California State Budget

[lewisfk]

A few months ago I saw an article in a magazine asking for help. They wanted fresh ideas on how to solve California's deficit crisis, so I responded. I simple asked the Governor to legalize the sale of JDM cars and engines state wide. This would end the smog problems for all of us and help bring in REVENUE. This is the response the governor gave me, bye the way my original letter to the governor was a page long with quotes and statistics pulled from other states who allow the sale and purchase of JDM cars and engines.
Thank you for writing to share your suggestion about how to address California's budget problems. Your input is important to me in these challenging economic times.
In February, the Legislature and I came together to solve a $42-billion deficit. But as the global economic crisis continued to worsen and because of our outdated and volatile tax system, our revenues continued to plummet, and we soon faced a $24-billion deficit. This was a very tough budget, but we balanced it without raising taxes and by making the tough but necessary cuts to be fiscally responsible.
The budget I recently signed includes $16.1 billion in spending reductions. The real impact of those cuts is not found in the budget books but in the lives of Californians. But the only way to save our great state is to spread the sacrifice. With this budget, California is navigating through the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. We reduced redundancies and streamlined government to make it more efficient, rooted out waste and fraud, and solved the entire deficit without asking hardworking Californians to foot the bill by paying more taxes.
Our state's revenue system is the epitome of "boom or bust," and right now we are paying the price. That's why I created the Commission on the 21st Century Economy - a bipartisan commission to modernize our outdated revenue laws that contribute to our feast-or-famine state budget cycles. I will immediately call the Legislature into a Special Session after the Commission submits its recommendations. My goal is to create a revenue system in California that is far more stable and will help avoid the extreme swings that have caused crippling deficits.
Thank you for heeding my call for suggestions on this challenging issue. As we move forward, we will do everything we can to create jobs and to bring our economy back. I know that we can do it because no problem is too large for this great state to conquer.
Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The response did not address my idea, but if more of u send in letters maybe we will be taken seriously

[ayuaddict]

yea i guess they could tax it or some shit.

that letter is hella an automated reply.

[HyperTek]

yeah sure got the info i can send one to? i just want to get rid of roadside smog visual by cops and the visual requirements for smog, it shouldnt matter what your shit looks like, and to get rid of the BAR. Should save some money, cops will be more resourceful with their paid time for real crime and wont have to pay BAR stations.

[steve shadows]

As someone involved in a comp that is big on the Sustainabiltiy issue I can assure you there is no way to turn the ship back from this "Go Green" or in teh Capitalism friendly Version "sustainabilty" model of business.

So in the end I doubt ANYTHING that makes good business sense will be allowed into the market if it comes to head with green iniatives. Unelss of course the JDM smog equipment was legalized by DOT and CARB etc then it might be. But I really don't see that happening with those organizations themselves being reduced in size at the current time.

[HAWAII]

the whole JDM/SMOG issue is a very good idea. I highly support it and will sign a petition in a heartbeat.

BUT, being the government of CA the way it is, we have to satisfy EVERYBODY. Including the "Hug the earth/save the air - hippies" (the herbal smoking hippies, I love) and I am pretty sure a protest will be formed if importation of JDM/SMOG issue has been passed. We willl never hear the end of it.

The state of CA has the most strictest of all SMOG law in the whole country. IF ONLY they loosen their belt a little, just a little it would be great.

oh yeah, That response is hella Automated.. good response for all suggestions even if we ask them to sell babies to China for profit they will probably send you that shiet

[HyperTek]

yeah i think gettin rid of visual roadside inspection by cops is a big step.. its easy, still means you gotta "meet" smog levels, but doesnt matter what it looks like = easier on us. They can still give tickets on ride hieght, mulffers/exhaust, but wont be allowed to pop your hood for suspicion of modified smog devices for racing etc.. so we cant get sent to BAR refs.

[ranger240]

yeah i think gettin rid of visual roadside inspection by cops is a big step.. its easy, still means you gotta "meet" smog levels, but doesnt matter what it looks like = easier on us. They can still give tickets on ride hieght, mulffers/exhaust, but wont be allowed to pop your hood for suspicion of modified smog devices for racing etc.. so we cant get sent to BAR refs.

hemm that in ways could help the problem, i.e. they wouldnt waste tax dollars having cops preoccupied with doing needless things

BUT the state would also miss out on a hella (haha cali style) amount of fines and all the other b.s. associated with the ghastly act of running a sometimes more efficient jdm/whatever engine

[RastaS13]

Couldn't we all start a petition? I dont know how all of that stuff works but it seems like it would be a good start

[upsdude]

you know what would free up some $$? change the bloated pensions the state workers get...they can retire at 55! the reason we're in a budget crisis is because the govt. wastes the money it takes in from us.

[krazyfil]

heres an idea... quit giving medical and welfare and shit to border hoppers... boot them out open up new jobs for real americans, whether they be black brown yellow or green... that way they will have more money freed up not being spent on illegals...

but yea, legalization of jdm would be amazingly smart.. but, that will never happen.. so its a lost cause

[singlecamslam]

85% of California spending goes to what? you guessed it, pensions, paychecks. California needs to grow some balls.

[ronmcdon]

hemm that in ways could help the problem, i.e. they wouldnt waste tax dollars having cops preoccupied with doing needless things

BUT the state would also miss out on a hella (haha cali style) amount of fines and all the other b.s. associated with the ghastly act of running a sometimes more efficient jdm/whatever engine

Think the roadside barricades are a measure to generate revenue.
Income is generated from all the tickets you could get by pulling everyone over, & nitpicking over everything.
you'd get $$$ from ref tickets to fix-it tickets.
it certainly generates more income than arresting criminals.

if anything, the jail/prison/court/admin costs to go after real criminals would make it an expensive endeavor.
you would cut overhead by arresting LESS criminals,
and make more $$$ by giving out more traffic/auto tickets.

About the taxing & legalization of engines made outside the US (No reason to just to import Japanese parts),
I agree it's a great idea.
You generate more revenue, and you stimulate the economy.
As long as what comes out of the exhaust pipe is clean,
I don't see how the car would adversely effect the environment.

It's one thing to have strict laws that serve some constructive purpose,
it's quite another to have rigid regulations for no reason at all.

BTW - Let's be VERY clear on one thing.
"Hella" is used only in Northern CA.
I have yet to witness any self-respecting individual here in Socal use such primitive lingo.

[OptionZero]

california does not have an income problem
we make hella money

California has a spending problem

You wanna fix the state?

It's easy. Trust me.

Tear up the state constitution.
tear up the penal code

re-write it
adopt model penal code principles
reduce availability of initiative system
get rid of stupid mandated spending increases
finish designing BART to southbay
high speed rail to socal
pave roads near my house

[upsdude]

california has %12 of the nations population...with %30 of the total welfare case load!
yeah i know this sounds like boring shit and all..but it impacts you when you start to work full time and have a house and family to worry about. of you see a check that SHOULD be $1500 bucks get slapped down to just over 1k, from state and federal taxes. :rant:

[singlecamslam]

Most of that shit goes to fat fucks who wont get off their lazy ass and have like 23 kids.

[OptionZero]

we spend alot of our money on non-citizens as well, but thats a political issue unto itself

[upsdude]

we spend alot of our money on non-citizens as well, but thats a political issue unto itself

yup and because of political correctness no one wants to discuss it. here's my theory-the influx of illegal aliens, most of whom let's face it, came from mexico and southern/central america had kids. who because of the 14th amendment are citizens. politicians are pandering to this demographic because we're talking about a big pool of potential voters in the coming years. like it or not we're going to have another amnesty of some kind just like the one in...'86 i believe. Target the employers who hire and exploit them as cheap labor, because if there's no jobs, there's no motivation to cross over :rant:

Most of that shit goes to fat fucks who wont get off their lazy ass and have like 23 kids.
California is one of the only, if not THE only state that didn't comply with the welfare to work system created during the Clinton administration. So while other states were telling people to get a job because the checks were going to stop, cali just kept on paying out the parasites...like Octomom.

There is a petition to create a ballot initiative that would turn our legislature to part time...i hope it goes through...because our state lawmakers are whored out to the unions and special interests.

[Row]

yup and because of political correctness no one wants to discuss it. here's my theory-the influx of illegal aliens, most of whom let's face it, came from mexico and southern/central america had kids. who because of the 14th amendment are citizens. politicians are pandering to this demographic because we're talking about a big pool of potential voters in the coming years. like it or not we're going to have another amnesty of some kind just like the one in...'86 i believe. Target the employers who hire and exploit them as cheap labor, because if there's no jobs, there's no motivation to cross over :rant:


Don't forget about the other people that came from allover the world. Lets not just concentrate on certain countries.:s101:

[Ben G]

all they do is categorize those letters emails all that fun stuff and then just send a generic response for that category you will never get a specific question really answered... and we are all fucked with a president that says we need to be like venezuela not just california sit back and watch the destruction

[upsdude]

Don't forget about the other people that came from allover the world. Lets not just concentrate on certain countries.:s101:

oh i recgonize that part...but where's the MAJORITY of the illigal immigrants coming from? "press 2 for spanish" didn't become a common option for automated answering programs for no reason.

[singlecamslam]

California just die already so something pretty can grow up.

[lewisfk]

Wow! When I started this thread I thought maybe just maybe some common sense could be used by a state, that is billions in debt! I've visited almost every state in this country but Cali by far was my favorite. It had everything to offer, snow, no Rain, hot Asian chicks, and the ability to ride motorcycles almost all year around. The only thing stopping me from buying a house and calling Cali my home are the laws. From the gun laws, smog issues, immigration, and the liberal tree hugging dumb asses, it's nauseating! But there are a lot of hot Asian chicks. Prime example, I was bored last week and watched CNN until my eyes bleed! CNN stated, Cali spends more money on criminals in prison than all of education including college in a year! Wow I find something wrong with that, but hey I'm from the state were the death penalty got an express lane! Maybe if enough of us complain maybe things could change!

[SUPERSTAR]

Maybe sharing the letter and info on where to send would be a good thing.

We spend lot of time on the forums, might as well do something productive.