Karen Bass demonstrated incredible, er, tone deafness when in the midst of state worker furloughs and a crashing budget, she opted to give all legislative workers a raise. And didn’t rescind that directive until the uproar became deafening, even to her. The scariest part is that she’s not an exception, but the rule. God help us.

When I say, God Bless Prop. 13, that’s exactly what I mean. I wouldn’t be in my house, or my house before that. None of my neighbors could afford their property taxes. My parents, in their old house in Newport, would have been out years ago. And why? So career politicians can fund ANY GODDAMN THING their little leftist hearts desire, all for the common good. How is this money supposed to be theirs? I took the risk and bought and fixed up the house, not State Govt. To hear a soulless wretch like Karen Bass, (a couple of weeks ago in the Times) moaning that some politicians are being threatened with recall because they voted for “Revenue” and how unfair it is, makes me crazy. “Revenue” to you is more taxes for me, lady. It’s my money, honey, and you need a lot better reasons than the ones I’m seeing for me to give you more. Thank God you need to have a 2/3 majority to raise our taxes, or you’d raise them every two weeks. With so many people still voting Democrat (unions and illegal enablers) the 2/3 requirement, and God Blessed Prop. 13, are that keeps ANYONE who owns a business, has two bucks, or in any other way can pay their taxes, in California.

Thanks, I feel better now. For a few minutes.

As for 2nd and beyond…I’ll be stunned if the budget remains balanced through October. I agree with Sac Bee columnist Dan Waters, who years ago identified the structural deficit that’s built into California’s budget. Wilson turned over to Davis a balanced budget and an $8 billion surplus. Davis and the Democrat legislature promptly built an additional, on-going $8 billion worth of spending the budget. The problem was, and remains, that the surplus was from one-time sources. The budget’s been a growing mess ever since, and will remain so until every program enacted since Davis was in office is cut.

Since we’re burning to the ground, sliding into the sea might bring some relief….

2d… What do you see as the long term outcome of all this? Will we slide into the Pacific or will cold-hard reality force the slashing of programs since there will be no taxpayers left to squeeze? I also find it odd that we continue to fund “the green machine” while CA burns to the ground.

The Republicans can block any tax increase because under the California Constitution, which the Dems want to change, it requires a two-thirds vote for any tax increase.

The only cuts in this budget are to high profile programs. The cuts are designed to piss people off. If you doubt this, simply download http://cssrc.us/pubs/090723_ABxxxx1.pdf and read. My personal favorite is Section 172, which calls for increasing the budget of the “Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission” from $19 million to in excess of $182 million.

My job requires me to read this stuff and it’s more depressing than the furloughs I’m forced to take. Yes, I adjusted MY spending to account for a 14% pay cut. No, the state can’t do likewise. Strange, that.

And, a quick shot at the troll: Yes, thank God for Prop 13. If you had any notion of what property taxes in this state were like pre-Prop 13 you would probably stfu.