2 to 1, Cali voters reject tax hike proposition

[Sofiyya 1,687]

As California goes, so goes the country. Has Arnold been handed his hat? Please discuss. I'll return later.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

As California goes, so goes the country. Has Arnold been handed his hat? Please discuss. I'll return later.

Bring pics!

The state will cut off payments to cities and counties, lay off more state employees, reduce State office hours of service, and shorten the school year. No choice. The question is, will the Feds continue to withhold their payments because of California's cost cutting measures.

[Lon Yonson 0]

Does this mean longer lines and shorter days at the DMV?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Does this mean longer lines and shorter days at the DMV?

Yep. More opportunity to look for eye candy while you wait.

[almaty 19]

always good....except i live in the midwest....

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

eye candy? dmv? srsly????

maybe all the fuglies are at the nj dmv's.....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The propositions are too confusing for most Californians to really understand what they mean and the tendency is to vote 'NO' when they aren't sure about it.

Until the state can figure out a way to repeal the 2/3 requirement to raise taxes, this state will continue to face these shortages, especially during bad economic times.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Col. 'Bat' Guano

[My Name Is Nobody 3]

The question is, will the Feds continue to withhold their payments because of California's cost cutting measures.

Of course not. Too many voters in the state.

Arnold has been in DC sucking butt. So who do you think will end up bailing California out?

Typical Liberal politics. The responsible bails out the irresponsible.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The propositions are too confusing for most Californians to really understand what they mean and the tendency is to vote 'NO' when they aren't sure about it.

Until the state can figure out a way to repeal the 2/3 requirement to raise taxes, this state will continue to face these shortages, especially during bad economic times.

I can't see how they can avoid raising taxes - tbh. If the alternative is slashed education budgets and the like - that's hardly a good thing for the state's future prosperity.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The propositions are too confusing for most Californians to really understand what they mean and the tendency is to vote 'NO' when they aren't sure about it.

Until the state can figure out a way to repeal the 2/3 requirement to raise taxes, this state will continue to face these shortages, especially during bad economic times.

I can't see how they can avoid raising taxes - tbh. If the alternative is slashed education budgets and the like - that's hardly a good thing for the state's future prosperity.

The hard liner Republicans have a stranglehold on our state. They envision a state with no functioning government. They giggle with excitement over the idea of teachers being laid off, public schools closing, state run hospitals closing. The only hope is that eventually, things will get so bad that the public will get fed up with their style of no-government. Unfortunately, so far, the blame has been effectively placed on the Governor and Legislature for not effectively managing state government.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Analysis: Convoluted ballot produces 'a $25 million Rorschach test'

By Kevin Yamamura, The Sacramento Bee

Tuesday's slash-and-burn special election was a spin doctor's delight.

State lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked voters to pass one of the most convoluted ballot packages in California history, an amalgam of controversial policies for the right and the left to pick over.

Fiscal conservatives and businesses said voters demonstrated they hate taxes. Social service advocates and labor unions said voters rejected spending cuts.

Even recreational marijuana supporters had a take. The Marijuana Policy Project said voters showed they want novel revenue solutions, like legalizing and taxing pot.

"These measures will end up being a $25 million Rorschach test," said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California, referring to the psychological ink-blot analysis. "Everybody will end up seeing in the results what they want to."

The election's odd political alliances and garbled campaign messages made it difficult to determine which policy beliefs, if any, drove voter decisions. Californians delivered a message of general contempt, but didn't provide clear guidance to the Legislature on how to solve what is now a $21.3 billion problem.

While rejecting five of six measures, those who did show up at the polls punctuated their message by supporting Proposition 1F, a ban on legislative pay raises in deficit years.

Some said the Legislature and governor shouldn't have asked voters to help solve the budget problem. Others said the package was too complex or drafted in a deceitful way.

http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1876533.html

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

That's Sore Loserman talk.

[Peikko 1,575]

No one wants to pay - I think that's highly irresponsible behaviour. I like Arnie, I don't think he will resign and he should not.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It seems to me that politicians out there are just trying to curry favour by advancing the GOP party line going back to Reagan.

The obvious downside is that by doing this they're burying their head in the sand and effectively in denial about the state of the economy.

Hard choices have to be made when you have a massive budget deficit. Either you significantly slash budgets for essential public services (which will do little more than stretch out the bad times) or you raise taxes to cover the shortfall.

Its not rocket science and there's not really any other option - pay now or pay later. You're still going to pay.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Or maybe government needs to be downsized so crises like these don't occur during every economic down cycle.