I’m sure you don’t like the propositions on the ballot for the election coming up in 9 days… But, if they go down prepare for a much uglier economic forecast from the State…
I know it’s easy to blame legislators for the mess, but the truth is, this mess is largely the result of voters. If they could pass a budget without asking the voters believe me, legislators would! But the last 20+ years voters have been budgeting from the ballot box and all the props. that have passed in recent years require voter approval to change them. The legislators don’t have any other choice in the matter, their hands have been tied by the ballot box.
Sadly, legislators seem unable to convey this to voters and so we’ve ended up with year after year of gimmicky budgets as legislators attempt to deliver ever more services to constituents with funds from an ever shrinking pot. Worse, legislators have to cope with this monstrous mess with one hand tied behind their backs: the 2/3 majority vote requirement for budget bills.
I’m not optimistic about these initiatives and so when they all fail and legislators and the governor have to figure out how to patch the multi-billion dollar hole in the state budget they’re going to do so with cuts.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Funding schools, mental health, extensive roads and transportation networks, etc… takes an incredible sum. You can’t have low taxes and high services. Sadly, the one thing that would help, a constitutional re-write isn’t on the table. I don’t care how it’d be accomplished, through a convention or an extraordinary session of the legislature, it needs to happen.
Or next year and the year after that Californians are going to be back where they are right now. That’s one ballot initiative I’d like to see, and then I’d like to see the initiative process go away. Direct democracy of that sort has only made the job of California legislators, leaders, and citizens more complicated and difficult
“and then Iād like to see the initiative process go away. Direct democracy of that sort has only made the job of California legislators, leaders, and citizens more complicated and difficult”
Darn that accountability…
Though seriously, I’d somewhat agree, but only somewhat. Unfortunately, I see the legislature by-and-large promoting, not the reasonable and fiscally sound measures, but just the opposite. (The governor once used top promote fiscally sound measures, but he has changed… š
The truth of the matter is, cuts are really what we need. Not just any cuts, of course, but cuts nevertheless. Sending us a barrage of worthless bills that have a bad long-term (and dubious short term) impact is no way to handle the current mess.
But Sean the people we have in office now, didn’t create the mess. The fact that they wanted to be there anyway is a different discussion. You’re going to get your wish Sean, as the props will fail and both Senate and Assembly leaders have said they’ll not try any new tax iniatives this year.
I realize that what you and I think government should do are vastly different and that isn’t a debate I want to have here. I was mostly venting at how the real answers to the problem aren’t on the ballot. They’re not even being discussed. I also wanted to brign attention that this isn’t a problem that just legislators and politicians created, voters are responsible as well. Californians don’t want taxes but over the years they’ve mandated spending on things such as education (40% of revenue), transportation, and mental health, as well as deductions that are untouchable… Despite preventing the State revenue streams Californians continue to ask for more services from the government. Which is impossible. If you want a social state you have to pay more taxes, if you want a minimalist government you have to depend on the private sector for services. You can’t have both services and no taxes.
You know all this though. I don’t know any legislator here who likes the props. that are on the ballot. Not one. Like I said they don’t have a lot of choice and none of them seem to have the will, or the power, to bring up real reform.
Sorry if this is rambly, I’m trying to watch session right now as well as a couple of other things, I’m no good at multi-tasking