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Budget deal implodes; Senate locked in; GOP leader ousted
February 18th, 2009, 2:45 am · 85 Comments · posted by BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento Correspondent
SACRAMENTO The state budget deal imploded in dramatic fashion early Wednesday as senators were locked in the State Capitol after Senate Republicans ousted their leader for supporting a tax increase.
With the air of a Greek tragedy, Wednesday’s events imperil the financial stability of the nation’s most populous state and could leave California without enough money to pay its bills.
As of 3 a.m., senators remained locked in the State Capitol and were expected to remain so for hours or even days, until one more Republican senator agrees to support a controversial plan to fix the state’s ballooning budget deficit. Lawmakers and their staff were expected to sleep in their Capitol offices.
“Our minor inconvenience pales in comparison to the pain and the harm that will be done to the people of California if we don’t do our business,” said Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, who ordered the lock down just before1 a.m. “We make the vow to stay here through the night and for however long it takes because to do otherwise would be a disservice to people we’ve been elected to serve.”
Meanwhile, new Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth of Murrietta began in earnest to battle back any attempt to raise taxes with our struggling economy.
“I don’t want to see a tax increase passed,” Hollingsworth said after he was announced as a leader at 12:30 a.m. “A majority of my caucus doesn’t want to see a tax increase passed.”
But all of this could have been avoided if just one more Senate Republican supported the budget deal.
Sen. Dave Cogdill of Modesto, who succeeded Orange County’s Dick Ackerman as Senate Republican Leader in 2008, worked for months with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the three other legislative leaders to cut a deal to fix the state’s $42 billion deficit. The governor and the leaders, known as the Big 5, settled on plan of $15 billion in spending cuts, but also $14 billion in tax increases.
All Democrats in the Legislature are believed to support the plan, but most Republicans oppose it because of the taxes. Nonetheless, the necessary three Republican votes are widely believed to be in the Assembly.
In the Senate, however, only two of the three needed votes are thought to be in the bag - Cogdill and Roy Ashburn of Bakersfield.
Since Saturday, Cogdill and the other leaders have been frantically trying to secure the final Republican vote to pass the plan. But following marathon sessions over the past four days, Senate Republicans upset about the taxes rose up and removed Cogdill late Tuesday and replaced him with Hollingsworth.
In response, Steinberg, the Senate leader, ordered that senators be locked in the State Capitol.
“We are tired of waiting. We are tired of the endless delays,” Steinberg said.
Before officially locking down the Senate, Steinberg put the tax increase bill up for a vote and it initially failed on a 23 to 12 vote, and that was after waiting 15 minutes for the arrival of Democratic Sen. Lois Wolk of Davis, who was suffering from food poisoning-like symptoms but was needed for her “yes” vote.
Abstaining from the vote was Cogdill; Ashburn; Republican Dave Cox of Fair Oaks, who was targeted with intense lobbying for days to change his vote; and Democratic Lou Correa of Santa Ana, who is thought to be a yes vote after securing an additional $35 million to $50 million for Orange County, but who also promised not to vote to raise taxes and who may wait to cast a yes vote until he’s absolutely certain the bill will pass.
The key no vote was Republican Sen. Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria, who was also targeted with intense lobbying to change his mind.
Assuming Cogdill, Ashburn and Correa are merely holding their votes until they are certain the bill will pass, Cox appears to be the only Republican who could be convinced to become the final vote for the budget. But Cox had strong rhetoric against the plan Tuesday, saying on the Senate floor that the tax increase was large and may ultimately not help the state.
“This is a $14 billion tax plan,” Cox said, “and I have reviewed the numbers and I am concerned it does not fix the problem.”
However, Cox and even Maldonado cannot be lumped in with the other Senate Republicans who appear vehemently opposed to the plan. Maldonado told reporters that he and Cox joined Cogdill and Ashburn in abstaining from the closed door vote to replace Cogdill as leader.
Thus, only 11 of the 15 Senate Republicans participated in the vote to elect Hollingsworth, who received an icy reception on the Senate floor moments later. Maldonado said it was inappropriate for his colleagues to elect new leader during negotiations and in his first floor speech as leader Hollingsworth acknowledged the unusual circumstances.
“This has been a very difficult process. And this caucus (Senate Republicans) has been through a very difficult process,” Hollingsworth said.
It remains to be seen what effect Hollingsworth’s sudden ascension will have on budget negotiations.
Contact the writer: 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
85 Comments
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DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
CHRIS KNAP, Politics team leader, 714-796-2240 or cknap@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
JENNIFER MUIR, County government reporter, 714-796-7813 or jmuir@ocregister.com
MARTIN WISCKOL, Politics reporter, 714-285-2867 or mwisckol@ocregister.com twitter.com/MartinWisckol
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Darrell Steinberg, D-should be arrested for kidnapping and what part of no new taxes don’t the democrats understand? We should all remember to pray for and thank Dennis Hollingsworth and the other republicans that are trying to look out for the people of California.
Cut spending, don’t raise taxes. Arrest Stienberg.
Headline should read:
“GOP eats their own.”
Cogdill (like Ackerman before him) was no leader.
One idiot down, one to go in the senate. Now, Cogdill and Ashburn should be censored by the party and ousted next election. They do NOT represent the people that put them in office.
Californian’s do NOT want tax increases. Apparently, these clowns are willing to take bribes and political kick-backs to ignore the people and raise their taxes anyway.
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=c55019bc-8e2b-4e36-8488-dac95be2784f
To consider to pass a Tax Increase Burden on the backs of California Taxpayers during this tough economic time is Criminal! The state legislators are a real threat to society! Thank God for Dennis Hollingsworht & all who join him in his quest for no new Taxes!
Hey Darrell Steinberg-D YOU ARE DOING A DISSERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA BY DUMPING THIS HUGE TAX INCREASE ON US. YOU CANNOT FIX STUPID ANYMORE ON THE BACK OF THE PEOPLE. STOP PROVIDING HAND-OUT’s TO EVERYONE WHO SHOWS UP AND THE LAZY WILL STOP COMING AND PEOPLE WILL STOP HAVING BABIES THEY CAN’T AFFORD. NO ONE IS ENTITLED SO HAND THEM A BOX OF KLEENEX AND POINT THEM IN ANOTHER DIRECTION; WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD THE LAZY.
This thing is going to drag out for awhile.
I find it absurd that, according to Swartzenegger, we cannot fix this problem with cuts alone. We need to decide what services gov’t should provide. To me it comes down to a short list: judicial and law enforcement services, prisons, fire protection, transportation and related regulation, education, and treasury. There maybe a few more, but basically we need to trim the previous down. We need to end the pensions. Maybe we cant do that for those that are within a few years of retirement, but for those that have 20 years. Good bye pension time to start saving. After doing all that if there is insufficient tax revenue to pay I would be happy to pay more taxes. I don’t believe this will be necessary though. We don’t need all these social services. We need to start punishing people for having children that they can not take care. Starting with octomom. She should be imprisoned and her(they are basically OUR children because WE will end up taking care of them) children put up for adoption.
A lot of these services may seem necessary, but they wouldn’t be if we would stop enabling people who make bad choices.
Lest anyone think those in government really care about the taxpayers, we need to remember the way “numbers” are thrown out! As in the “20,000″ pink slips, one of the news stations mentioned that half of those would be re-assigned. Government always makes us think that the worst will happen, and it still stays “business as usual”!
If Republicans can not hold the line on this then they will have no reason to exist as a political party. They will not get my vote if I am still in California.
The article states that Wednesday’s event could leave California withot enough money to pay its bills. California has not had enough money to pay its bills since the 50’s.
Get rid ot the illegals, give teachers a substantial raise so we can get quality teachers in our public schools so California stops ranking in the lower percentile on testing and start taxing the well-to-do companies that grease Arnold.
Good. Booting out Cogdill is a good start. Now Hollingsworth needs to punish all those defector republicans who are voting ‘yes’ on the new taxes. He needs to censure them and remove them from any committees in Sacramento. He’s needs to ruin their careers! I am still holding out. But is and as soon as the republicans fold and pass this pig I am changing my republican affiliation to ‘independent’ and NEVER voting for another republican again as long as I live. Why belong to a party of politicians who lie to you after you gave them votes and money? If I lie on my taxes and cheat the government out of money I am subject to big fines and could go to jail. Why aren’t the republicans who signed a ‘NO NEW TAXES’ pledge and LIED to their constituents, thereby costing US more money held to the same standard? Why aren’t they subject to civil or criminal charges and subject to big fines?
RC -
Its not the salaries of teachers that causes our education system to fail to produce educated adults. Its the lack of parenting skills and the enabling of the system to allow people to have children they cant afford.
Also, not everyone needs to or even should go to college. There is nothing wrong with trade schools, except that we have offshored our manufacturing base, but thats another issue. Tell me what good a bacholer’s degree in liberal arts is?
The Democrats vision of democracy is holding people hostage and forcing them to vote with you. Have you heard of such a thing? We would expect that of Mexico or any other Banana type country. Well I guess that says it all!
Whether or not not they pass the budget …..the sun will still rise, enough scare tactics.
Why aren’t the people of CA outraged that the Democrats are forcing the state into this mess by DEMANDING massive tax increases? This isn’t a Republican problem, the Democrats ALONE have gotten us into this mess.
Thank God for Cox, Maldonado and the rest of the Republicans who have finally found the courage to actually represent the people who voted for them.
Lets all play close attention and maked sure Maldonado does not backtrack and sell out the whole state for a few $$ for some special interest in his district.
Al,
Based on all the corruption, both in government and corporate america, that I have seen in the last 2 years I really see no difference between America and Mexico or another Banana Republic. None of the violators, other than Madoff the fall guy, are being prosecuted. I have seen congressmen and corporate leader outright lie under oath on C-Span. Nothing happens to them. No, instead the headlines target Michael Phelps for sucking on a bonger in a photo or conducting a congressional investigation on steroids in baseball and prosecuting Barry Bonds. ha. Crooks on wall street literally ripped off billions of dollars and threw our country into economic chaos. They walk away unscathed. How is that not Mexico?
The citizens get it. Elected politicians are in it for their own egotistical self serving interests and those of their friends. It is all about keeping themselves in power. At least now with the cat out of the bag, people may start demanding criminal background checks, IQ and ethics tests and throw in civil litigation complaints etc. We want to know why you really are. I am convinced a good portion of them have severe mental health issues as well. No more taxes!!!
This 2/3’s majority has to be removed from the state constitution. The minority party should not be allowed to hold the entire state hostage. Arnold has to get his party in line and pass SOMETHING. What kind of leader is he if he can’t even get his own party in consensus? Once a budget is agreed on, we can move on to the next steps, which is to (1) get rid of the 2/3’s majority (2) recall or censure Arnold (3) fix the budget for the long term (4) deal with immigration in a sensible manner (5) renew support the working and middle classes. I feel like our state is unraveling and we have so many things to do to get back to civility.
The hard working taxpayers SHOULD NOT be the ones to have to suffer at the hands of greedy special interest!
Our state needs to do MORE cutting before they raise taxes here…
1) Welfare: (Anyone who needs it can leave the state!)
2) College Funding: (If I have to pay for health care, so can anyone who desires extra education.)
3) Caltrans: (All these people do is CAUSE traffic anyway! We can outsource the needed work when we have money in the future.)
4) HUD Housing: (Again, if you can’t afford to live here like the rest of us… LEAVE!!!!)
5) Capital Punishment Appeals: (For GOD’s sake, move up the appeals for these monsters, and put them DOWN ASAP!!!!)
6) Legalize Marijuana: (Our prisons don’t need to punish potheads, nor should we be paying to try and incarcerate them.)
7) Increase Tax on Booze: (Who cares about drunks, booze are unnecessary to sustain life, and SHOULD have a higher tax like cigarettes. Besides it will save lives if A-holes can’t afford to booze up anymore).
What can you expect? Pelosi did it to us here, and now she’s doing it to us in D.C. (District of Criminals).
You’re ALL a bunch of whiny crybabies! You voted Republican and got our country AND state in this horrible mess-you only have yourselves to blame. The GOP is out of step and is a mess-it needs to come up with fresh new ideas and leadership to keep up with the times. I dont see that happening anytime soon. I’ll let you get back to your whimpering and blubbering . . .
So they want to do $14 billion in tax increases on taxpayers. Last I heard this state gives illegals over $15 billion in taxpayer paid benefits. Hello????
SoCal you are joking? Get ready to send your whole paycheck to Sacramento if the 2/3 rule is removed. Please understand no amount of money is enough for these people. There are many states in this country where there is no state income tax.
All voters should remember who is voting to raise taxes and remove them from office in the next election. Since they will not listen to us about new taxes, maybe the door hitting them in the butt on the way out will get there attention.
SoCal: you are so right.
1) Get rid of the 2/3’s majority and make 3/4’s for EVERY vote needed to spend money so they can’t raise taxes and they can’t pander to illegals.
2) Recall Arnold AND ALL Republicans AND Cummucrats that want to raise our taxes.
3) Absolutely: End all UNIONS for PUBLIC employees (will save millions), end ALL services to ALL ileegals AND their families (this will save BILLIONS).
4) Sensible? Like letting them stay, but they get NO SERVICES, NO WELFARE, NO FOODSTAMPS, NO EDUCATION, NO MEDICAL unless they pony up the money. They can, as long as they stop sending it BACK TO MEXICO.
5) Right. Eliminate all taxes for those families earning less than $60,000. That will directly help the lower/middle class.
It’s time for the state to “cut to the chase” and give the people of California (especially the OC) just what they are asking for. Shut down state services, including hospitals, schools and other state agencies when the money runs out. Then, start up again the next fiscal year and run the programs until the cash is gone. This problem is immense and will take all solutions to solve: deep cuts, tax increases and long-term solutions. The budget proposal is fair and balanced and should be passed YESTERDAY.
The republicans would actually have an argument if they had a proposal on the table. Then they could say, our idea is better than yours.
Without a budget, the state can not pay the bills and must cut services, including payments to cities and counties.
Consider what your communities will be like with bare minimum police/fire staffing, no public works crews, no health dept, schools closed or massive overcrowding from layoffs, early release for prisoners and no parole/probation officers to keep track of them, and a whole bunch of people without food and neceassry medical. It would make New Orleans after Katrina look like 30 cents.
Let them have their tax increase. When people get their auto renewal bills, their next fill up, or try to buy a new car there won’t be a Democrat left in office. Then we will repeal all the increases and balance the budget by lowering state employee’s salary and retirements.
same old story, the crooked immoral liberals (includes Schwarzenegger) trying to take more of our money. Good riddence, Cogdill you coward
~What is great is the Dems are against tax increases…… They all want to feel good about how people are treated but they don’t want to pay for it with their taxes. Maybe next time they vote they will consider that all these programs cost real money and that real money comes from both parties. Wait that would mean that the Dem’s gained a spine as well as a brain and we all know that’s not going to happen. So maybe they can cut some of these retarded programs.
~You can’t have all these out of control social programs and illegal alien’s rights. Giving illegal aliens in state tuition, unemployment and welfare is insane. Free medical for anyone whether their citizens or not.
~Paying teachers 25% more than any other state but were producing less then productive students and below national averages. Pay cuts!
There is a simple solution to the budget crisis. Stop spending over $12 BILLION a year on services and benefits for illegal immigrants. A few targeted cuts on non critical programs and the budget would be balanced in about 3 years.
The problem is, the democrats love to spend OPM (other people’s money) There has never been a program or project that they didn’t like. I used to work for the state of California. Programs are never cut. In fact, they generally get a 5 to 10% increase each year. Managers are encouraged to spend their remaining money prior to June. (start of the new fiscal year)
I would support a small increase in the gas tax. At least the burden would be shared by everyone. 5 cents sounds about right.
“Our minor inconvenience pales in comparison to the pain and the harm that will be done to the people of California if we don’t do our business,” said Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. Why worry now, Steinberg, you haven’t been worrying for years?
Another gem of his was, “We make the vow to stay here through the night and for however long it takes because to do otherwise would be a disservice to people we’ve been elected to serve.” Oh, now all of a sudden he’s concerned about those he’s elected to serve.
And how about Orange County’s own Lou Correa who promised to not vote in favor of any tax increases so he’s withholding his vote until he’s sure the tax increase can pass without him. Nice leadership there, Lou. I hope the voters of Santa Ana are paying close attention to you and your pack of lies.
Sam wrote; ” Tell me what good a bacholer’s degree in liberal arts is?”
It allows you to become a politician!
Tell Steinberg to go back to the drawing board. How about no 11billion plus in more borrowing. Real cuts, not the proposed cuts in growth spending. This is all about protecting the Unions and the State Employees, not the constituents they were elected to represent. Good riddance Cogdill. Now get rid of his counterpart in the Aseembly. Let’s have that catrastrophe and shut the State down. Most people will get along just fine. The only losers will be the State Employeess who are responsible for this mess ot begin with.
i would support a tax on every family that had a relative here illegally
Why does the writer of this article pass on the lies that they made cuts in the budget? Is the total budget less than last year’s budget or are you doing the doublespeak of the politicians and calling cuts in the automatic increases cuts? Also, we all know that the threatened layoffs are just that, empty threats. I say we should return to the budget that was in place when Arnold took office and cut everything out that was added since that time. Steinberg has some nerve to say the people of CA will be harmed if they don’t pass this budget. The people of CA will be harmed greater if they do pass this budget and all of its tax increases.
The state of California should simply refuse to spend one more dime on illegal immigrants. The federal government has failed to secure our borders, and then they mandate that the states must provide benefits for them. Let the feds sue us. What could they possibly do to make matters worse, than they already are. I haven’t heard a single politician address this issue. Anyone with a brain could see this coming.
How do you cut $41 billion out of a budget without raising revenue from taxes? Everyone who is against taxes on this blog doesn’t offer a viable, alternative solution except to say “don’t raise taxes.” Get real.
Socal: What are you smoking?
I think us Californians’ that are affected by the Republicans refusal to compromise need to start staging protests in front of their homes and their government-paid offices. They are living the good-life with their extremely high paying government jobs while the rest of us sit here and watch them make a mockery of our state and laws.
I hope that the republicans hold out. It is not their fault this is happening. It is the fault of the democrats who WILL NOT make the cuts required. Every family is making cuts in their personal budgets so that they can manage. Why does the government think they are the only ones that can continue to spend, spend, spend. Lets break those contract and renegotiate. Nobody in the public sector has the pensions that the government has. Lets stop funding the illegal immigrants. Lets stop the frills and get back to basics like every other household is doing.
Mongo2:
The problem is, the state threatens to cut public safety and other critical services to get the public irate. There are billions of dollars in cuts that could be made, without cutting critical services. Look at all of the obcsure boards that no one has ever heard of. They all have huge staffs. These are high paying jobs for termed out politicians. ($100,000 plus a year, not counting state cars and benfits) When you get a chance, pull out the phone book and look at “state of Calif. “You will be shocked.
How to generate surplus revenue for California:
1) Eliminate welfare benefits to caretakers/parents who are NOT HERE LEGALLY
2) Eliminate education benefits to children whose caretakers/parents are NOT HERE LEGALLY
3) Eliminate health benefits (medical/dental) to children whose caretakers/parents are NOT HERE LEGALLY
4) Eliminate HUD benefits to children of whose caretakers/paraents are NOT HERE LEGALLY
That pretty much generates surplus revenue…. Arizona and a few other states have done it and many more are considering it… it’s time California lead the way in the West…
American-ized:
Nicely stated.
DO NOT PASS THIS SO-CALLED BUDGET DEAL. It’s not a good “deal” - its not a “new deal” its a “bad deal” its not “any” deal at all. It sells out all who are hard working, law abiding citizens. It puts a BURDEN on us, where no additional burden need exist. There are too many workers on the California gov’t payroll as it is. LET THE LAYOFFS BEGIN! What the heck’s the guv-a-nator waiting for?
Mongo2:
* No money for illegals - $10-12 BILLION/YR.
* No Boards/commissions can exist if there is an office already doing that job - $2-5 BILLION/YR.
* End all UNION contracts and hire people that will work non-union. No NEW contracts w/ Unions - ~$4-5 BILLION/YR
* No Taxpayer funded cars - $100-200 MILLION.
There, I’ve offered IDEAS. Where are yours, other than raise taxes?
GO REPUBLICANS. Stand firm against the evil Commucrats.
Thatchmo,
You only said half of it. Why isn’t the writer of this article telling us the truth about the fed stimulus bailout being used to pay down the spending cuts? Joseph hasn’t mentioned that at all. If you aren’t aware, CA will get about $26 billion in stimulus package funding. The state budget proposal says that those funds can be used to pay down (wipe out) the spending cuts but that not a dime of it can be used to pay down the tax increases! So the $15 billion is spending cuts can be paid down to ZERO while you’re still stuck with the $14 billion in tax increases! How wrong is that? Not only is it wrong, it’s corrupt! But you will never read anything in the OCR about it which leads me to believe that the newspaper walks hand in hand with the tax hikers in Sacramento! Why would this critical component of the budget proposal get swept under the rug and not disclosed to the people by the free press? Why?
So SoCal wants to buy in to the Democrat and media fantasy that this is just a case of the Republicans being obstructionists. How refreshing that enough of them have held out, at least so far, unlike the traitors in the U.S. Senate that voted for the pork-filled fake-stimulus bill. This deal stinks too, and Steinberg needs to recognize that and go back to the table instead of continuing his strong-arm tactics.
Wake up Republicans. You can’t balance the state bugdet on tax cuts alone. If you cut all state employees like the CHP, prisons, and state parks you would only save 24 Billion. If you then cut all CSU and UC schools you would 16 Billion. With the remaining 2 Billion in cuts to health, education and social services you would also loose federal funding and be in violation of federal law. Duh, it has to be both cuts and taxes!
The state budget has to be a balance of cuts and tax increases. There’s no other way to get to $42 billion. Sitting on your no taxes principles is sticking your head in the sand. Get real Republicans!
Republicans would rather see the state go down in flames than increase in taxes. Thats why you guys lost the last presidential election. Small minded backwards thinking.
Bob,
read my post above. you are being intellectually dishonest. The fed bailout money will be used to pay down the proposed spending cuts but not a red cent will be used to pay down the tax increases. that means the spending cuts could be paid down to ZERO while we still get stuck with the tax increases. Is that ‘fair’ by your democrat standards?
No new taxes is like saying the earth is flat. It just doesn’t fly with reality.
No, ocobserver, you are being dishonest intellectually. The fed bailout money will go to infrastructure projects, health and education programs that only partially meets the budget requirements. Next your going to tell me that trickle down economics works. Your ideological principles don’t jive with the economic reality.
California did not get into its financial crisis through low taxes, and higher taxes won’t provide anything more than a Band-Aid.
California needs a real austerity program, one that sheds government workers and massive government programs. Arnold’s office claims that they have kept spending level at $105 billion per year, but even at that rate, we spend more than 20 times what Minnesota does while only having about six times the population.
Until the legislature gets serious about budget cuts, higher taxes only provide a junkie’s fix. The Republicans just signaled a cold-turkey approach, and they’re willing to throw their own leadership under the bus to get it. They’re serious about fixing the real problems. Will the Democrats get serious, too?
Wait, you forgot to blame illegals for all the states problems.
After working for the federal government years age, I can assure all of you this is nothing new. However, this time it’s out in the open and they have their hands in your pocket and you know it.
So far I have not seen the Democrats pull back at all. No big cuts in the budget. Illegal alien programs and unions don’t seem to be taking a big hit and all the tax increases are still on the table. Even the cut in 10,000 state workers won’t happen for at least 6 months from now and a lot of that will be from attrition, if it ever happens. We need a government that wants to work with small business and not force them out of the state. A friend of mine just registered his company in Nevada, so it’s happening.
After working for the federal government years ago, I can assure all of you this is nothing new. However, this time it’s out in the open and they have their hands in your pocket and you know it.
So far I have not seen the Democrats pull back at all. No big cuts in the budget. Illegal alien programs and unions don’t seem to be taking a big hit and all the tax increases are still on the table. Even the cut in 10,000 state workers won’t happen for at least 6 months from now and a lot of that will be from attrition, if it ever happens. We need a government that wants to work with small business and not force them out of the state. A friend of mine just registered his company in Nevada, so it’s happening.
Help … when do we stop reading the predictable blog comments by the usual suspects –– angry white people. Remember, even your beloved Ronald Reagan signed one of the largest tax increases in California history while governor. It was achieved with bipartisan support of wise legislators who realized there is no free lunch and that signing a stupid no-tax pledge was simply an exercise in political grandstanding to the detriment of sound public policy.
Thanks GOP! I don’t know if your efforts will pay off but keep fighting the good fight. The liberals need to know that their special interests will no longer take precedence over taxpayers’ ability to provide for their families.
This whole welfare experiment needs to come to an end. Provide for only the truly needy and let the others who take advantage of the system fend for themselves. Tough times require tough solutions.
I’m kind of hoping the GOP stays the course and shuts down the state.
It worked out real well for the GOP when Newt did it at the Federal level.
Tax increases will doom our state to problems far bigger and longer lasting to the very painful cuts that must occur.
Bob, you are nuts.
Illegal immigration is a BIG part of our problem. I don’t see any democrat addressing cuts to those programs.
The union contracts with HUGE pensions and inflated wages are another problem. It needs to change.
I do not want to spend a dollar more in taxes while people here illegally at taking my money.
I am a legal immigrant who waited their turn to come into this country LEGALLY. I don’t my tax dollars going towards their healthcare, I don’t want my tax dollars going to their education.
When they cut/remove those programs, then you can talk to be about raising taxes. Until then I am 100% behind the GOP holding out.
I don’t my tax dollars going towards their healthcare, I don’t want my tax dollars going to their education.
Great idea. Sick and uneducated people are much preferable. The costs to society are much less than the alternative.
Bob,
you are either an illegal immigrant or a state union worker. Either way you are off your rocker
Come work in the private sector and see how the rest of the world works where you have board of directors that makes real cuts when revenues are down. Only the government has the ability to raise revenues/taxes like this instead of making deep cuts.
I guess with your logic the auto industry, restaurants, clothing stores should increase their prices so that their revenues go up. That way they too would not have to make any cuts. The auto makers could have kept their private planes if they charged more for their cars.
It doesn’t work that way in the real world does it BOB. Why does the government not get it???????
OC Dem
No - the better idea is to get rid of them. If their gravy train was over, maybe they would go home. We can start by cutting off their benefits.
No OC DEM, this is the start. If we get rid of their gravy train, maybe they would leave. The answer is to get rid of them. If their benefits dried up, then maybe they would go home.
here is where your money goes;
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/02/driven-by-a-sha.html
(and I’m a Latina)
40% of crime
YES!!!!! A small step in the right direction. Hollingsworth needs to heavily publicize why we don’t need any new taxes. He needs to hold press conferences, go to the Tonight Show, go to NPR, climb Mt. Everest and shout it to the world! The news media makes it seem like it’s a race and we just need one more vote to win the budget lockdown marathon. It is not a race people! It is the money of the people of California we’re talking about and how to best get us out of the deep, deep hole we’ve been in for a long, long time. No more easy “tax the people” solutions. It’s time for the state legislature to do their jobs and do what’s right for the people of California!
Hold the line on NO NEW TAXES!!!
Those Republicans on the fence didn’t even have the balls to even vote to keep Cogdill as the Republican leader. And when is a good time to replace him if not now? After we’ve lost the war on the budget negotiations?
The state budget has gone up 40% since the governator took over. So, go back to Davis’ last budget, and enact it. End of problem. When the economy was tooling along in the bogus recovery, instead of saving something and setting it aside, they added more programs and entitlements. As I stated earlier, a government program NEVER goes away. It takes on a life of its own, with a 5 to 10% increase each year. The employees will do whatever it takes to protect their little fiefdom.
Time for another Tea Party. The Revolution is coming. …I can’t wait.
If ANY Californian votes for ANY incumbent in ANY upcoming election they should be ashamed.
We need to start over by forcing federal, state and local governments to operate within CONSITUTIONAL guidelines, stop infiltrating every aspect of our lives and feeling the need to take care of those who won’t ( I didn’t say “can’t”, I said “won’t so get off me all you bible thumpers ) take care of themselves.
I want blue collar candidates who have common sense, can balance their checkbook, who don’t buy things they don’t have the money to pay for and understand the value of a dollar….and if their kids want something they tell them to earn money to pay for it instead of reaching into the wallet and giving them the money and instilling the idea that handouts are acceptable. They’re not …personal responsibility is.
DO NOT vote for ANY person who has held ANY public office . I this is what their “experience” gets us I say we don’t need experience …it’s obviosly not all it’s’ cracked up to be….
Wow, Dina you call yourself a “Latina” when you know that any self respecting Hispanic doesn’t call themselves that. Only Ghetto bitches and Puerto Ricans call themselves Latino/a
This is a Different Bob.
Government in California has grown faster then the population even if you included the illegal aliens. Years ago they would say trust the party and we will take car of everything. Now, they are so bold that there stealing right in front of you and we still have some of these idiots saying my party is better then your party. Even the Federal money coming in won’t help, because that will just go to more wasteful programs. We need to stop spending and cut programs, even if they gave to your campaign.
No new taxes I can’t afford them!
With a bad economy and our bond rating lower then dirt, all the tax increases will fail to raise the revenue that the state wants. That means we will be right back here in 2010 doing the same thing. This has got to stop now.
If it’s a Dem don’t vote for them. If it’s a Rep be careful.
Has the vote occured yet? Any new updates?
This is more fun than a barrel of dead monkeys. The “just say no party”, fresh out of ideas, starts to devour their children. yummy.
It seems every other day another company in the private sector is laying off thousands of workers. However, when a state job is threatened, we are told we must pay more taxes to save that state job; God forbid any government worker experiences a layoff. Why?
I don’t drink the koolaid. I’m actually an independent thinker and you’ll begin to notice that more and more people will be switching over. It’s not what you say you are, it’s what you do (or don’t do) that matters. Politicans say one thing and does another thing is so cliche that it’s almost funny except for the fact that they’re playing with OUR money.
The only reason someone would want to increase taxes is:
1. They have something to gain by it (state worker or state politican)
2. They are ignorant of what’s going on with this state’s politics and always believes the news when someone yells “it’s for our children”!
3. They are so wealthy that taxes don’t bother them.
4. They are illegals and social welfare recipients.
So which one are you?
jauxmama Says:
February 18th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
This is more fun than a barrel of dead monkeys. The “just say no party”, fresh out of ideas, starts to devour their children. yummy.
It’s SOOO easy to say end funding for illegals.
Problem is, the Federal courts continue to force states to maintain the costliest thing they get: free health care. I believe they point to the 14th Amendment.
pj:
Actually, the most costly benefit is education. We spend over $9 BILLION a year, in California. This is mandated by federal too.
RECALL ARNOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Grey22Ghost - you are my new hero! You took the words right out of my mouth!