California Austerity: $5 Billion Spending Hike: Cavanaugh on Fox L.A., 10 p.m. tonight

Rabbit ears alert for all L.A. residents:

Why does California keep overestimating how much it can collect in taxes? 

How did the overestimation this time around result in a cool $16 billion shortfall? (Not even the worst in recent memory!) 

Where are the devastating cuts of the austerity of bare-bones of the starving beast in a state that will increase spending by six percent — from $86.5 billion in outlays last year to $91.4 billion this year? 

Is it smart for Gov. Jerry Brown to expect a Facebook windfall when Facebook founders are literally willing to flee the United States to escape the tax hit of the company's impending IPO? 

Does anybody except USC/Dornsife pollsters think Brown will get his $8.5 billion tax hike approved in November? Does anybody on any planet believe it will actually bring in $8.5 billion in new taxes? 

What's the best way for a broken state to spend money it doesn't have: Government employee pensions, high-speed rail, boards of horse racing and chiropractory, or all of the above? 

Reason.com managing editor Tim Cavanaugh will answer these questions and more on Fox Channel 11 tonight at 10 p.m. 

Comments

[Sevo]

"How did the overestimation this time around result in a cool $16 billion shortfall?"

Easy.
A couple of years ago, a law was passed requiring the legislature to pass a 'balanced' budget or not get paid.
Need I post more?

[Sevo]

Oh, and so long as Carol Migden has a government job, no one in Sacto is serious about cutting costs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carole_Migden
And
http://www.capitolweekly.net/a.....95vre99rvl

[Ken Shultz]

Until we see government employees marching by the tens of thousands in coordinated protests from Sacramento to LA and San Diego, we'll know that the real issue is not being addressed.

[cw]

I don't get it. If leftards are against AUSTERITY!!!!!!!!1!1, why are they for tax increases?

[Ken Shultz]

Jerry Brown says he lost his wallet?

LOL

[Scott S.]

"I'm the oldest politician in the known universe! That makes me extra trustworthy!"

[Ken Shultz]

That was hilarious.

Actually, we were in pretty much the same situation the last time Jerry was in office, too. It's not old age, Jerry! It's just deja vu all over again.

The solution last time?

Prop 13 starved the beast. The solution to Sacramento spending our money like drunken sailors is not giving them more of our money to spend. If we cut off more of their allowance, they'll spend less.

We should be cutting taxes, not raising them.

[BigFire]

As someone once said, that's an unfair comparison to Drunken Sailor. When Drunken Sailor ran out of his money, he stopped. When government ran out of money, they either print more money or borrow some more.

[Ken Shultz]

People are leaving "to states that are not actively chasing away..."

Nice job, Cavanaugh.

Got in there that they're actually spending more this year than last year, too.

[Alan Vanneman]

"Reason.com managing editor Tim Cavanaugh will answer these questions and more on Fox Channel 11 tonight at 10 p.m."

Yes, but will he loosen his tie?

[Raston Bot]

Brown signed a bunch of laws during his first stint as governor from '75 - '83 allowing public union collective bargaining rights that are biting him hard in the ass now:

Educational Employment Relations Act of 1976, established collective bargaining in California's public schools and community colleges

Ralph C. Dills Act of 1978 established collective bargaining for state government employees

Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act of 1979, extended collective bargaining to the state university system

Screw him.

[Drake]

I lived in the LA suburbs back in the 90's and would walk the dog through the nice neighborhood behind my apartment. Half the cars in the driveways had Arizona, Nevada, or Utah plates. Twenty years ago they were already going out of there way to avoid CA taxes. I can only imagine the lengths people are going to now. I decided to avoid CA altogether after school.

[RingoHungo]

OK that jsut does not make any sense at all dude. Wow.

http://www.Privacy-Planet.tk

[??? ??????]

thank you