California speaker: Voters find budgetary proposals “too complicated” or something
posted at 9:45 am on May 21, 2009 by Allahpundit
Via Gateway Pundit. And so the progressive spin on Tuesday’s crash-and-burn emerges: It’s not that voters are weary of taxing and spending, it’s that they’re weary of having to think real hard and trudge on down to the polling place every few months or so. Remember, supporters of the budget initiatives outspent opponents 10 to 1 and had Schwarzenegger’s full backing; even low-information voters who don’t regularly follow the news surely know that the state’s circling the drain financially, thanks to the national coverage California’s problems have gotten. The idea that they voted down a tax hike because it’s “too complicated” rather than because they simply don’t want new taxes is laughable, especially considering that the reason they’re required to ratify new tax hikes in the first place was an anti-tax measure passed by California voters in 1978. The same people who demanded the right to reject tax increases are supposedly “fatigued” by having to vote on them? Not likely.
Dumping on voters is par for the course among California’s political/media class, though. If you haven’t seen it yet, go read the unbelievably condescending editorial the Sacramento Bee tried to flush down the memory hole before Doug Ross rescued it. Exit quotation: “Good morning, California voters. Do you feel better, now that you’ve gotten that out of your system?”
Blowback
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This is becasue the budget is written in English, isn’t it?
bluelightbrigade on May 21, 2009 at 9:48 AM
Yup, and they hope to “maintain ” that notion by way of the screwel system.
My Lord, they are just plain awful those politicians,
bbz123 on May 21, 2009 at 9:48 AM
And this explains Nancy Pelosi.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 21, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Hey, let’s just take away all of our rights and trust the government to transform America into California!
Upstater85 on May 21, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Oh my God, get the message lady, NO MORE TAXES
Bladerunner1701 on May 21, 2009 at 9:50 AM
No lady, they’re not too dumb to understand your bloated, wasteful budget . . . to the contrary, they’re just too pissed off to take it any more.
rplat on May 21, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Wrong Madam Speaker, the voters found you arrogant, elitist and corrupt, and refused to bend over and grab the ankles again.
roninacreage on May 21, 2009 at 9:51 AM
On the national level they like to say that we are too stupid to understand how to buy our own health insurance.
myrenovations on May 21, 2009 at 9:51 AM
They have the message… now, they are willing to take away the rights of the voter just to get their way.
Upstater85 on May 21, 2009 at 9:51 AM
Elitist bint.
PimFortuynsGhost on May 21, 2009 at 9:52 AM
I guess she confuses the worthless idiots whom she represents, who are too lazy and stupid to find a way not to live off their fellow citizens, with the rest of California’s voters.
TexasJew on May 21, 2009 at 9:52 AM
those in elected offices often think we’re too dumb to comprehend what they are doing.
and they are right about 52% of the population.
kelley in virginia on May 21, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Anyone that votes for someone that says they are too stupid, might be too stupid to vote.
Upstater85 on May 21, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Typical statist mentality OR Typical Obama voter. Take your pick.
The whole philosophy is this: You are too stupid to run your own so let gubmint in. It’ll be easier that way.
Quoting TJ: “Those who would trade safety for freedom deserve neither.”
……and that’s what the Statists/Obama/Reid/Pelosi/Soros want.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 21, 2009 at 9:53 AM
She made the fatal mistake of thinking anger was confusion.
No initiative would have been needed, if they would have handled the budget properly.
Here are two things, just two that would balance the budget.
1. Deny services to illegal immigrants, send them home.
2. Okay offshore drilling.
End of problem, end of budget, promise those two things and the propositions then (after you have implemented them, because voters don’t trust you) they will pass easily.
Other words, show some responsibility that you can actually handle additional money, or budget changes before you ask for “favors”.
How much more simple is that?
right2bright on May 21, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Elected officials find governing competently way above their paygrade. Idiots.
therightwinger on May 21, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Reminds me of Dan Rather’s “voters throwing a temper tantrum” after the Republicans captured congress during Clinton’s term.
MarkTheGreat on May 21, 2009 at 9:55 AM
My, my, my.
They really hate the Constitution, don’t they?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 21, 2009 at 9:56 AM
They have to spin it somehow. They do know what’s best for us and will try to find a court that will reverse the voters again. If any of you Californians plan on leaving and think you might want to live in Montana, please do not bring your liberals mindset with you.
Kissmygrits on May 21, 2009 at 9:56 AM
To a liberal, there is no “logical” reason for opposing them.
Which is why they tend to assume that everyone who does oppose them is either stupid, or evil.
MarkTheGreat on May 21, 2009 at 9:56 AM
M O R O N ! ! !
SDarchitect on May 21, 2009 at 9:57 AM
The chickensssssssss are coming home to roost!
WisCon on May 21, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Damn. There’s noting complicated about not spending money, lady…
bluelightbrigade on May 21, 2009 at 9:57 AM
The voters were so confused an stupid that they voted NO on all the measures except for the one the froze legislature pay raises. Hmmm… sounds kind of smart to me.
myrenovations on May 21, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Maybe the voters message to the politicians was too complicated for them. Let me try to help:
1) CUT SPENDING FIRST!
2) CUT NON-ESSENTIAL SERVICES FIRST.
3) STOP LISTENING TO NARROW INTEREST GROUPS.
michaelo on May 21, 2009 at 9:58 AM
WHile I’m very much in favor of opening up off-shore drilling, (and not just in California) it would take years before sizeable revenue streams could appear.
MarkTheGreat on May 21, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Typical welfare mentality liberal.
California simply needs to come to grips with it’s dead weight class. If it would stop paying big money to reward it’s flunkies for being flunkies, the problem would be solved. Whether it is State employees unions slopping in the public trough, or lousy ineffective teachers, or the thousands of employees of the State “victim appreciation groups”.
They need to get off all the feelgood crap and get back to the basics.
saiga on May 21, 2009 at 9:59 AM
I’m actually surprised the pols haven’t found a “neutral” third-party to take Tuesday’s election to court and demand some state judge throw out Tuesday’s election results and impose court-order tax increases on California residents. After all, it’s been over 36 hours since the polls closed.
(As for the SacBee, it’s true the revised editorial blaming the politicians did end up in the print edition, which bolsters their claim that the original online version at the very least wasn’t approved by the full editorial board to go out, even if that’s what a majority of its members were thinking. They may have realized to say that would anger readers and decided to just give the hayseeds what they wanted to hear to avoid losing any more ciculation, but at the same time the damage is now done, and if the editorial was posted in error online while the one they wanted ran in the print edition, you’d expect someone to be fired, suspended or demoted for hitting the ‘send‘ button on a screed that had been rejected by the full board.)
jon1979 on May 21, 2009 at 9:59 AM
I suppose then in the eyes of a lefty, if a pregnant woman doesn’t have an abortion, she was just too lazy to walk down to the local “clinic.” Hey, Obama, when you come up with you super-kewl Obamacare, you should include a mobile “clinic” to go to all of those lazy women.
Upstater85 on May 21, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Voters rejected a tax increase during the deepest recession since the 30′s. Yeah, that’s really complicated.
Or maybe Californians are just lazy…they don’t want to participate in the hard work of paying higher taxes.
What a maroon!
DrW on May 21, 2009 at 10:00 AM
People like Karen Bass ARE the problem. Kalifornia needs to vote people out like her.
Kalifornia will be the biggest turd in the union until they turnout the liberals.
Why are so many producers leaving Kalifornia? Because it sucks.
I see Kali plates more & more. People moving here with MONEY,
EXPERIENCE, and a can do attitude.
I hope Karen Bass loses her job. If she still has a job next year her pay will be cut 18%. That is what she wanted voters to understand. She will probably have to move if she gets an 18% cut in pay. Hey, Karen – after you get your pink slip I am sure Obama will have a job lined up for you….
Just don’t come to Texas.
izoneguy on May 21, 2009 at 10:01 AM
In many parts of the country, yes, but in California, a decent amount of the infrastructure is still in place.
CDeb on May 21, 2009 at 10:02 AM
If history is indeed the teacher, the PC moral relativity crowd will use the argument that voting discriminates against the stupid and thus needs to be eliminated for the greater good of our society. All Hail or some such crapola!
dmann on May 21, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Dude. How the f*ck does something like that get past the editors?
BadgerHawk on May 21, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Karen would first have to fail to pay taxes or leave a baby on the side of the road to be qualified.
Upstater85 on May 21, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Also, lease sales in state waters could generate revenue immediately.
CDeb on May 21, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Idiot: noun; a very stupid person; see Karen Bass.
BuckeyeSam on May 21, 2009 at 10:05 AM
They wrote it but are now claiming that they were “notes.”
BuckeyeSam on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 AM
With apologies first for comparing the trite to far more important issues such as protecting the constitution and the powers of we the people, but are we beginning to see a trend here? There is hope. Middle America is waking up and will no longer be used: The wholesome clean-cut seventeen-year-old wins dancing based on America’s vote; the humble church-going singer from Arkansas wins singing based on America’s vote. And even Californians have awoken. The glitter, glam and lunacy rejected three times. There is hope.
publiuspen on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Yeah, if they can elect San Fran Nan time and time again, it would be safer not to underestimate their capacity for stupidity.
And before anybody blames San Francisco, let me just add: et al.
Babs Boxer? Come on, California!
You get what you vote for.
misterpeasea on May 21, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Cal voters moving to other states may seem like a good idea for them personaly but remember these are the same people who vote Dem every chance they get and never seem to learn from their mistakes.
I wouldn’t welcome them to my neighborhood without preconditions.
Karen Bass is a real class act isn’t she.
mpgrunt787 on May 21, 2009 at 10:08 AM
This gives you some idea about how much waste is in the state budget, and how much money is being spent on non-citizens.
Vashta.Nerada on May 21, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Don’t you just love Liberals? If you do not agree with their plans and fight them on it, then you are labelled intellectually inferior by them because you clearly did not undertand the genius of their plans.
What a bunch of egotistical idiots.
kingsjester on May 21, 2009 at 10:10 AM
During the election a former ‘big oil’ man, while on Beck’s old HLN show (I think), said most of the rigs are in place, just capped, and could be providing oil in about 6 months.
BadgerHawk on May 21, 2009 at 10:12 AM
The experiment that was California is indeed a major failure.
The fact that we are now claiming voters are tired of voting belies the reality this woman is in it to disenfranchise everyone voting against her & the rest of her cronies.
All I can say is WOW.
I don’t blame CAs from leaving in droves.
When all they’re left with is Spanish-speaking illegals, I wonder if they’ll even wake up then.
Badger40 on May 21, 2009 at 10:13 AM
Most likely with applause.
BobMbx on May 21, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Moron=legislator, as usual. They were smart enough to vote FOR the measure that penalized the irresponsible lawmakers who created most of this mess.
hawksruleva on May 21, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Yup. It’s this way in a lot of other states, too, like WY.
ND was like that, too, bcs costs were just way too much & when prices skyrocketed, our oil boom was on again.
WY oil wells were capped bcs it was cheaper to pump oil overseas where there wasn’t so much govt intervention.
The oil is there folks. But your govt has refused to let you get it.
Badger40 on May 21, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Nothing can explain Nancy Pelosi. She must have some really good dirt on lots of people or she would have been 6 feet under by now. As the biggest liberal cheerleader she is an utter failure as a human being. I don’t even know if she is a human being. George Bush is breathing the sweet air in Texas knowing that he was right & Pelosi is an utter failure and a total Clusterfark.
izoneguy on May 21, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Well, we voted down the crap sandwich, so now we get the stimulus money from PBO. So the cycle continues. When is this ever going to stop? From what I read, PRCa gets 45 billion in stimulus money, thats 23 billion more than needed to fund the current budget, so they have 23 billion in play money for the legislature. So, what happens next year?
N4646W on May 21, 2009 at 10:17 AM
That depends on how it is set up. If the State charged an up-front leasing fee for the right to explore in an unexplored offshore area for a few years, followed by a small state tax on any oil or gas produced, there could be a significant revenue stream from the start. The State could also incentivize the drilling by giving income tax breaks to the drilling companies and the workers on the rigs over the first few years.
Offshore drilling rigs are also known to attract fish. The State could also allow the drillers to sell fishing licenses on their rigs, which could include a small percentage paid to the State. This practice could also be extended to existing offshore drilling rigs.
Steve Z on May 21, 2009 at 10:17 AM
So basically what you are really saying without all the PC BS is that the California voter is to stupid to understand what is best for them and that you are absoutely at fault for nothing. Hmmmmm, wonder if California has the right to recall all politicans not just Governors???
sargentj on May 21, 2009 at 10:18 AM
I love it…. we need it. Their abject stupidity is only fueling the next revolution, which by the way, doesn’t seem to be too far away…. Film at 11….
HomeoftheBrave on May 21, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Ogabe and the rest of the pantloads will be doing this quite often, painting the resisters as clueless dolts who just don’t understand. Then they will override voter intent and do what they want.
This isn’t over in California; look for a state house measure to enact the budget under an obscure clause such as “state emergency” or whatever.
Bishop on May 21, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Funny they said the same thing with Prop 8
youngO on May 21, 2009 at 10:18 AM
“…come July the cash crisis that California experiences traditionally is going to be much much worse.”
Traditionally?
InterestedObserver on May 21, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Bass and the rest of those bastards in Sacramento will find out in 2010 and 2012 who is ‘confused and tired’. They’ll be joining the unemployment line.
GarandFan on May 21, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Don’t you just love Liberals? NO
I know it was a sarc but how do you know when a liberal is lying?
They are talking.
Liberals ears do not work. The connection between their ears and their pea brains do not work. They have such little functioning brain power so all they can really do is run their mouths and crap all over anyone who responds back.
izoneguy on May 21, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Unfortunately, courts in California may not let the state cut services. They already blocked an attempt by CA to stop providing welfare services to illegal immigrants (you know, non-citizens who’s very presence indicates a crime).
hawksruleva on May 21, 2009 at 10:20 AM
That 3 minute clip is an absolute INSULT to Calofornia voters. Of course, the Democrats can get away with insulting voters and still get elected! (Murtha, Obama, et al)
R-E-A-L-I-T-Y ?? The more Californians understood the measures the LESS votes they got! In fact the only people who voted FOR Measures 1A-1E were the CLUELESS!
Soon, I will join the exodus from this sorry State!
Justrand on May 21, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Yah, I had to trudge all the way across campus to my polling place. Checked my box in the office while I was at it.
It was hard, all right. I was so exhausted I only had the energy to vote NO 7 times (one county measure), not think.
Bob's Kid on May 21, 2009 at 10:21 AM
It’s not very complicated. You get what you pay for.
The voters said they don’t want to pay more, so they’ll get less. Why is that so hard to understand?
Steve Z on May 21, 2009 at 10:21 AM
i do not know why the CA courts blocked attempts to stop welfare payments to illegals. how was the issue framed for the court? sometimes that is the critical part. well, it would be critical here in Va. where judges don’t legislate from the bench. i guess in Ca, anything goes.
kelley in virginia on May 21, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Maybe they should have tried hiding the taxes in the global warming meme.
tarpon on May 21, 2009 at 10:25 AM
So you can move to another state that is bailing out your soon to be former state.
WashJeff on May 21, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Return of the “Angry White Men” trope?
Techie on May 21, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Dumping on voters is par for the course among
California’sthw political/media class.FIFY.
Again, nobody has more disdain of the people than politicians, followed closely by the media.
TheBigOldDog on May 21, 2009 at 10:26 AM
So, what happens next year? Heh, Heh……
Maybe the big one will hit Kalifornia and put it out of it’s misery.
Arnuld will be runnin for da Choppa……
Unless the rest of the country wants to keep bailing out failed states then it is time to step up and vote out the socialists. Kalifornia will have to crash & burn with some horrific consequences for folks to wake-up. You cannot tax to death the producers and expect great results. Obama will find more pushback on his spending sprees after 2010. I just hope to God that enough democrats see this trainwreck and realize that National Health Care and Cap & Trade would truly and utterly devastate America and the capitalist system. People won’t just be moving from failed states. People will leave America and it won’t be the poor ones leaving.
izoneguy on May 21, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Buzzcut Bass represents the mentality of the average member of the California State Legislature. The institution’s collective IQ went from 180 to 0 when Tom McClintock got termed out.
Mark1971 on May 21, 2009 at 10:29 AM
I’m tempted to go back and watch the first Superman movie now, where the big evil plan was to cause California to drop into the ocean and send real estate prices skyrocketing.
Where’s Lex Luthor when you need him?
teke184 on May 21, 2009 at 10:29 AM
Our most revered historical documents, the original Declaration of Independence and the original Constitution are icons, rightfully protected and preserved by the national government for all to consider and to contemplate their deeper meaning. The Declaration speaks of “inalienable” rights and what the rightful, reasonable and natural reaction of the citizenry ought to be should the government, state or national, ever infringe upon our natural rights. The assumption has always been that because the Consitution is the supreme law of the land, that no government existing within the US could ever begin to systematically remove those inalienable rights or stifle the voice of the majority. We know that the old assumption is no longer valid. The question is, because it is not clearly defined by the founding documents, at what point can the majority of the citizens, seeing their inalienable rights being slowly whittled away by scheming politicians, justifiably defy the authority of that government? If California politicans circumvent the voice of the people and impose more taxes regardless of the vote, do the citizens of California, or any other state or the United States for that matter have the right to “alter or abolish” the government and substitute another in its place?
sdd on May 21, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Like my kids: It’s always someone else’s fault.
I suggest:
Part time legislature, with a dorm housing unit while in session, and severely reduce the per diem.
Each member gets 3 staffers.
A pool of researchers available to all members
Bus line from the Dorms to the Capitol
Six major airport facilities with the CA Air National Guard flying members in on transports (or charter an airline – NO FRILLS)
Majority of board & commission meetings conducted via teleconference.
No former elected Legislator, or family member can be allowed to serve on a board or a commission.
Boards and commissions consist of volunteers (with per diem) and ONE paid chairperson who has real experience in the area being regulated.
Submit a monthly invoice to the Federal Government for Boarder security services. All illegal immigrants in custody get driven to the Federal Courthouse for immediate processing (again at Federal Expense).
That’s just while I was eating my croissant – I can do better if I focused on my task.
juanito on May 21, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Coming from a woman that barely has an average IQ.
jukin on May 21, 2009 at 10:48 AM
YES! But will the special interest and unions allow this process to proceed, or has the structure of this state’s government been set in a stone that the electorate can’t crack?
Rovin on May 21, 2009 at 10:51 AM
When exactly did voters say they wanted to cut spending? They were given an opportunity to do so in 2005 and they voted against it, by a 25% margin!
THE PROBLEM IS NOT CALIFORNIA POLITICIANS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT CALIFORNIA VOTERS WANT BIG GOVERNMENT BUT DON’T WANT TO PAY FOR IT.
Schwarzenegger tried to be a fiscal conservative. His Proposition 76 would have limited the state budget to the previous year’s size, and only allowed spending to increase if revenue had grown. Voters shot it down. They sided with the unions. They sided with the teachers associations. They stood up and said, loudly, that they wanted bigger government. Now they’re saying they want someone else to pay for it.
The scary part is that these are the same people who are leaving California for greener pastures, and they’ll ruin better-run states the exact same way, by demanding more and more government and refusing to pay for it.
Caiwyn on May 21, 2009 at 10:52 AM
We are fatigued by having our taxes continuously increased. What they don’t say is that they already raised state taxes and the state sales tax last month. They have also raised every fine, every fee, everything that they can that they don’t need to go to the voters for approval. They put another tax on people’s DWP bill to pay for more cops. A year later, they raised it again. They also put a tax on phone bills for the same thing. So, we have had 3 tax raises specifically for increased number of cops in the past year and no increase in cops. It’s a constant bait and switch plan. And DWP acts like it is their money. They make charitable donations and they lend millions to other departments and then forgive the loan. They all pull that one.
Blake on May 21, 2009 at 10:53 AM
I wonder what her salary is…….?
………. probably has a nice pension, too.
Good work, if you can get it……
Seven Percent Solution on May 21, 2009 at 10:55 AM
I just sent off a email to our esteemed speaker. Told her how I felt about her elitist attitude. Made it real simple for her by trying to use words any 6th grader would understand. Maybe she will actually read it, but I doubt it.
Perhaps other Californians on this thread do the same?
jbh45 on May 21, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Oh, bullshit. He put those initiatives on the ballot when voter turnout is expected to be low and it was. After that, he threw in the towel because he’s nothing but a rino pussy. If he had some balls or really meant what he said, he would have kept fighting. Plus, he put on the ballot and got passed his own billion dollar boondoggles. Fiscal conservative, allahpundit’s ass.
Blake on May 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM
How Hard Can It Be? These are 12 ideas to start with…
Prioritize everything with Police and Fire at the top.
Eliminate useless bureaus, commissions and boards.
Put a grandfather clause on any remaining bureaus, commissions or boards to automatically eliminate them unless voted upon every two years.
A freeze on hiring to replace anyone who retires from a State job.
Reduce size of government by 20%, across the board.
Cut the Legislature’s time in session to 6 months a year.
Eliminate anyone in the school bureaucracy who is not in a
Classroom, or is not a Principal or a Superintendent.
Give Vouchers to parents to shop for better schools.
Stop Gerrymandering the districts. Establish a three judge panel to redistrict the legislature.
Lower Taxes on individuals and businesses.
Create a more Business friendly State. Eliminate regulations and Paperwork.
Farm out prisoners to cheaper prisons in other States.
Uniblogger on May 21, 2009 at 11:03 AM
same song and dance the legislators and media did for Prop 8. Sad that the will of the people is deemed as a mistake time and time again in Cali.
jjok on May 21, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Each time we bail out a state, it puts stress on the rest of the states. After a while, everyone is in the bail out line. Where does the money come from then? Cap and Trade is going to be devastating. This is all getting so stupid it is unbelievable. We just turned a bunch of kids lose in a candy store with a credit card. Are there any intelligent adults left in government? Are there any responsible adults left in government?
N4646W on May 21, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Quotes from that condescending editorial:
Yes, you’re right. WE have always been in charge. You work for US. That is why you are called public servants!
Wrong. That’s YOUR job. We delegated that task to YOU. This is why YOU ran for office and why WE voted you in. Deal with it.
If YOU aren’t up to the task to do the job WE have delegated to YOU, then I’m sure the voters would be quite happy to have YOU resign so that WE can find a more suitable replacement that is up for the job instead of YOU whiners. I’ll bet YOUR mama gave YOU everything YOU wanted, huh, spoiled brat???
Wait, how about taking money back from the counties? Great idea. Not that it will be easy. Most of them are already in the red and getting ready to lay off cops, prosecutors, probation officers and clinic staff.
And YOU have had how many years to get it straight. No sir, YOU will have to deal with the job that YOU ran for. And YOU will have to figure that out within the bounds that WE have given YOU. I know that BOUNDARIES are so hard for spoiled brats like YOU who have never been told NO, but DEAL WITH IT!
WHO is whining? All I hear are CHEERS out here.
Take them up on the challenge Californians. Go in there and slash and cut since they are simply too busy pouting to get anything done. Rid yourselves of The Jerkinator. Go clean house. THEY have asked for it. Go give it to them.
Go give them the spanking they are due.
PrincipledPilgrim on May 21, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Well, in a sense she is right, but the complications and complexity is almost entirely the fault of the state legislature, if CA is anything like NY, and I think it is.
Here in NY we had STAR, a state program of rebates for local property taxes which was deemed necessary by the state legislature to quell the growing uproar over counties and cities having to raise rates on these taxes to provide the services the state legislature mandated these municipalities spend. Mandates in our county have grown to be about 65% of the budget.
The state legislature nixed the program this year because of budget problems, but are now considering reinstating it if they can put a penny tax on non-diet pop! [NOT SODA :-)] Well, they’ll use only 80% to reinstate the program. The other 20% will be used to bribe kids into exercising via government funded sports programs.
Of course many in Albany don’t like it because it doesn’t go far enough to finance a future expansion of the STAR (or some mutant species of it) program, wherein the state will give rebate checks to those whose property taxes are disproportionate compared to their income.
Taxes, and spending, aren’t really complex but the legislature defines and explains the connection between taxes and spending and it will always be to the disadvantage of the voter for making good decisions.
Dusty on May 21, 2009 at 11:10 AM
The people know there are more than three or four items in the budget. That whole Education, Police BLAH BLAH BLAH AINT WORKING ANYMORE.
You folks in Kalifornia ned to cut a ton of social services to illegals for starters. Appeal the decision on 187 all the way to the SCOTUS or rewrite it. Dump the hack jobs in state government. You know.. END THE CORRUPTION and the BS.
dogsoldier on May 21, 2009 at 11:11 AM
I agree that much infrastructure is in place. But it hasn’t been used in years. How much inspection and repair will be needed before old wells can be reactivated.
While the preparation for lease sales could begin immediately, the sales could not occur immediately.
The oil companies have to first perform preliminary surveys. They do have surveys from decades ago, but the technologies for such surveys have improved tremendously in recent years. I’m sure they would want to re-survey before committing too much money.
Even if everything else were in place. We are talking about govt, very large companies, and significant amounts of money. The paper work necessary before such an auction could take place would take many months, to several years.
MarkTheGreat on May 21, 2009 at 11:12 AM
She found that people were confused by the propositions. They were stupid. But, she was talking to her constituants -who are stupid.
kurtzz3 on May 21, 2009 at 11:18 AM
One thing that I have learned over the years is that govt doesn’t do anything quickly.
Even if everyone involved wants to get something done, it can take months to get all of the permits signed.
For something like this, you can be sure that few people in govt, and many people outside of govt do not want it to happen, so they will do everything in their power to slow it down.
Clerks will wait until the last legal day (or maybe a few days beyond) to file any paper work. There will be a few that will have to be taken to court to force them to do their duties.
Groups like the Sierra club will start filing lawsuits by the truck load. That alone could gum up the works for years.
As I said before, I’m as much in favor of this idea as anyone. I’m just saying that you shouldn’t count on any of the revenue to help out in this crisis.
MarkTheGreat on May 21, 2009 at 11:26 AM
I usually start out with the term “respectfully” but this straw man load of crap is beyond ridiculous. By this reasoning, you submit that these “searchers of greener pastures” will force you lemmings to drink kool-aid and accept their ideology—which is utter bullsh**. Pullleaazzze! Give the electorates of other states some credit in their resolve to demand their governments live within their means.
The politicians in the State of California have been put on notice by an electorate that has said ENOUGH. Those who have left this state looking for “greener pastures” are the one’s who understood fiscal disipline was not on the Democrats agenda and gave up fighting this lunacy. Major businesses have exited this state in mass (and taken their employees with them) because this state has driven them out. This is the real exodus.
Rovin on May 21, 2009 at 11:34 AM
I have an ex-brother-in-law who acts a lot like these people. He tries to con you and if you catch on then it isn’t his con, or him that was at fault. It’s because the people he was trying to con were jerks, or too stupid to understand what he was trying to do.
Sorry. California voters knew exactly what was up. A bunch of con men, and women, were trying to put something over on us, and we saw right through it.
That’s not voter fatigue. That’s telling the con man we’re not buying his song and dance.
hachiban on May 21, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Well they elected Pelosi, Boxer and Feinstein…why not this idiot? I don’t think that it’s voter fatigue…I think that it’s voter remorse.
It’s too bad Americans can’t vote on tax initiatives at the Federal level like they do in Mexifornia. Just imagine how screwed they’d be in California if they didn’t get this vote. Imagine how wonderful it would be if we could vote down the democrats national bankruptcy plan.
orlandocajun on May 21, 2009 at 12:03 PM
I seem to recall that that Washington State Supreme Court pulled this on us a few years back. We passed a tax-limiting initiative and they struck it down on the grounds that voters hadn’t actually understood it, if they had they never would have voted it in.
29Victor on May 21, 2009 at 12:11 PM
This woman Bass alone is responsible for the mess in my state. You can bank on that fact.
FireBlogger on May 21, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Hey Speaker Bass, kiss my @$$.
Dark-Star on May 21, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Welcome to my state! Coming soon to a legislature near you!
Weebork on May 21, 2009 at 12:29 PM
For the record…This is the intellectual elite that strangelet says the republican party needs to be a viable entity.
Ignoramous!
The contempt for the voter/taxpayer is dripping off her freshly waxed upper lip.
daesleeper on May 21, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Yup. While the political, and media elitists sit around bashing, and trashing tax payers, that pay their salaries….
We’re all sitting around with our fingers in our noses, trying to pick our brains. *sigh*
capejasmine on May 21, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Thine will be done! Make it all applicable in a single ballot initiative and let’s vote by November.
I’d only add that we use more teleconferencing for boards & commissions, and that no former legislator or family member can be a PAID member of a board.
juanito on May 21, 2009 at 1:09 PM
I stopped listening after the opening line when she said, “we are ready to deal with the situation we FIND ourselves in …”
Hey Lady, you PUT yourself in this situation!
PackerBronco on May 21, 2009 at 1:20 PM
After months of having to watch fake firemen, with smudged theatrical soot rubbed on their forehead, I became much less confused. By election date, I was filled with an almost zen like clarity and peace. I didn’t even have to talk to groups of 30, 300 or congregations.
2Tru2Tru on May 21, 2009 at 1:28 PM
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