Chamber of Commerce in Folsom, California

[DMD]

Not to make fun of a serious situation in our most populous state but...

 

California voting on budget crisis measures

Posted: 06:38 PM ET

(CNN) — Voters in California went to the polls for a special election Tuesday to vote on budget measures designed to reduce the state’s growing deficit, which has been called a “financial Armageddon.”

 

Residents will weigh in on six different propositions — a mixture of tax changes, borrowing, reforms and shifting of funds — to determine the rigorousness of budget cuts for the next year.

 

If the propositions fail, the governor said he will have to make cuts to schooling and health care and would likely need to release a large number of inmates from the state's prison system.

 

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislators have been wrangling for months over how to close the deficit.

Despite a budget agreement reached months ago, the deficit would hit $15.4 billion at the start of the new fiscal year in July, even if all measures are approved Tuesday. If the measures are defeated, the deficit would inflate to $21.3 billion, Schwarzenegger’s office said last week.

 

Pollsters expect statewide voter turnout may not even reach 30 percent.

 

Man that just smacks of stirring the fear pot... I think...

[i_am_the_swammi]

Not sure the fear pot was stirred very hard.....less than 30% voter turnout??

[tazinib1]

Not to make fun of a serious situation in our most populous state but...

 

 

 

Man that just smacks of stirring the fear pot... I think...

 

Most of those are drug charged inmates. You would be amazed to learn the % of drug related inmates in the prison population. Most of those guys are 2-5 year stretch offenders seeing prison for the first time. The longer they stay in, the greater chance they become career criminals and return. Prison is a learning institution unto itself.

 

And for the record...every prop should have received a NO vote. Its taxation across the board.

[DMD]

In California that is probably a decent tiurnout in a purely state election.

[H8tank]

I must admit, this thread is offensive to me.

[yo mama]

Most of those are drug charged inmates. You would be amazed to learn the % of drug related inmates in the prison population. Most of those guys are 2-5 year stretch offenders seeing prison for the first time. The longer they stay in, the greater chance they become career criminals and return. Prison is a learning institution unto itself.

 

And for the record...every prop should have received a NO vote. Its taxation across the board.

I voted no. The state needs to make some tough choices, but raising taxes on the most heavily taxed population in the US shouldn't be one of them. Frankly, I have no idea where all the taxpayer money is going. And neither does the state government, which means giving them even more is foolish.

Edited May 20, 2009 by yo mama

[DMD]

Most of those are drug charged inmates. You would be amazed to learn the % of drug related inmates in the prison population. Most of those guys are 2-5 year stretch offenders seeing prison for the first time. The longer they stay in, the greater chance they become career criminals and return. Prison is a learning institution unto itself.

 

According to another article on it - ""The reality is that people don't get to the California prison by accident and most of our offenders have nine felony convictions before they have ever seen the inside of the prison," Corcoran said. "There is concern that we are just dumping people back into communities and those communities are going to be at risk."

 

If those are drug guys, they are really committed to the industry by now...

[REZ]

They already release prisoners early all the time.

The Guvinator is already fighting with the prison system out here.

Nothing new.

And a couple of those props smacked of idiocy.

[wiegie]

According to another article on it - ""The reality is that people don't get to the California prison by accident and most of our offenders have nine felony convictions before they have ever seen the inside of the prison,"

I thought they had a "three strikes and you're out" system. Anybody know what gives?

[wiegie]

I voted no. The state needs to make some tough choices, but raising taxes on the most heavily taxed population in the US shouldn't be one of them. Frankly, I have no idea where all the taxpayer money is going. And neither does the state government, which means giving them even more is foolish.

I'm pretty sure that they are putting the money into a special "earthquake fund" so that when the big one hits, they won't have to appeal to the rest of the country for aid. It's just being responsible on their part by not trying to have to rely on the rest of the country to basically insure them for living in a dangerous area.

 

Right...?

[yo mama]

I'm pretty sure that they are putting the money into a special "earthquake fund" so that when the big one hits, they won't have to appeal to the rest of the country for aid. It's just being responsible on their part by not trying to have to rely on the rest of the country to basically insure them for living in a dangerous area.

 

Right...?

Some of the propositions are pretty laughable. Basically, "we'll tax you now... we're NOT going spend the money - but that way in case we need it later we'll have it. Oh, but we give you NO guarantees that we won't spend it on something else in the mean time." Hogwash. Need money? Fine. Tell me specifically what for, show me a cost benefit analysis of the expenditure, and maybe I'll vote for it. But I'm already paying damn near 50% of my AGI to taxes (state, fed, local, etc). And I'll bet if I gave 100% these clowns would still want more. Enough, already. On a stand alone basis, California is the 7th-10th largest economy in the WORLD. That it can't effectively manage those resources only highlights the incompetence of those in charge. FWIW, Ah-nuld has been pretty rational. The state legislature, however, is out of freakin' control.

Edited May 20, 2009 by yo mama

[Clubfoothead]

Who is Corcoran?

[DMD]

Who is Corcoran?

 

"Lance Corcoran of the Peace Officers Association "

 

California voting on budget crisis measures

 

(CNN) -- Voters in California went to the polls for a special election Tuesday to vote on budget measures designed to reduce the state's growing deficit, which has been called a "financial Armageddon."

 

 

California residents are voting to decide on measures that could impact the state's growing deficit.

 

Residents weighed in on six propositions -- a mixture of tax changes, borrowing, reforms and shifting of funds -- to determine the rigorousness of budget cuts for the next year.

 

If the propositions fail, the governor said he will have to make cuts to schooling and health care and would likely need to release a large number of inmates from the state's prison system.

 

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislators have been wrangling for months over how to close the deficit.

 

Despite a budget agreement reached months ago, the deficit would hit $15.4 billion at the start of the new fiscal year in July, even if all measures are approved Tuesday. If the measures are defeated, the deficit would inflate to $21.3 billion, Schwarzenegger's office said last week.

 

California resident and iReporter Melissa Fazli told CNN she was upset to even be voting on these provisions and thought politicians should have been making these decisions.

 

"It's just not right. We voted these people in in order to stand up for us and make the decisions that needed to be made and they dropped the ball," she said. "And they just passed it on to us." iReport.com: Fazli expects Schwarzenegger will be disappointed

 

Pollsters expect statewide voter turnout may not even reach 30 percent. iReport.com: Low turnout in California election

 

Some voters expressed voting fatigue, while others said the complexity of the issues on the ballot could be responsible for a low turnout. In addition to budgetary issues, residents will also vote on an open seat in a Los Angeles-area state Senate district and the open Southern California congressional seat vacated by U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. iReport.com: California special election a waste of taxpayer's money

 

A CNN photographer spent two hours Tuesday morning waiting for voters at two polling places in Los Angeles and encountered just one.

 

Schwarzenegger was in Washington on Tuesday.

 

"I did vote absentee," the governor said. "I'm looking forward to the outcome tonight." Is the governor failing California? »

 

California GOP chairman Ron Nehring said he didn't think the governor's absence would change anything.

 

"I think that the outcome of today's election is clear," he said. "Propositions 1A-1E are going to be defeated, and that's going to occur regardless of where the governor happens to be."

 

There is one provision, however, that seems to be gaining some traction.

 

James Safarik, a retired Los Angeles County engineer, told the Los Angeles Times for the most part, he's indifferent about all of the provisions.

 

"Except for the one that says not to grant politicians pay raises," he told the Los Angeles Times. "That one, I can vote for."

 

Proposition 1A deals with increasing contributions to the state's rainy day fund -- reserve money to use during difficult times. It would also extend tax hikes for up to two years and place a cap on spending. Proposition 1B would mandate payments to schools to restore cuts, but will only be enacted if proposition 1A passes.

 

Proposition 1C would allow borrowing against lottery money as a way to avoid more cuts. Propositions 1D and 1E, if approved, would transfer money for children's and mental health services, for budget needs.

 

Proposition 1E, the one Safarik favors, would not allow raises for public officials if the state is expected to end the year with a deficit.

 

If all measures fail, Schwarzenegger warned he will have to take drastic measures to help with the budget crisis.

 

That includes shortening the school year by a week and a half, cutting tens of thousands of education jobs, eliminating health insurance for nearly a quarter-million low-income children, laying off 1,700 state firefighters and withholding $2 billion from local governments, which could trigger cuts in law enforcement and other services.

 

A defeat of the provisions could also mean 38,000 inmates in the California prison system may be freed and the state may be forced to sell the notorious San Quentin prison -- home to Scott Peterson.

 

"If they are non-serious or nonviolent, non-sex offenders, we could save in general funds about $53 million in 2009 to 2010," the governor said.

 

About half the prisoners who may be freed are illegal immigrants, Schwarzenegger said.

 

"Releasing all the undocumented immigrant prisoners to the federal custody could save us another $182 million for 2009 to 2010," he said.

 

 

But that plan is one that has some people, including Lance Corcoran of the Peace Officers Association worried.

 

"The reality is that people don't get to the California prison by accident and most of our offenders have nine felony convictions before they have ever seen the inside of the prison," Corcoran said. "There is concern that we are just dumping people back into communities and those communities are going to be at risk."

[Clubfoothead]

SOunds like a real mess. 1/2 are illegals? That almost feels federal.

[tazinib1]

SOunds like a real mess. 1/2 are illegals? That almost feels federal.

 

Bingo. Great point. If its not half, its pretty damn close. I don't know any actual numbers or %'s, I'm just guessing here.

[H8tank]

The state legislature, however, is out of freakin' control.

 

I forget, which party basically runs kali? And in what way has kali been run that differentiates it from the way hussein is governing?

[Perchoutofwater]

I thought they had a "three strikes and you're out" system. Anybody know what gives?

 

Tax and spend doesn't work all that well. See Prime Minister Thatcher's quote in my sig-line.

[Perchoutofwater]

I forget, which party basically runs kali? And in what way has kali been run that differentiates it from the way hussein is governing?

 

It's what we all have to look forward too. Yipee!

[wiegie]

Tax and spend doesn't work all that well. See Prime Minister Thatcher's quote in my sig-line.

Khloe, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian does that have to do with people supposedly not being incarcerated until after their 9th felony?

 

Seriously.

[darin3]

I... miss.... California... ?

[Perchoutofwater]

Worchestshire-Tomatillo-fennel does that have to do with people supposedly not being incarcerated until after their 9th felony?

 

Seriously.

 

Oh, I don't know, possibly why they can't afford to house prisoners.

[AtomicCEO]

Some of the propositions are pretty laughable. Basically, "we'll tax you now... we're NOT going spend the money - but that way in case we need it later we'll have it. Oh, but we give you NO guarantees that we won't spend it on something else in the mean time." Hogwash. Need money? Fine. Tell me specifically what for, show me a cost benefit analysis of the expenditure, and maybe I'll vote for it. But I'm already paying damn near 50% of my AGI to taxes (state, fed, local, etc). And I'll bet if I gave 100% these clowns would still want more. Enough, already. On a stand alone basis, California is the 7th-10th largest economy in the WORLD. That it can't effectively manage those resources only highlights the incompetence of those in charge. FWIW, Ah-nuld has been pretty rational. The state legislature, however, is out of freakin' control.

 

I think that people who elected Arnold Shwartzenegger in the biggest circus of an election I've ever seen probably shouldn't complain about how badly their state government is run. They should probably only comment on how entertaining it is... which is "very".

 

Honestly what did people think was going to happen?

[Perchoutofwater]

I think that people who elected Arnold Shwartzenegger in the biggest circus of an election I've ever seen probably shouldn't complain about how badly their state government is run. They should probably only comment on how entertaining it is... which is "very".

 

Honestly what did people think was going to happen?

 

So you are blaming Ahnuld for California's problems?

[WaterMan]

Not to make fun of a serious situation in our most populous state but...

 

 

 

Man that just smacks of stirring the fear pot... I think...

 

That could be but it costs the state alot of money to house inmates. And they could be talking about Josh Gordon offenses if they legalize.

[AtomicCEO]

So you are blaming Ahnuld for California's problems?

 

I'm saying that Californians didn't get improve their leadership by electing the guy who played air guitar and said "I'll be back" instead of addressing any issues when they were already in trouble.