California Gov. Jerry Brown has revealed his plan for dealing with California’s budget deficit and it isn’t pretty. Brown has cautioned California voters that if they don’t pass a tax hike in November that $6 Billion more will have to come out of the budgets for public education and higher education.
His other proposals include cuts to state employees pay- and work week, as well as spending cuts to a variety of public programs and institions like state prisons, care for the disabled, a state courts budget cuts and a one year state building freeze: Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/1205/Gov.-Jerry-Brown-implores-California-voters-Please-raise-taxes-on-yourself
There’s no good answer here. We are dealing with the harsh reality of governments and people who lived beyond their means while times were good. But they lacked a plan for when times went bad. I also don’t want to hear any armchair commentary about liberals ruined this and conservatives ruined that…because lets be real: Both liberals and conservatives have screwed this country up.
America should acclimate itself to plans like Governor Brown’s because they are going to be the norm soon. Painful cuts to important social services and tax increases for all. I think these cuts are horrible—particularly given the vulnerability of our disabled populations.
Getting a tax increase passed in this climate will be difficult, but the hole in California is so deep that I’m not sure there’s another way forward. Whether they pass a tax increase now or later, it will be a reality someday. I think California may serve as ominous prelude of what is to come for several other states in the U.S. and entire nations throughout Europe. If I had the ear of Governor Brown, I would encourage him to find other avenues to cut before social service programs that seek to help the most at-risk populations among us.
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