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Legislature offers up $2 billion in budget cuts

February 23, 2010

State legislators, trying to deal with at least part of California’s $19.9 billion deficit, sent Gov. Schwarzenegger more than $2 billion in cuts. [San Jose Mercury News]

At the top of the list: nearly $1 billion slashed from the state prison system, mainly in reduction of inmate medical care, and another $540 million reduction in paychecks for state workers. The cuts were approved by both the Senate and the Assembly.

This week, Sacramento also considers controversial measures including forcing online businesses like Amazon to collect state sales tax, and a $1.8 billion fuel tax overhaul.

One ray of hope is the decision by the Obama administration to give California $3 billion in federal relief.


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Apparently the legislature is filled with idiots, plain and simple. I say that because I don’t think this concept is too hard to grasp: if the budget deficit is $19.9 billion, then you have to cut $19.9 billion out of the budget! Not $2 billion, not $3 billion, not $5 billion, but $19.9 billion, PERIOD! I don’t really care where the cuts come from, because if the service is needed, then the demand will continue and someone (possibly with no current job) will supply it.


I’m sorry if that means state employees will have to take massive paycuts. This happens to people in the private market every day. It’s unfortunate, and no one likes it. Sometimes people even lose their pensions altogether. Public employees need to recognize this face and QUIT WHINING. Look, we know you work hard, we know furloughs have been hard on you, we know it just isn’t fair, but you know what, there’s NO MONEY so suck it up!


Law enforcement may not get to have its latest paramilitary gadgets. And here’s the one that gets the public whining: if we don’t have enough money to imprison all the people we do, then we need to scale enforcement back to crimes for which there is a victim. And when possible, we should aim for restitution over prosecution. If all parties are satisfied, the state should step aside. You know what, we all freeways that aren’t smooth as butter, but those days are over kids, be glad you have asphalt at all.


Even in good economic times, we seem to run a deficit. So if we’re constantly blowing all this money, when EXACTLY is it that we are expecting to have a balanced budget? How many times do people have to demonstrate that they can’t add and subtract before the public pulls their heads out of their *sses, turns of the TV, and stops finding this idiocy acceptable? I hate to say it but this is total insanity, and if you vote for anyone that votes for an unbalanced budget, you are stupid. Yes, I said it, no more suggesting we have different views, no more open-mindedness from me, you’re just stupid.


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As I understand it the Federal “relief” isn’t actually revenue but rather an agreement for the Feds to look the other way while Arnold and his band of nitwits reduce mandated services to the most needy of state residents.


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Chevron gouged $24 billions in excessive profits in 2008, as per http://www.tyrannyofoil.com. Schwarzenegger should put an excessive profits tax on these profits, instead of protecting the oil corporations from fair taxation, then, there would be sufficient public funds for all the vulnerable, people programs. Big business lost the fight to eliminate domestic violence funding, so now they are coming back with a vengeance. There is no funding provision for battered women shelters in the proposed budget. Schwarzee picks on the most vulnerable, and not on corporate “deadbeats.”


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