Hows the weather in California?

[JimM]

To carry Ron's thoughts a step further---Illegal aliens ( I just can't call them illegal immigrants) comprise 30%+ of the detainees in the penal system here. The same is true of the Hospital system. If these two are not enough to bankrupt the State, then we can discuss the Welfare System where women have babies so that they can receive more money from the State. Then of course you can add in one of the highest priced costs of living in the US. Welcome to beautiful sunny California.

[So Cal Mark]

I read a report this morning that say illegal immigrants cost Calif 1.5 billion in healthcare and education per year. That still leaves us 40.5 billion short. If every single state employee was fired, it still wouldn't balance the budget. So the money seems to be going somewhere else. State income tax has risen 25% for the individual over the past 5 yrs, yet has decreased 557% for large corporations. Seems hiring a lobbyist pays off

[pope]

I think the 40 billion is the cost of fresh water to wash out the wine glasses in California.

I will tell you that in the upcoming year, with less property tax (lowered taxable home prices) for schools and local government, they are going to have to tighten their belt even further.

Just got my home property tax rate for 2009 and it is going down significantly, and that benefits me. Almost 20% reduction in tax payments. Michigan has the Headley Amendment, which caps property tax increases to a small percentage a year, less than 5%. This allows your home value to increase without getting hit with an outrageous tax hit. The home only equalizes with the homes value when the house is sold to a new owner.

[So Cal Mark]

In Cali we're more interested in keeping the ultra rich happy

[SpiderHead]

Mark, as much as I love ya brother, and usually disagree with you on everything political...


I'm with you on this one. The legislature is a tax income rachet. It honestly doesn't matter what they bring in in income, they will spend every penny, and count on an increase in income for the next year.

so, since the California budget has increased by 40% since DA Governator has been elected, republicans no longer are the answer to government spending.

Lets all join the libertarian party, and kill off what ever party can't compete idealogically. which in this case would be both.

-Ryan

[So Cal Mark]

you mean we should get rid of the republicrats? I think since Ronnie started in Cali, most of us are still waiting for his trickle down theory to reach us. Only I'm afraid of the stuff that's trickling down the legs of those above me

[So Cal Mark]

just got a pic of the Governator at a press conference explaining how he has solved the budget crisis

[SpiderHead]

The sad bit..... is, that is what they want US to do, so we can find extra cash to send to the spenders.

Personally, I think checking the couch cushions would be more effective.

Barrack Obama in his first month as president, spent more than the entire federal budget in 1982.

2012 may be a reality, and maybe our government knows that it is coming! lol

how else could you explain the crap they have achieved? and the crap they want to continue to try to throw at us?

I'm not up for a poop fight, can I just use a gun?

-Ryan

[mdrburchette]

Never fear my Californian neighbors. We'll all be in the doghouse soon enough. Our new President is really flexing his muscles with a $3 Trillion dollar budget. It's all too much for little ole me to comprehend.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090226/ap_ ... ama_budget

[baltobernie]

Put your hands back inside the car, kids. The roller coaster is just beginning to pick up speed.

http://www.economist.com/finance/displa ... N=19263479

[Tappy]

from my point of vieuw (maybe not a total overview , or totaly correct) your way better of with obama working to solve problems in the states , not like the the previous one (the busch men) spending all money on war to cover up domestic problems ofcourse that war created lots of jobs , but in the end they only cost money and dont produce anything in return

same with the space programs you're running , they cost alot of money and for who ? others have to live in trailers while billions of dollars are just catapulted into space

[So Cal Mark]

you can slam Obama for attempting to right the ship, but would you want to continue down the path of the last 8 years that took us to this place? If only we had elected McCain; he would have gathered the "smart" guys by now and solved this situation.

[pope]

Tappy, you are incorrect that Obama will correct any problems. All he wants to do is shift wealth from those that have it to those who dont. And that will not happen, he will have a fight bigger than he can predict. The current problem with America is that a significant population is illiterate. They float through life and as they get older, they have no health care or savings or home. Then they complain that they have a "right" to these things. This puts a tremendous pressure on the middle class, to where they cut back on their spending on cars, travel and high ticket items. Then those companies are hurt. The governments of both parties are to blame. They caused this mess with their actions and inactions. The government should be a safety net of the lowest possible means and a traffic cop to protest the citizens from a greedy company in the private sector. Instead, government produces the most problems.

Why arent the bank executives, wall street brokerage houses and mortgage firms who allowed this to happen in jail and why arent the congressmen who knew this was happening also in the same cell with them? I know why!

Another problem is that stupid homeowners bought variable rate mortgages to be able to get into a larger home or remortgaged for a new kitchen or jacuzzi or deck. The rates of those mortgages went up to where they couldnt afford the monthly payment. They gambled and they lost! Should they get bailed out by the people who bought fixed rate loans? I dont think so.

In Detroit, 64% of the students who enter high school do not graduate! Are you kidding me! 64%!!! This is free schooling and we keep paying more each year in taxes for what? What kind of job are you going to get? McDonalds or thief.

[So Cal Mark]

if kids quit school in Detroit, wouldn't that lower the taxes needed to support the schools? We could just nuke the whole country and start fresh

[pope]

Thats the joke, they dont drop out. There is a day every year at the start of the school year where they count attendance for the state and government, they physically go around and drive kids to school to fill up the classes that day and dont care much if that kid shows up after that. This attendance is what is used to budget for the year, so the school can collect the money per student. This way, the school still gets its teachers, funding and school budget.