From the LA Times:
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger attempted to forge a path out of the state's financial mess Wednesday by offering concessions to both Democrats, who are demanding that schools and other services not be cut, and Republicans disdainful of new taxes...
"As the deficit grew these past few months, I knew that we could not solve this crisis by cuts alone," the governor said in presenting his proposals. "We had to get creative."
But state Senate leader Don Perata (D-Oakland) called the revised budget "beneath a governor of this great state. It's telling our citizens: This is it. Our best years are behind us."
Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines of Clovis called the sales tax idea -- a linchpin of the governor's plan -- "a deal-killer."
To the leader of the State Senate, I'd say this: for now, they are. The entire country is having fiscal problems right now. Sticking your head in the sand and pretending that today is better than yesterday financially is foolish nonsense, and your citizens deserve better. You should be ashamed of your cowardice. Unless you really think that this is a great time to really ratchet up taxes to pay for everything you'd like to be able to do, you had better prioritize what you absolutely have to do.
The the leader of the State Assembly I'd say this: There are three options - even more crippling debt, cutting spending, or raising taxes. You aren't going to be able to convince the other side of the aisle to cut spending enough, and I dare say you lack the stomach for it yourself. Postponing the problem will only make it worse. And if you are utterly dug in to your current position, you will be overrun by grim reality. If you can't win all the spending cuts you'd like, then you are better off winning some spending cuts and agreeing to some tax increase, so that the debt you currently face can be addressed.
Your state has major cities declaring bankruptcy for crying out loud. Times are tough. But on you is laid the burden to find a solution - and sitting across the aisle yelling at the other side doesn't count.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
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2 comments:
For some reason, I'm reminded of those Miller Lite commercials from the '90s... you know, the ones where people are yelling "Less filling!" "Tastes great!" at each other? I'm imagining this going on in the California state legislature. "Less spending!" "More taxes!"
That's a very apt picture. Even if I never really understood how "fewer total calories" equated to "less filling" unless it meant "less filling (of your waistline)."
I am, however, frustrated endlessly by the Candide-inspired brand of politics that says "you're a bad person if you don't say that this right now is the best the country has ever been."
The Democrat here strikes me as blind, cowardly fool. The Republican simply strikes me as a stubborn fool. And the oft' maligned Gubernator makes the most sense of all.
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