'. Rae days and hitting the vulnerable ... in the land of the fabulously wealthy. It just don't sound ... ahem ... right....

 

[Nuggler]

Robbed by Nugg's quick draw....

It sounds like Awnode is pulling pages from Rae's book and Harris'. Rae days and hitting the vulnerable ... in the land of the fabulously wealthy. It just don't sound ... ahem ... right....

HEHEHE: gotcha.............terribly right old chap, doncha think?

:lol:

 

[Toro]

California is not broke. It is dysfunctional.

The Californians vote in all these programs then tie the hands of the legislators to pay for them. They could easily pay for everything if they either a.) raised taxes, or b.) cut spending, but their political system is so messed up, there is nothing but paralysis or magical sleight of hand.

 

[dj03]

California is not broke. It is dysfunctional.

The Californians vote in all these programs then tie the hands of the legislators to pay for them. They could easily pay for everything if they either a.) raised taxes, or b.) cut spending, but their political system is so messed up, there is nothing but paralysis or magical sleight of hand.

I saw a report on this...iirc, California can't raise taxes without a plebiscite.

 

[Scott Free]

Uh Oh! Daddy really did take the T bird away!!! :lol:

 

[tracy]

California is not broke. It is dysfunctional.

The Californians vote in all these programs then tie the hands of the legislators to pay for them. They could easily pay for everything if they either a.) raised taxes, or b.) cut spending, but their political system is so messed up, there is nothing but paralysis or magical sleight of hand.

It is a serious problem. You know Californians recently voted to provide strict regulations on how farm animals are kept. How do they think the rule will be enforced, if not by paying inspectors? They voted to give more money to Children's hospitals. Great, but it has to be paid for. We're also the center of the housing bust. Forceclosed homeowners don't pay property taxes any more and so revenues decline....

Add all the costs we legitimately have, plus all the illegitimate costs (we have a lot of people accessing services they don't pay into) and California is bound to have problems paying the bills.

 

[gopher]

Republicans forced the recall of Democrat Grey Davis.

It's time for the Dems to stop kissing up and to recall Schwarzenegger.

 

[normbc9]

California can't be broke yet. Arnold just appointed ten $125,000.+ a year washed up politicians to state Boards and Committees. That group is exempt from any state salary reductions or cutbacks. The love-in with the state legislature continues and Arnie is on the front page almost daily. One thing I have learned is that celebrity status means absolutely nothing in politics other than having a good makeup person on the staff at the ready for the next TV appearance at taxpayers expense.

 

[Someone]

I am from California, and it is dysfunctional. The public schools have gotten big cuts, and that's the field I'm going into. That means more students to worry about in each classroom, and you must know how difficult many of these students are. Think about it, how often does Canada have something like "Dangerous Minds" or "Freedom Writers" go their way. I work in elementary schools, but some of these kids are way ahead of their time. They could be ages 6-12 and they're already racist (blacks against whites, blacks against Hispanics, Hispanics against blacks, Hispanics against whites, whites against either of the two, the rest wondeirng where their place is).

What are we doing to help these kids? With their attitudes, how can they concentrate? How can they get help at home if Mommy is single and has 3 other kids with different dads? Or if they know nothing about American culture? And yet, we don't pay the money to have extra adults in these classrooms? Some are even thinking of doing away with class size reduction. What a racket!!!

I've thought of escaping in teaching in Canada. I hear it's calmer, regardless of the age group of the demographic. Any ideas?

 

[gopher]

And who do you blame for those problems?

 

[Toro]

I've thought of escaping in teaching in Canada. I hear it's calmer, regardless of the age group of the demographic. Any ideas?

My son is in elementary school in the public school system here in Florida. Its a blue ribbon school and we are very happy with his education. My wife has a few cousins and friends who are teachers or are married to teachers, and from what we understand, the education here is more advanced than it is in Canada (which is both good and bad). If you got a job teaching in the Jane and Finch corridor in Toronto, you might have the same problems you are already having.

 

[Someone]

My son is in elementary school in the public school system here in Florida. Its a blue ribbon school and we are very happy with his education. My wife has a few cousins and friends who are teachers or are married to teachers, and from what we understand, the education here is more advanced than it is in Canada (which is both good and bad). If you got a job teaching in the Jane and Finch corridor in Toronto, you might have the same problems you are already having.

I'm curious what part of Florida you live in at the moment. Yeah, I guess I only showed one side of the coin. Where I live in California, there certainly are blue ribbon schools as well, I just don't really go to those places. My experience working in such places is that you have an opposite problem: many of the parents are never satisfied with whatever the teacher does. If I teach 1st grade and I get a student who performs at a 3rd grade level, the parents will complain that I'm not challenging their child enough, yet in a number of those cases, the parent is too busy wih other matters that he/she doesn't spend enough time with the child and expects me to pick up the slack. I'm not saying you're like that, but I've seen it.

What I see here seems to be extremes, mainly.

Your son's school, I'm sure, is well cared for. I'm curious to know if the inner city schools in the Miami area have similar problems.

I heard about Jane and Finch. I understand that it is a very multicultural neighbourhood, so that I will have many students in ESL if I teach there. I understand that certain populations have higher percentages of low-income, single-parent families, which of course affects stability. I just always imagined that it is probably a watered-down version of an American inner-city. I could be wrong, but thanks for the input anyways.

 

[normbc9]

Ironically the day before the courts are to rule on the lagality of the state worker furlough program the governor comes out in the media and states if the Unions don't accept his furlough program he will lay off (Fire) enough workers to save $1.3 billion needed to keep the state solvent. I wonder if he senses what the courts ruling will be?

 

[L Gilbert]

Schwarzenneger is worth an estimated $800 million. I am sure he is suffering greatly.

 

[gopher]

Tax those wealthy Republicans and the deficit will be over in a flash!;-)

 

[tracy]

Ironically the day before the courts are to rule on the lagality of the state worker furlough program the governor comes out in the media and states if the Unions don't accept his furlough program he will lay off (Fire) enough workers to save $1.3 billion needed to keep the state solvent. I wonder if he senses what the courts ruling will be?

I think the union is being stupid. With the economy what it is, people are lucky to be employed. Everyone is cutting back. It's better to take a bit of a cut in pay than to lose your job entirely.