The new governor’s budget will be introduced after former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger grappled with shortfalls that totaled $100 billion combined since June 2008. During that time, the state cut spending more than $45 billion and raised taxes by $12.5 billion. Another $36 billion of one-time or temporary solutions pushed some of the deficit into future years.Good on ya, Jerry. Just as only Nixon could go to China, perhaps only a Jerry Brown could slash spending.
Brown is likely to propose even more cuts and call for a special election to ask voters for money, said Jaime Regalado, executive director of the Edmund G. Brown Institute of Public Affairs -- named for Jerry Brown’s father, himself a former governor -- at California State University, Los Angeles. Options include extending temporary tax increases on income, retail sales and vehicle registrations put in place in 2009. They are set to expire this year.
The reductions may include eliminating local redevelopment agencies, shrinking social-services benefits, slashing aid to state universities and closing parks, the Sacramento Bee reported today, citing a source close to Brown’s budget proposal.
Monday, January 03, 2011
Jerry Brown Confronts Reality
... and does it with his typical candor.
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2 comments:
We'll have to see what he actually does, and not just what he says, but it does look like a good start. It sounds like he has been persuaded that his former approach to state spending was wrong.
One of the things I have always disliked about politics, is the number of politicians who think that you win arguments by simply shouting down and obstructing your opponents rather than actually persuading them to your point of view. And, if we want politicians to actually be persuaded to do the right thing, I think it's important to give them credit when they actually do it.
I agree, Tim. Jerry Brown isn't making socialism noises and he's speaking plainly about the problems. He seems to be taking it seriously. Additionally, the article linked suggests that Arnold did as well. Look at the size of the cuts he had to make in the last few years.
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