On this last day of April, state officials report income tax collections have fallen well below estimates, and that's increasing California's budget problems.
Greg Lucas at the blog California's Capitol reports this: "Income tax collections for the month, through April 29, totaled $7.7 billion, $1.2 billion below the $8.9 billion expectation the budget signed February 20 is premised on. Corporate tax collections stood at $1.6 billion on April 29, $700 million short of Schwarzenegger administration estimates."
If the budget package fails in the May 19 special election -- and the polls show the key propositions losing big -- it will drive an even bigger hole in the budget and Californians should prepare for bigger cuts in state programs. Click here to read The Fresno Bee editorial board's positions on the six propositions. The board is recommending "yes" votes on Propositions 1A, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F, and a "no" vote on Proposition 1B.
Reality has arrived. To make up for it we should increase taxes across the board by 75-100% or more. We have been told a budget cut that is actually turns out to be more than the last budget is really less. So the increase in taxes is less. This swine flu has really been brought on by our lawmakers. How? Thru their piggish spending. Call it pig/swine flu.
"If the budget package fails in the May 19 special election -- and the polls show the key propositions losing big -- it will drive an even bigger hole in the budget and Californians should prepare for bigger cuts in state programs."
It seems that the press is also out of touch with at least 7500 teapartyers in this area alone. No on 1A-F.
I know people are suffering but I can't help but think this is a good thing.?..!? A good dose of reality seems like the only thing that will get people to act. I know special programs help folks but we have far too many of them. We need to clean house and cut the majority of them. There are too many people "on the dole" and "the dole" has taken on many disguises in the form of special programs. I hesitate to mention some as political correctness has been shoved down our throats and I too am a victim of it. Here goes... We don't have to pay for government sponsored language programs, too many people are on food stamps who shouldn't be, there are assistance programs for almost everything from schooling, buying a house, buying a computer, starting a business, slow students, fast students, minority students. We look to the government to do everything but brush our teeth. Every time cuts are made, special interest groups cry foul, put a couple of worst case scenarios in front of the media, create a battle cry slogan and Sacramento buckles from the lack of b*lls. The middle class aka "the camels back" is broken. We have nothing left to give, nothing left to take. CUT ALL THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS. Keep only those that keep people from death, hunger, disease and mental illness. This will result in a reduction in the size of government as well. The rest needs to come from within, help from families and community... like it used to be. People were better off because they had more self worth. When people are given everything they stop trying. We have special programmed our society into a group of people expecting handouts, feel a sense of entitlement, have less drive. Yes there are exceptions but the systems is drowning in freeloaders. It is time for society to cut the apron strings. Yeah, yeah.. I know... I'm evil... or maybe the truth hurts sometimes.
Kim, you may be right that we need to seriously evaluate where our tax dollars go (isn't that what Scharzeneggar promised to do when he was first elected?). But cutting social benefits in the middle of the worst recession since WWII is both shortsighted and cruel. Where are these people going to go? We have 18% unemployment in the Valley, with no assurance that we've reached bottom yet. And that doesn't count those who are working part-time because they can't find full-time work. The jobs simply aren't there. Cutting state spending now is an anti-stimulus package (so is raising state taxes). Since the state can't borrow or print money, the federal government needs to step up even more (which means we need to ignore the media frenzy about the federal deficit for now - big deficits are potentially bad, but in a recession like this that's like worrying about water damage to your carpets when your house is on fire). Once the economy is in recovery and the jobs are there again, then we can figure out what to do with those who would rather take a check from the government than get a job, and how to sort out those from the people who truly need help.
There is never a good time. It will always be cruel. When the economy gets better then there will be no push to cut the programs and things will continue status quo. The difference is, the tax burdens are getting so ridiculous the majority is going down the tubes as well. Who will be left to help those with a run of bad luck when the middle class fails? During the depression, money was spent to create jobs. There were major infrastructure projects completed all over the United States. Can't our tax dollars be used to create jobs instead of buying a minority person a computer? Our infrastructure is crumbling. Now would be a great time for job creating programs. I agree, people in this recession are hit hard and suffering. I qualified my statement by saying special programs that keep people from hunger, disease and mental illness should remain. Jobs will help the economy recover not a special program. The federal government is not the answer. That well is just as dry as the west side of the Valley. You can not pay off debt with more debt. You can't get credit with more credit. If you fill a hole by digging another hole, you still have a hole. The federal government is in the same mess just not as far down the drain as California is. So, I guess I disagree.
Kim, thanks for the clarification (maybe I just missed it the first time). You are mistaken, though, if you think the federal government can't help. As is often pointed out by the right, it was actually WWII that got us out of the Great Depression. The New Deal helped (a great deal, in fact, despite what right-wing revisionists will tell you), but FDR actually wasn't bold enough to really get into deficit spending in a big way until WWII. The U.S. government's ability to borrow isn't anywhere near being tapped out, as shown by the fact that interest on Treasury notes is still around zero percent. And there are other things the feds can do, like expanding the money supply, that states can't do.
We will be left with a bigger debt, of course. But the debt will get bigger anyway (declining tax receipts alone ensure that). And the alternative is a longer, deeper recession that hurts a lot more people. So we're basically left with a choice - take the medicine (deficit spending) along with its side effects (more debt), or let the illness (recession) run its course. The people who choose the latter option tend to be those who figure they're financially secure enough to ride out (or even prosper) from the recession, and don't care too much about the suffering of those who can't. But unless you think there's virtue in (other peoples') suffering, I think the proper thing to do is take the medicine.
Kim: I think both your responses were excellent. I feel the same way. Let family, community, and charity help as much as they can but people have to learn to fend for themselves also. Your also right on the time. There never is a good time for this.
It has been my experience that it is the rich (Old Money) who unwaveringly display their social conscience. They practice "Live and Let live." The philosophy "let's cut them off " is not in their agenda. Fortunes can be lost, but the mindset remains intact permanently. We are forced to observe how very short the distance can be from the liberal public tax trough to the conservative private mode of making a dollar.
Undeniably, there is wisdom in "... A TIME TO KEEP SILENCE AND A TIME TO SPEAK". "...SO I CONSIDERED ALL THE OPPRESSIONS THAT ARE DONE UNDER THE SUN AND BEHOLD THE TEARS OF SUCH AS WERE OPPRESSED; AND THEY HAD NO COMFORTER, AND ON THE SIDE OF THEIR OPPRESSOR THERE WAS POWER ..." Indeed; to everything there is a season. Knowing when? what? doing the right thing, that is measure of a righteous human being. (Ecclesiastes inspired.)
I'm curious, what programs do several of you want cut completely? I've used my own personal story before to put a face on the immigration issue (my wife is from Australia), so allow me to inject my story again. I'm the only one working in this family. My wife and I have 3 young girls. I work 6 days a week and we struggle.
My wife is going to college to earn her Bachelors in Chemistry. She just recently became a legal resident of this country. Since I am the only one working and can no way afford college for her, she applied for assistance to help her get her degree. Since we don't have a big income and she's a mother of 3, she was approved. What this means is that when I retire, she'll be able to support our family, thanks to government assistance that furthered her education. If this program were cut, we would not have a happy ending.
Most programs serve a purpose to better people's lives. Granted there are those who take advantage and there are those who give up trying because it's easier to take money on the dole. Perhaps we should re-evaluate who's deserving and who's not. Who's bettering themselves and who's taking advantage. That would clear a lot off the books without eliminating all programs sight unseen.
I once took out a loan to attend college, then I paid off the balance of the loan.
You and I both Bart, but then again we aren't a mother of three trying to better our life in a difficult situation. And believe me, her aid (by the way it's aid, not 100% paid for) doesn't come without a lot of strings attached. She has to maintain high grades and high attendance.
And we're all very proud of you for paying off your loan, good boy. It took the Obamas a long long time to pay off their huge loans.
This a bit off the assigned topic. But I believe that it is high time to have thanks in the mix. The posts are exposing us far too much to ill will toward our fellow man. This family of octogenarians and the 60. wedding anniversary coming up, practiced prudent money management throughout the productive years so we could do in our golden years all the things we could not do before. Like traveling the United States. But this uncertain economy is making us think of tomorrow if and when we might be forced to pay for caregiver maintenance. So we are still prudent with money.
But as of this moment, through the good offices, we have a nice home, healthcare, can pay our bills and enjoy good food. We pay our taxes without wishing to take away from those who enjoy government help now so they too can enjoy their old age in relative security. That we are practically accused of stealing from the Baby Boomers is only so many spit out watermelon seeds. (I am not hang up on it, but I never would have guessed that people did that for a sport.) But to conclude this moment of good fortune, I say DEO GRATIAS.
I still don't get the connection between the need for aid and your circumstances. That she has an aptitude for chemistry and should actually go to class is a heavy responsibility for such aid...good girl.
The need for financial aid for the academic success of "Scot's" wife is really none of your business, Mr. Turnipseed. What 9 months of blogging did not accomplish, you have finally managed. I am angry. If you dislike this Democrat (left) administration so much, why don't you stop taking a paycheck from a government that has been voted in by Democrats (left ) taxpayers. And you can thank for my upbringing which excludes divulging any more of your "circumstances". Conditions of which I am very aware. I am not Scot's fairy godmother, but I am about to become the adversary of your posts, ranging from the hateful to the absolute asinine. I fully respect those who have opposing views to what I happen to believe. But they have to be views and convictions, not just misanthropic, cynical outpourings of emotional catharsis after a day of difficult work.
What government does with my tax contribution will always be my business, and any program which uses tax money is subject to my opinion. You can scream inside your glass container all you want, I don't work for free.
Bart Turnipseed | June 7, 2008 11:31 AM
I voted for Debbie Poochigian after speaking briefly with her at my doorstep one day. Her communication with me was positive. Hardly an outsider, she had the endorsements from community leaders whom I trust. I did a little campaigning for her on my own and I am pleased with the outcome.
As a contented resident of Clovis, I have supported Mr. Magsig in previous races for office. I'm sure he appreciated my vote then and may well earn it in the future.
Campaigns are an adult activity, they are not inherently consensus building exercises.
Isabell Lawson | June 8, 2008 1:23 PM
"Campaigns being an adult activity, they are not inherently consensus building exercises" (whatever that means) is but expounding generalities. But the factual occurence of expending a million dollars
for two candidates, viciously impugning each other's character and integrity is an exercise in obscenity. It tends to turn off serious partricipants (voters) in local politics. It being a given that neither Magsig nor Poochigin would conduct themselves in such outrageous fashion in their everyday lives, cannot be construed as mitigating. Politics is not a dirty word, but those two have made it so, and it tends to turn off serious voters.
You were a blowhard then, you remain a blowhard.
I took a stab at it... tried to determine which programs should be cut. It was difficult. There were no black and white situations where a program should be cut. First, there were so many it was overwhelming; secondly, many were both federally and state funded and unclear what the state was paying for; mostly, the original idea was a critical need, they had just expanded to include non-critical assistance and excessive time periods. What I did find was that there was much duplication. Programs for low income folks had duplicate programs for individual minority groups; consolidation is due there. There were many education assistance programs in which college grads were given $35,000 a year (mainly doctors, lawyers and farmers) in tuition refunds if they promised to work in a particular research area for two years. There were a lot of these programs for AIDS, drug abuse, cancer, etc. So which programs need to be cut? I was unable to determine, what I did see was that every program needed to be reviewed, recipients re-evaluated, programs consolidated. That would be a great start.
"Ill will toward our fellow man." You assume too much. Not one needy person will be helped if those financing their help fail. There has to be a point when you need to protect your own family. You seem to assume that unwillingness to finance the explosion of special programs assumes one is already rich or just mean. Not so. My husband and I went through some hard times too. Only one of us could work as we had toddlers and couldn't afford day care. My husband fresh out of college was making $24,000 a year. I worked three jobs to put him through school after he had done the same for me. We "suffered" until our kids were of school age. We sold almost everything we owned to make it. Cars, furniture, appliances. Our savings were used up, our retirement savings gone. We sacraficed. There were no special programs for us; I am white and my husband did not wish to be classified as a minority (He qualifies for two of them.) We went without electricity a few times. Even now, I am working for myself, there is work coming in but the pay trails by 60 to 90 days. My retirement savings is paying our house payment until the money starts coming in. I will work double time to replace it. Our cars are running on a prayer; we'll just keep praying. Is it too much to ask that others sacrifice too in the struggle to better themselves and their circumstances? Assistance is one thing but a hand out is another. Why do some of us have to do it the hard way?
A friend of mine is a college professor. She was orphaned at age 16. She put herself through school to get her doctorate. She worked every odd job she could get. She took loans and paid every single one of them off. She sacrificed having children. She was not able to do both and when she was finished was too old to have children. That is a big sacrifice. She used no special programs. She lived dirt poor, on her own for almost 11 years.
Another friend of mine was a teen mother on her own after her parents disowned her. She shared an apartment with another teen mother. One worked days and the other worked nights and cared for each others children. They put themselves through college and eventually went out on their own. They sacrificed. They used no special programs. They are suffering from the recession too. They paid their dues, why should they be taxed into hardship to pay for others who haven't?
Assistance is one thing, human kindness for our fellow man is essential, we can't leave people without help but we have to draw a line. I think the number, inefficiency of, and expansion of special programs crosses that line.
I just found another special program for financial assistance with fertility treatments. Why do I have to finance that? There is another program for financial assistance with adoption. Those wanting fertility treatments should be referred to adoption assistance and cut some of my tax liability.
So you don't think the calling of vicious, ugly, often hurtful names is not ill will toward our fellow man. You don't think that character assassination of elected officials is not ill will toward our fellow man. Kim Tanksley, who appointed you center of the universe? Too much of what people post here, you are seeing as an attack on your person.
As for the game with the watermelon seeds. All of a sudden it is shooting, instead of your earlier description of spitting. You raise your children as you see fit, but around my place no child would have then and would not now be spitting out anything for sport. I think it is an un-hygienic, nasty thing to do. And believe it or not, I am entitled to my opinion .
As for your distaste of government programs that give a helping hand toward achieving later success in life. What ever you posted is difficult to un-post. We read it , and we had an opinion on it. Some agreed. some did not agree. And if you don't like opposition, don't post.
Isabel: I don't know what has you so angry but I reread Kim's posts and I feel you are way out of line. She said nothing offensive and your threats to Mr. Turnipseed are also offensive and unkind. Maybe you better go back and quit posting like you did for awhile until your temper cools.
Pray tell! What threats? Rejection of most of Turnipseed's comments...yes! But threats? Most definetly not....
Your comment about not divulging any of his circumstances, conditions of which you are very aware has the sound that you know some secrets that you are keeping to yourself and he should be thankful for your upbringing or you would tell them.
Blogger Jim; you best had put a lid on your overly fertile imagination. And I really don't care what things sound like to you. But you seem to be a meddlesome troublemaker. And I have not threatened anyone, I know no secrets. Just bugger off!
Scot | November 3, 2008 10:08 AM | Reply
Oh Brother.
"Shooting" watermelon seeds is equivalent to spitting them with force. In college, my boss's husband was so good at it he could spit those seeds as fast and accurate as a machine gun. Of course it's gross, that is why you don't want to lose. On a hot summer evening I'd go to their house for dinner and for desert he would split an ice cold watermelon lengthwise. He'd get one side, I'd get the other and the war would begin. He was so adept and I so incompetent, I'd lose every time. We all would laugh so hard I couldn't spit; the seeds would just dribble down my chin. Elfers, you still out there buddy?! One time his wife, pregnant at the time, started getting labor pains because she was laughing so hard at the spectacle. Jut in case you change your mind Isabell, remember to never play with children under five. They blow chunks instead of just seeds. If watermelon seed fights are wrong, I don't want to be right (hum hum).
Since I apparently am the center of the universe, merely because I mistakenly thought Isabell was talking about people on the dole, watermelon fights will be a my house for those up to the challenge. The first one is complements of me. After that it is BYOMelon because there are no special programs at my house; I won't tax you either though. See, I knew I could bring it back on topic!
Jim to be honest, between Ms. Lawson's judgement about your "fertile imagination" and her earlier free association with "nine months" I was a little worried also. It was a curious statement about me, I don't think that you misinterpreted it at all. I'm going to ignore it this time, you see there are dots here that are not obviously connected, yet are none the less. I yield to the watermelon monologues.
I'm going to ignore it this time
Just an observation, but if you were "ignoring" it, you wouldn't be talking about it. At least, that's the way I understand the meaning of the word.
http://ardictionary.com/ignore
The banner on this website reads "Sharpen your English."
ignore 5
Definition: give little or no attention
to; "Disregard the errors"
Hope this helps.
That's pretty much the way I understand the word, but it doesn't seem to be the way you were using it. Thanks for another dictionary link, though.
Mike I now know how you could turn on those folks at the coffee shop. They thought you were a friend right? You understand the meaning of "friend" but it didn't seem to be the way they were practicing friendship. In addition, your own understanding of "privacy" which you shared here with Ms. Lawson, gave you the liberty to front them off to us about how wrong they were. Do I have it right yet?
I haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about, Bart. What folks at what coffee shop?
And what understanding of privacy am I sharing with Mike D. other than sharing cyberspace to deliver our posts?
Mike apparently goes by his understanding of the meaning of things, like what it is to ignore people. I just happen to recall an event he wrote of last fall when he revealed the content of a conversation he had with friends at a coffee shop. I posted a short time after that about the way he treated the opinion of someone named Ali, and commented on both. He did not see what I saw then, as usual. For me, his judgement about their opinions was a warning light about how he plays with others. Your recent post to me demonstrated a similar penchant. I hope this answers your question. I have been amazed at the lack of propriety shown here at times. Both in the treatment of self and others. I don't think some of it is defensible.
I have to say, Bart, you have a very, er, inventive memory (trying to be charitable here). I'm pretty sure you must be confusing me with someone else (assuming that post even existed). I have no recollection of writing that post, or of any incident similar to what you related, and don't even know anyone named Ali.
I have no idea what you are talking about; Mr. Turnipseed. Apparently you have the gift to see warning lights where I can't. I am beginning to hate booting up the computer because of apprehensions what kind of unpleasant posts I might find. Of course that is my problem because people have the right to be as unpleasant as they wish to be or are compelled to be by nature, with the caveat of not being slanderous. But I would consider it an asset if you gave me the courtesy of ignoring my existence.
Thank You
Isabell Lawson Mrs.
I guess this is a bad time to tell a really funny watermelon joke?... This is getting "taxing".
Ms. Lawson I reserve the option to comment as to the validity of your ideas and the way you communicate toward me anytime. You pushed this little snowball down the hill all by yourself and a third party recognized the statement for what it was. While in the process of responding myself as charitably as words could convey Mike decided to pretend knowledge of english. Anytime someone asks me a question, get ready for the answer because I just might provide one. Now I know it is the ruling class who ask the questions in this world, so let me just assure you that my responses are best regarded as self supportive and not to be interpreted as the conduct of a push over. On the contrary, I will make a stand everytime I feel the need, it is not in my nature to retreat. In this case you did not like it, but you did inquire, both of you.
Mike here is one of your posts with Ali that said it all for me. As I recall she was a first time visiter who was simply giving her opinion. You want open dialogue, you are going to read things you don't like. But you and a few others here could be a little more charitable when it counts. I sense a group presently that does not welcome outsiders or opposition in any form, and treats this space like the a territory. It may be, but not all-together yours. I don't plan on leaving here soon, and I hope others who are reading participate more. The heel put to this reasonable voice, the voice of a fellow citizen, was way over the top in my opinion. You just could not bring yourself to apologize, it was a sad moment for you in my eyes.
Mike D. | October 30, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply
In re-reading my comment, it may appear that I was too hard on Ali. And perhaps I was, as she is probably just repeating what she has been taught. Like most fundamentalists, the thought that she could possibly be wrong is simply unthinkable.
But I didn't use the word "hatred" lightly. The belief system that she and the other Prop 8 proponents espouse is supposedly based on the teachings of Jesus. But one common thread of Jesus' teachings is that love is based on how you treat others, not on lip service or personal "virtue." People were more important to him than strict rule-keeping (e.g. his allowances for breaking the sabbath rule, his open disagreement with Moses on divorce and eye-for-an-eye, etc.) Unfortunately, the fundamentalism so prevalent in America these days is more in the spirit of the Pharisees than the spirit of Jesus. (At least the Jesus of the synoptic gospels, rather than the mystical Jesus of John, which was written much later.)
Not that our religious beliefs should dictate what we vote into law (a point Ali refused to address), but since religion is the sole motivating factor in favor of Prop. 8, it's only fair to address it from that perspective.
Bart, what is your point about the post I made to Ali back in October last year? And I still have no idea what you are talking about regarding the "coffee shop" accusation. Are you keeping a file of my comments, or something?
And what does that comment to Ali have to do with anything, anyway? So you didn't like my response to him/her? Big deal. I meant what I said, and still mean it. If you post something hateful, I reserve the right to call you on it, whether you're a first-time poster or a long-time one. I have the right to my opinions, too. Get over it.
So you refuse to give me the courtesy of a small favor. Mr. Turnipseed; it's your call. By the way I do not know Mike D., but I am honored to be put into the same category of his intellect. I hope that he does not find my name a burden to his resume, being easily the best informed blogger in the beehive blog. The question is rhetorical. To paraphrase an old saw....if I ask no questions, I shan't be told any lies. And it would be an asset to the blog if the comments returned to the designated topic "Economy has cut into state collections" because that is of relevance to all of us.
Just a matter of taking a stroll down archive lane. I go there often to review my own posts, hone my english chatter, and work on staying consistent with my opinions. I have a difficult time typing flawlessly due to a vision impairment, so please excuse my unintended typos by not drawing any quick conclusions. Typos can change the whole meaning of ideas sometimes, another of lifes cruelties. I recommend a self review to anyone, it is quite reflective. Now please, I'm done with this topic.
As Bart took your comment the same way I did, if anyone is being troublesome it is you. I guess I should not be surprised at your attitude as I saw how you conducted yourself at council meetings here in Clovis at times. Still I encourage you to try and control your anger and being a gentleman I will not return the rudeness of your comment. I do find it slightly amusing that you rant about unpleasant comments but you have no problem posting your own.
OK, Bart, though I still have no idea what your point was (if you had one). Hopefully your self-review will be productive.
Don't worry about "burdening" my resume, Ms. Lawson. The respect is mutual.
Not all all. I have just seen her anger before so it does not surprise me.
"as I saw how you conducted yourself at council meetings here in Clovis" "Jim"
This refers to some alleged misconduct on my part. I need not defend my conduct. Isabell Lawson.
"Formation of Civic watchdog group" "The civic coalition credits the Clovis activist named Isabel Lawson, who was born in Vienna, with providing the spark that led to its formation [in Clovis].... A broad based-citizens group with no special interest could have provided an important independent voice in the Herndon affair. Its very existence would have a healthy effect on public policy. Will it happen? Perhaps Mrs. Lawson should be invited to Fresno to visit Fresno to provide the impetus...." (by Roger Tatarian. Native of Fresno, professor emeritus of journalism; 34 years with United Press International; editor.)
And that is part of my resume as a useful member of our community. But this too has nothing to do with the blog-topic. The malignity of one Isabell Lawson is not going to eliminate our un-employment rate of 18%.
I guess I should not be surprised at your attitude as I saw how you conducted yourself at council meetings here in Clovis at times.
Looks to me like you're carrying some personal animosity into this blog from outside.
The malignity of one Isabell Lawson is not going to eliminate our un-employment rate of 18%.
Perhaps not. But it seems to be keeping a couple of guys busy.
Welcome to the club. You have a overly fertile imagination as well.
"...a overly fertile imagination...." No spell-check can allow for the arbitrary rule of having to use "an" before any word that begins with a vowel sound.