California Imploding: Budget Proposals Say Goodbye to Public Transit & Shortens the School Year

Surprise! In a rush to fix the state budget, the Democrats are trying to unfund public transit, the LA Times finds, noting that Governor Schwarzenegger's plan would be even worse for any hint of an urban city: "The rush to jettison passenger rail and buses as the state tries to cope with a severe budget crisis counters not only the will of the voters, who have repeatedly demonstrated that they greatly value public transit, but the state's ongoing crusade to reduce its traffic and pollution woes."

In other cuts, the San Francisco Chronicle rounds up other proposed ideas: "The quick-hit ideas for bailing out California's finances are raining down: hock the lottery, furlough state workers two days per month, hold up refunds to taxpayers. Here's one that shouldn't go on the hit list: a shorter school year. The plan suggested by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would trim five days off the 180-day school year. The idea is a bit player in the larger budget drama, a $1.1 billion savings as the state searches for ways to plug a $41.5 billion shortfall over 18 months."

In even more breaking news, The ever-so-whacky Onion finds that the state still prints official cocktail napkins--one resident says IOUs for state taxes should be refunded that way. Drink up! We're all going to need it to get through this mess!