Our state leaders have announced that we have a handshake deal closing the state’s $19 billion budget deficit. We have just set a new record. The current stalemate has now passed 93 days without a budget.
Records aside let’s conduct a truth test. Steve Frank, publisher of CA Political News, has just penned a post entitled Arnold: We have a Phony Budget Deal!”
“The governors office just notified the public, “We have a budget deal.” He, along with Democrat Senate leader Steinberg announced they have closed the $19 billion budget deficit.
And that is why this is phony. The deficit is $40 billion and more, more than double what Arnold and his Democrat friends are willing to admit.
1. The operating deficit for 2009-10 is actually $21 billion
2. There is approximately $10 billion in lawsuits Arnold has lost, but has not paid–that is part of the “deficit” in his office
3. The state has borrowed $7.5 billion from the Feds, so we can continue giving up Unemployment checks–this is not part of the Guv’s or Democrats deficit plan
4. In the 2009-10 budget we were to sell $3 billion in government assets, we sold almost none
5. It has been talked about in the halls of the Capitol that the new “deal” means the 2009-10 budget STARTS with a $9.5 billion deficits.
6. Does not count the billions stolen from Trust Funds, illegally–liked the recycling Trust Fund from recycled bottles and cans.
Will Arnold and his Democrat friends allow committee hearings on the new budget? No
Will they allow the public to completely vet the new budget before it is approved? As Pelosi said about ObamaCare. “You will find out what is in the bill when we pass it.”
What are the cuts in programs? How many state employees will be let go or added? What taxes and fees are going to be raised?
This smells…Budget deal, maybe. Honesty? Absolutely not–again.”
To read Steve’s other articles simply go to:
www.capoliticalnews.com
As I said many times before……. that is good!!!
I also expect that Brown will win and prop 123 lose…….. that is good too!!!
We need this California-Zit to pop so we can squeeze it and squeeze it hard until the blood will leak profusely.
Thanks Larry. Until we hold government to the same standard with taxpayer money that corporations must meet for their stockholders, this problem will not go away. Until we have transparency in the total compensation for all government officials, this problem will not go away. Until we deal with the financial devastation wrought by bloated public union pensions, this problem will not go away.
My kids are fifth generation Californians and the state of our state brings tears to my eyes.
Excerpts from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal support my doubts on passage of a State budget.
“Tony Strickland, a Republican senator, said he was “concerned” about the proposed corporate-tax-break suspension. Mr. Adams, the GOP assemblyman, said the more-optimistic forecast could cause the budget to “fail on delivery.” He added he was “deeply concerned” $3 billion in cuts to education spending in the plan.
Mr. Beall, the Democratic assemblyman, said he was glad that education was cut less than what Mr. Schwarzenegger had earlier proposed. His biggest worry, he said, was that the budget would include last-minute additions from the governor and Republicans such as new tax breaks for businesses.
Mr. Beall said he was skeptical, too, of the budget proposal’s assumption of $5 billion in federal funds that would help close the gap, which he thinks could end up being too high.
As the budget delay has stretched on, California Treasurer Bill Lockyer and Controller John Chiang have warned that the state’s finances are threatened.”