Assemblymember Evans Sets the Record Straight

This is what happens when we elect people to office with no leadership ability. Assemblymember Noreen Evans refuses to admit California has a spending problem. The Governor is right; we need to fix the problem now-no gimmicks. Unless we fix our negative business environment to lure more manufacturing jobs to the state, it is only going to get worse.

If you were a CEO of a big manufacturing business would you locate in California? With all the rules and regulations, the environmental impact studies, the high taxes, and the government’s attitude that big business is the enemy, what do you expect? They don’t have to come here-and they’re not. Unless we fix our business attitude we are in big trouble. Fix the problem!

Why would any Californian believe the lies and propaganda of the dem. doofuses that have destroyed the state over the last 30 years?

Most of them are not right wing hacks like you.

Even if you were a left nutcase you should still be able to see that CA has failed under years of dem rule.

California hasn't been under Dem rule. Republicans have held the governorship for 23 of the last 27 years. In order to pass the budget, you need 2/3rds of the legislature so even in those Gray davis years, Democrats did not rule.

The real problem is that no one rules. Each side can claim the other is at fault and that creates a situation where there is no accountability. Get rid of 2/3rds, get rid of safe seats, and let the voters decide.

Today, the governor held a press conference that reminded me of the phrase “everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts.”

Here is a FACT for you. Remember the Northrop corporation? Originally formed in California in 1939, Northrop Corporation was reincorporated in Delaware in 1985. It's headquartered in Los Angeles - has been for years. But its workforce in California has been constantly shrinking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman

It wants to stay a US company - but can't really do that if it stays in California. The political and governmental climate her is so anti-business it would go broke. So it's expanding - but not in THIS state.
In 2007 Northrop Grumman created the National Workforce Centers. The National Workforce centers are an alternative to Offshoring.[21] Current locations are Auburn, AL; Corsicana, TX; Fairmont, WV; Helena, MT; Johnstown, PA; Lebanon, VA; and Rapid City, SD.

http://www.northropgrumman.com/nwfc/index.html

Northrop Grumman employs over 122,000 people worldwide, but a diminishing number of those are in California. They are consolidating and closing business operations here, even while expanding elsewhere:

http://wotnews.com/like/northrop_grumman_to_lay_off_750_workers/1078428/

California is driving people and businesses out, and with them goes the prosperity. We are in a death spiral. If we don't stop it, everything we care for about the state will disappear.;

CA is circling the drain because of incompetent democrats dominating it government.

Here is a civics lesson.

CA state legislature:

Senate, 25 Democrats and 15 Republicans
Assembly 49 Democrats and 29 Republicans

It can be seen that CA is a deep blue state, hence the mess. It’s the result of out of control liberal activism, entitlements and heavy taxation to support the projects of the left leaning politicians. CA needs a strong swing toward common sense conservative principles. Saving CA starts with removing democrats in 2010.

While everyone making comments is blaming the Democrats they actually have saved the people from their own Governor. They actually have fixed the budget problem. It IS Governor who is not being responsible and passing things at this point. He won't piece meal he won't do tax increase (Oil Co's) bottom line HE WON'T and this my friends is his game. When he is done in office he will be back to his old rich life with yet more rich friends not thinking of us.

This was a good article!

MI,

Thats because the governor, despite being a very centrist republican at least has enough sense to see that what has destroyed CA is overtaxation, extreme regulation and liberal nanny state-ism. At long last he is doing something right and protecting the people from the money grubbing politicians who have broken the place.

What makes the liberals who run CA think that taxing oil companies and thus driving up the price that cash strapped californians pay for gas will do anything other than further damage the economy.

Dopes.

In order to pass a budget, those Democrats need to get Republicans to vote with them AND they need the Governor to agree as well. You are dodging that point by trying to put the sole blame on the Democats.

Democrats need to realize, understand or just get in their head that they need republican to pass the budget. They also need Republican governor to sign it.It seems they just don't understand that they are not in control of this situation.

Again,

you are dodging the point by ignoring the fact that the democrats have broken the state by introducing foolish policies that have left californians overtaxed, their employers overtaxed and over regulated and their government bloated and inefficient.

True the budget need a 2/3 majority and the governers approval but the myraid laws that broke the state did not. Now we are simply lucky that the repubs and governor can protect us from a crappy tax and spend budget the dems want to foist on us to fix the mess they made with simple majority votes.

Kick out the dems in 2010!

Michael,

The way this state political boundaries are drawn most republican and democrats alike are not going to get kicked out. We will continue having this budget problem until either 1)State finally gets its finance in order or 2)2/3 requirement is change to simple majority which is requirment in other 48 states.

Regarding this budget, i am not seeing any quick fixes, especially that employees, seniors, and medi-cal providers can't be paid IOU. So basically that leaves conties, cities, local schools, community colleges, private contractors etc. Basically not enough or powerfull enough to force state to act fast.

We will continue having this budget problem until ....2/3 requirement is change to simple majority which is requirment in other 48 states.

The reason that California is in a death spiral is that the minority repubs HAVE been compromising with the majority dems and have built a tremendously anti-business and anti-taxpayer environment that has driven Californai companies like Northrop to do all their expanding somewhere else and curtail their operations here, while there is a brain drain of talent to states that actually let entrepreneurs and other hard workers actually keep some of their own money.

If the majority dems had their way - absent the 2/3ds majority, we'd be in even deeper sh!t than we are now.

There are businessess moving in and out of California. California has had tremendous business growth over the years.The California Chamber of Congress supported the 6 propositions that were voted on. The people who throw the "Business lost," illegal alien, borrow and spend philosophy of the right wing are what are bringing this country and state down.

Please, go live in another state, or better yet, another country. You want to see this one fail.

wow all state workers recieve another pay cut but yet highway patrol gets out of another. well if state workers get furlough they all all should feel the pain and give back there 15 % raise they have recieved over the last three years

People like Howard Peters are the reason we are in this mess. There are businesses moving in and out of California is not the point. Look at the states that have a 100% or 200% business growth this year alone. California has a -9.8% growth-that is negative, not positive. California has not had tremendous growth; we have lost population and business. If the state had a 200% business growth last year we wouldn't have a budget problem, we would have a surplus.

So let’s keep doing business as usual, as Howard wants, and have all the manufacturing jobs go elsewhere. We all live here, wouldn’t we want a 100 or 200% growth. It’s not a left or right problem, we all benefit from positive growth.

There are no "quick fixes" in this budget. It's the governor and a handful of republicans holding the state hostage to get their personal agendas through. And as usual, he and his supporters are doing it on the backs of our children and young adults, our elderly, our poor and our disabled residents. How cowardly of them all.

"• The Legislature must look at reforming state pensions, CalWORKS, and in-home care - Here we go again. Remember the multi-million dollar 2005 special election no one but the governor wanted? Every single one of the so-called “reform” initiatives written by the governor were resoundingly rejected by the voters. The governor is bringing them back and doesn’t want public scrutiny of the sweeping policy changes he wants as part of a budget agreement"

if this election on the above items were held today.. i would think the outcome would be very different..

amazing how powerfull calpers and calsters unions are/were... They have lost their shine with californian voters...we now see the true light...

welcome to Taxifornia

A clue about why we have a huge deficit !

There is a gap between the independent Legislative Analysist (LAO) and the politicians on the subject of prison overcrowding. If the politicians are to be believed, there is a shortage of over 70,000 beds. If the LAO is to be believed, there is a capacity of 156,000 prison beds, a shortage of only 3,700 beds.

The politician’s claims were used as the basis for spending $6.5 billion for construction of 40,000 prison beds. Using the LAO’s figures, there is no need to spend any AB 900 bond funds for more prison beds. The $6.5 billion could be applied to the deficit. The 3,700 bed shortage can be eliminated by simply increasing the percentage of prison contract beds from 3% to 9% of permanent capacity.

QUESS WHERE MOST OF OUR MONEY GOES? OVER 11 BILLION INTO THE PRISON SYSTEM APPROX $49,000 A YEAR PER INMATE. OUR LAWS ARE RIDICULOUS AND NEED TO BE CHANGED. TO INCARCERATE SOMEONE FOR YEARS ON A DRUG CHARGE IS INSANE. OUR PRISONS ARE EXPLODING WITH NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS. REHAB THEM AND LET THEM OUT. IF THEY WANT TO DESTROY THERE BODY THAT IS THERE PROBLEM, NOT THE TAX PAYER. WE HAVE TRIPLED OUR PRISON [POPULATION AND WE HAVE NO REHABLITATION FOR THESE PEOPLE SO IT IS A RECYCLING CENTER. WE ARE SO STUPID, EDUCATE, EDUCATE AND HELP WITH RE-ENTRY INTO SOCIETY. CALIF IS THE #1 IN THE COUTRY FOR THE LARGEST PRISON POPULATION AND THE BIGGEST BUDGET AND THE WORSE RETURN RETURN RATE. ALL THESE EDUCATED IDIOTS AND ZERO COMMON SENSE PREVAILS. ALSO THE GUARDS UNION HAS TO MUCH POWER, THEY WANT IT OVER POPULATED WHICH MEANS MORE MONEY FOR THEM AND MORE POWER. VERY SAD TIMES!

QUESS WHERE MOST OF OUR MONEY GOES? OVER 11 BILLION INTO THE PRISON SYSTEM APPROX $49,000 A YEAR PER INMATE. OUR LAWS ARE RIDICULOUS AND NEED TO BE CHANGED. TO INCARCERATE SOMEONE FOR YEARS ON A DRUG CHARGE IS INSANE. OUR PRISONS ARE EXPLODING WITH NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS. REHAB THEM AND LET THEM OUT. IF THEY WANT TO DESTROY THERE BODY THAT IS THERE PROBLEM, NOT THE TAX PAYER. WE HAVE TRIPLED OUR PRISON [POPULATION AND WE HAVE NO REHABLITATION FOR THESE PEOPLE SO IT IS A RECYCLING CENTER. WE ARE SO STUPID, EDUCATE, EDUCATE AND HELP WITH RE-ENTRY INTO SOCIETY. CALIF IS THE #1 IN THE COUTRY FOR THE LARGEST PRISON POPULATION AND THE BIGGEST BUDGET AND THE WORSE RETURN RETURN RATE. ALL THESE EDUCATED IDIOTS AND ZERO COMMON SENSE PREVAILS. ALSO THE GUARDS UNION HAS TO MUCH POWER, THEY WANT IT OVER POPULATED WHICH MEANS MORE MONEY FOR THEM AND MORE POWER. VERY SAD TIMES!

QUESS WHERE MOST OF OUR MONEY GOES? OVER 11 BILLION INTO THE PRISON SYSTEM APPROX $49,000 A YEAR PER INMATE. OUR LAWS ARE RIDICULOUS AND NEED TO BE CHANGED. TO INCARCERATE SOMEONE FOR YEARS ON A DRUG CHARGE IS INSANE. OUR PRISONS ARE EXPLODING WITH NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS. REHAB THEM AND LET THEM OUT. IF THEY WANT TO DESTROY THERE BODY THAT IS THERE PROBLEM, NOT THE TAX PAYER. WE HAVE TRIPLED OUR PRISON [POPULATION AND WE HAVE NO REHABLITATION FOR THESE PEOPLE SO IT IS A RECYCLING CENTER. WE ARE SO STUPID, EDUCATE, EDUCATE AND HELP WITH RE-ENTRY INTO SOCIETY. CALIF IS THE #1 IN THE COUTRY FOR THE LARGEST PRISON POPULATION AND THE BIGGEST BUDGET AND THE WORSE RETURN RETURN RATE. ALL THESE EDUCATED IDIOTS AND ZERO COMMON SENSE PREVAILS. ALSO THE GUARDS UNION HAS TO MUCH POWER, THEY WANT IT OVER POPULATED WHICH MEANS MORE MONEY FOR THEM AND MORE POWER. VERY SAD TIMES!

The dems in the legislature fiddle whole California burns.....

http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/economy/commentary-mainmenu-43/1345

Back in February, California politicians and taxpayers received a wake-up call, but, apparently, the alarm wasn't loud enough to wake them.

On February 3, California's bond credit rating was downgraded below that of every other state by Standard & Poors, one of the Big 3 Wall Street rating agencies. The agency reduced its rating on $46 billion of California's general obligation bonds from "A+" to "A." While an "A" rating may not sound so bad, it's at the lower end of investment grade bonds; most states have "AA" or "AAA" ratings.
Following the failure of the state to meet its budget deadline of June 30, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal state of emergency, and state Controller John Chiang began issuing $3.3 billion in IOUs, instead of checks. Those being hit first and hardest are counties and local governments that rely on millions of dollars from the state each month, taxpayers expecting state income tax refunds, and businesses and contractors who do business with state agencies.

Every day the state prolongs its budget standoff puts the state's bonds at greater risk. Of course, if the final "solution" arrived at by the governor and the legislature fails to address the big-spending, big-taxing, big-regulating policies that put California into its present crisis, the situation is sure to deteriorate, with even more dire consequences. The nation's most populous state, with the world's eighth largest economy, is tottering on the brink.

Although S&P has continued to keep California's general obligation bonds rated as "A," it has dropped the state's appropriation-backed debt to "A-". One of the other major rating companies, Fitch Ratings, dropped California's $59 billion in general obligation bonds to "A-" on June 25. Also in June, Moody's Investor Service put California general obligation bonds on watch for a possible downgrade to "A3," it's equivalent of an "A-" rating.

However, Wall Street investors are already trading California bonds as if they have a "BBB" credit rating, which is below average quality. Investors seem to be saying they don't trust the ratings system, and with good reason. The corrupt rating practices of the Big 3 - S&P, Fitch, and Moody's - are at the heart of the current global economic meltdown. For years they profited handsomely, raking in billions of dollars in fees from the issuers of bad "securitized" debt. Using fraudulent accounting and "modeling" practices, the ratings agencies were critical players in the Big Con that allowed the "creative restructuring" of trillions of dollars of "BBB" (or lower) bonds into debt that was resold with a "AAA" rating.

If the great credit rating scandal had gotten the attention it deserved (and still deserves, with appropriate investigation and prosecution), executives of the Big 3 ratings agencies would be cell mates with Bernie Madoff. As would be top officials of the Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission, who looked the other way and pretended that the debt securitization legerdemain was all on the up-and-up, as long as it carried the imprimatur of the ratings agencies.

The inherent conflict of interest in having the ratings agencies paid by the issuers of the bonds remains in place, and investors are saying that they don't trust the inflated ratings given to California bonds. Governor Schwarzenegger has called upon banks to accept the state's IOUs, but the banks have been reluctant. Bank of America and Wells Fargo have agreed to accept the IOUs from their customers, but only until July 10.

Don't complain to the Democrats about not having a good family name in the finance industry. Credit ratings wouldn't have fallen if the Republican Governor and State Legislators had let a reasonable budget go through on time more than twice in this century. Same-same for IOUs. Wouldn't need them if the GOP would stop prancing around like useless peacocks for their base and just get out of the way. I'm no banker, but I wouldn't lend fifty cents to somebody who decided to stop paying their bills for a couple of months, year after year, just to look good to the Limbaugh crowd. Anybody who supports these obstructionist tactics should look in the mirror if they want to know where the state's money troubles come from.

All in all, I'd say California is now a perfect example of the sort of Randian paradise the GOP can make when left to their own devices and unregulated by the electorate. There's just one problem: IT DOESN'T WORK.

Don't complain to the Democrats about not having a good family name in the finance industry. Credit ratings wouldn't have fallen if the Republican Governor and State Legislators had let a reasonable budget go through on time more than twice in this century. Same-same for IOUs. Wouldn't need them if the GOP would stop prancing around like useless peacocks for their base and just get out of the way. I'm no banker, but I wouldn't lend fifty cents to somebody who decided to stop paying their bills for a couple of months, year after year, just to look good to the Limbaugh crowd. Anybody who supports these obstructionist tactics should look in the mirror if they want to know where the state's money troubles come from.

All in all, I'd say California is now a perfect example of the sort of Randian paradise the GOP can make when left to their own devices and unregulated by the electorate. There's just one problem: IT DOESN'T WORK.

No wonder California is going bankrupt. Unreasonably long prison sentences; unjust parole denials for serious offenders who served their time and are not, or no longer are, dangerous; replacing mental hospitals with prison time; and the broken, overwhelmed parole system are ruining salvageable lives and cost too much money.

Tough-on-crime policies turned dumb-on-crime and cause us to spend too much on retribution. Instead, let's save lots of money on recidivism and be economical by providing life skills and vocation training, and some support when ex-offenders are released.

Stop the pointing game...and grow up.

All of you are the reasons why I became a non-partisan.

I have a problem with the furlough days, I belive it is suppose to be all state workers that are furloughed, but some are exempt why is that? I work for the CHP but only non-uniforms are getting furloughed, but wait, I am not taking every other friday off,I still work 4/10 hour days I just bank the hours and use them instead of vacation hours why cant the uniforms and other state personal do what we are doing. Fair is Fair!!!!!!!!!!

California suffered a new setback in its financial crisis on Monday when Fitch Ratings cut its rating on the state's general obligation debt to just two notches above junk status.

Fitch cut its rating on California's long-term bonds to "BBB," two notches above speculative grade, citing the state's budget and cash crisis. The state last week started issuing "IOU" promissory notes to pay for some bills in order to conserve cash.

The credit rating agency also kept the debt of the most populous U.S. state on watch for additional downgrades. California ranks as the lowest-rated state general obligation credit by Fitch, followed by Louisiana, at "A+."

Tom Dresslar, a spokesman for State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, said the other two main credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service, could soon follow Fitch's example. "I'm sure their patience is not deep," he said.

Lower ratings threaten to raise California's borrowing costs during a severe cash crunch in Sacramento, the state capital, one of Fitch's top concerns.

"The folks who are going to end up paying the price are not investors, not the governor, not the legislature, but the taxpayers," Dresslar said.

Standard & Poor's has California's general obligation bonds rated "A" with CreditWatch with negative implications. Moody's has warned of a possible "multi-notch" downgrade in its "A2," sixth-highest investment grade credit rating of California's general obligation debt.

In a statement, Fitch said it cut its "A-" rating "based on the state's continued inability to achieve timely agreement on budgetary and cash flow solutions to its severe fiscal crisis."

California faces a $26.3 billion budget deficit for its fiscal year that began on July 1 and talks between Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers to balance the state's books are plodding along.

I have a problem with the furlough days, I belive it is suppose to be all state workers that are furloughed, but some are exempt why is that?

Oh, I don't know. Perhaps some state workers have jobs that are actually necessary? That may mean that a few of the state workers just can't be sent home, not many I'd grant you, but a few....

but wait, I am not taking every other friday off,I still work 4/10 hour days I just bank the hours and use them instead of vacation hours
Well, that would appear to defeat the purpose of the furloughs, but if that IS the case, what are you bitching about?

Fair is Fair!!!!!!!!!!
Fairness is a matter of perspective. To me if we are short 27% on our tax receipts, we ought to lay-off 27% of our budget line first thing. When business gets better, taxes will pickup -- and we can rehire these bodies if they are warranted.

What I am bitching about is that the dumbass gov is taking 15% of my piddily ass paycheck (witch is below industry standards by 30% for what I do) and everybody wants to say we dont do anything.Well I climb 160-200 foot communication towers all over the state and work there all day long!!!!!! (would you care to join me up there????)

As I said in another blog, we should trim the fat, starting at the top with the gov then the legislature and on down!!!!!

So what your saying is my job is not as important as theirs, so when there is a power outage OR SOME catsasstrouphe they can just get a string and two CANS and talk to one another till I come back to work,right!!!!

If we are short 27% on our tax receipts then we should cut 27% of the worthless politicians that take up space at the states capital 50% dems and 50% rep. Because both parties have driven this state into the ground with their politicial agendas and lobbiest, OH and the gov can go to!!!!

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