Billions taken healthcare and education, a 32 percent hike under consideration in the University system, the list could go on. The big question is, after this year, what more is there to cut?
Billions taken healthcare and education, a 32 percent hike under consideration in the University system, the list could go on. The big question is, after this year, what more is there to cut?
If you happen to be in Sacramento tomorrow and Saturday, do the state a favor and give them some money in exchange for some official government crap. Back in July, Governor Schwarzenegger announced that they would be selling government stuff--cars, computers, other crap--to help offset the billion dollar deficit. Then someone on Twitter suggested that he sign some of the items to raise the value and he went, paraphrased, "OMG, such a g00d idea! Keep the ideas coming, Twitter pals!"
Finally, the budget has passed both houses--the Senate early this morning and the Assembly this afternoon--and Governor Arnold Scwharzenegger says he plans to sign it next week. However, the LA Times hints that Schwarzenegger may do some line item vetoing and a $1.1 billion deficit still remains to be solved.
State Assemblyman Paul Krekorian will be soon be voting on the proposed budget solution, which severely impacts local governments including Los Angeles. If it passes, Los Angeles could lose millions and has leaders like Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Council President Eric Garcetti worried. Krekorian also happens to be one of the frontrunners in the race for Los Angeles Council District 2. That's quite a pickle of a situation and when pressed about it, his office declined to comment. Will he vote along Democratic party lines to approve the budget, which could hurt Los Angeles yet immediately help the state, or will he make a statement as someone who really wants to represent Los Angeles on the City Council? No matter what he does, it's not a black or white situation--it's not like the Democrats have many choices with Schwarzenegger, who basically is unwilling to compromise with many workable ideas. Still, politics are politics: if he votes for the budget, expect that to be a major issue his opponents will use against him in future debates.
In a telephone press conference this morning with various mayors from across the state, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa fervently said that he and other cities "will not accept a flawed budget." It's been a consistent theme since Tuesday, the morning after a state budget solution was agreed upon by state leaders. The full legislature is expected to vote on the proposal as early as tonight.
The LAPD, its union and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today will discuss the impact to the city if 27,000 people are released from state prisons. While saving the state budget, the cost to taxpayers will be more than $4 billion over three years according to their calculations based on " the number of inmates to be released and standard recidivism rates." That could mean an additional 245,000 new crimes and new crime victims in the same time period statewide. Shees, there goes L.A.'s dropping crime rate. "The people being considered for release are convicted felons," said Paul Weber, the Los Angeles Police Protective League's President. "A large number of them parole violators -- in other words, they are people who have already proven they cannot remain law abiding after being released from prison. That is why they were rearrested and put back into custody."
In addition to the $70 million Los Angeles could lose via raided redevelopment funds, another $166 million could be lost if $120 million in property tax revenue and $66 million in gas tax revenue are taken to fix the state budget, which will be voted on later this week by state legislators. The County of Los Angeles also stands to lose major funding, which could have long term effects in the billions. The county says they would lose $313.4 million in redevelopment, $109 million in gas taxes, $53.3 million from CalWorks (welfare program), $22.1 million in substance abuse crime prevention, $21 million for mental health managed care and $5.7 million in AIDS/HIV treatment and prevention, according to the LA Times.
In a late Sunday night Session, the state's Assembly passed a budget with $2 billion in tax and fee increases that included a $15 annual vehicle registration fee that would pay for state parks, among other taxes and fees like a $1.50 tax on cigarettes. The Democratic budget solution is headed to the state Senate for consideration this morning.
Four of the seven state offices in Southern California will be closed some Fridays due to the furloughs.
That's how bad the budget is. State Controller John Chiang today announced that he will have to delay $3-plus billion payments, including state income tax refunds, health, welfare, education and other programs. "With no signs of an economic recovery in sight, it is critical that the Governor and the Legislature enact a sound budget solution that provides much-needed cash by February 1," Chiang's website stated. "If not, the State will be $346 million in the red at the end of February, and $5.2 billion in the red in April." Payments will be doled out 30 days late, but if February 1st comes around and no budget is set, they could be delayed another 30 days.
Among the $22 billion in proposed cuts by state Republicans today, close to half that, 10.6 billion, would be cut from K-12 schools and community colleges. "That would bring school funding to just about the minimum required by state law," the Sacramento Bee notes.
Budget, schmudget. According to the Daily News, despite our state's whopping "$42 billion budget hole" that is spawning "severe cuts to state programs and possibly layoffs" the folks hammering out the budget still get $173 a day "on top of their $116,208 annual salaries" for, you know, incidentals like parking and lunch and hotel laundry services.
As gas prices rise and government coffers tighten, the city of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus service is asking for Santa Monican's and the public-at-large's help for an issue that reaches far beyond the oceanside city's boundaries.
When the UC Board of Regents held a meeting this past Thursday, students and staff were on hand to express dismay with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's recently announced proposal for increased fees, enrollment limits, and salary freezes.
Photo by Eric Richardson of Blogdowntown. Zach Behrens also contributed to this report.
The MTA will be testing a new 65-foot-long prototype bus - which can hold up to 131 sitting and standing passengers - on the Orange Line busway for one year starting this week. Nicely done: L.A. City Councilman Richard Alarcon drafted a measure 2 months ago that would've drastically reduced traffic congestion on one block of one street in Panorama City - namely the one where his house is located. Who's down with Gov....
While Sacramento scrambles to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of funding for public transportation and other programs around the state, a serious group of underground marijuana professionals are offering to pay at least a billion dollars in taxes, if only California would legalize pot. A coalition of California marijuana growers and dealers has offered Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger one billion dollars to solve the current state budget crisis. The group, calling itself Let Us...
Photo by digitalshay via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Earlier this month, Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell "ordered the partial government shutdown because without an approved budget, the state no longer had authority to spend money on nonessential services." What did that mean? Even with a $650 million surplus, nonessential service employees got some time off work unpaid. That meant state DMVs, roadwork, park rangers, etc. Not an ideal situation, but Rendell pulled the dramatic card gaining national headlines. Now what if Gov. Schwarzenegger did that...