Time to pay the piper!
By speakeasy
@speakeasy (4171)
United States
May 31, 2009 5:50pm CST
California has long been known as having the best of a lot of things - excellent healthcare for uninsured poor individuals, a good education system, well paid public employees, etc. Taxes were higer than other states; but, it was always worth it to people who lived and worked there.
Now California is facing a $24 billion shortfall and with the credit market drying up; they are unable to just keep borrowing more money to pay for services until more tax money comes in.
They recently sent a proposal to the people of California to raise taxes and do some creative funding which would have kept them going this year; but, the taxpayers rejected the proposal.
The only thing left to do is cut spending. But, now the same taxpayers who said no new taxes are complaining that they do not want to cut back on spending either.
Sorry, California. You can't have it both ways. If you don't want to pay for the services you have been receiving; those services will have to be cut back or eliminated. And, unlike the federal government, California can't just print more money to make up the difference.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
3 Jan 16
Right now that is a big issue all across the country - too many people have opposing ideas and the country is being split apart. Even if the majority do manage to prevail; there is always a minority (special interest) that is trying to twist things to meet their needs.
1 person likes this
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
3 Jan 16
@speakeasy its always going to be that way you won't ever be able to make everyone happy. Everyones needs are different.
@khayshenz (1384)
• United States
2 Jul 09
Ahhhh - you're misinformed, my dear.
The reason why the proposals failed is not because we're afraid of higher taxes. WE ARE already paying higher taxes (yes we have had a "temporary" tax increase for this year and next year, legislators wanted to add 4 more years on top of that!)! The proposal failed because words such as "there will be no cap in tax increase." And "the governor will have such and such power..." That is just UNACCEPTABLE! That means that if the governor feels like raising 100% tax, he can! BECAUSE we stupidly voted yes on his propositions that are masked with "we're trying to diminish the debt deficit." It's just a bunch of BULLSH!T!!
I am VERY happy that it failed - just shows that Californians are FINALLY taking their state back from legislators who stupidly kept on spending the taxpayer's money over stupid SH!T! I'm so glad THE GOVERNATOR is on his way out. He has ZERO budget I.Q. All he knew was spend, spend, spend!
All those services (medi-CAL, etc.) we're working just fine without any special spending!
So please don't make any claims about us not being able to have it "both ways" when clearly you don't know what you're talking about!
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
2 Jul 09
I do not currently live in CA; but, I did live in Sacramento when I was forced to by the military for 15 monthsback in the 80's.
I currently live right next door in AZ; and, we have a constant stream of people who move to AZ and then return to CA because we don't provide all the services and benefits that they are used to getting back in CA. We also have a lot who have homes in both places JUST so they can keep their health and other benefits from CA - if things get a little tough here they go back to CA to have the CA government subsidize them for a while. I have been watching this happen for the last 14 YEARS.
Whenever there is a vote to provide more benefits and services to Californians, they vote for it. Whenever there is a vote to limit taxes or state income, they vote to limit the taxes and they vote against any increases.
You can't have it BOTH ways! You cannot keep voting yourself new and more benefits and NOT expect to pay for them.
This has nothing to do with who is in charge today, last year, or even the year before. This trend started decades ago and it is finally time to "pay the piper". You have to either give up some of those benefits and services that you seem to think are "rights" or you have to start paying for them.
