$8 billion or else

image
Published: 23 Dec, 2009
Updated: 13 Oct, 2022
1 min read

Governor Schwarzenegger is demanding $8 billion in federal aid, or else he promises to enact massive cuts to a $21 billion budget deficit. Both Schwarzenegger and Senate President Pro Tem, Darrell Steinberg, are lobbying the Federal Government for billions to plug yet another monolithic state budget gap.  The Governor is warning, that absent any significant federal aid, he may be forced to severely cut CalWORKS (the state's primary welfare program), In-Home Healthcare Services, and two large tax breaks for big corporations.  He will also propose an extension to state worker furloughs, amounting to a 14% pay cut, as well as obtaining revenue from an offshore oil drilling platform off the coast of Santa Barbara.

Facing another round of crushing deficits, the Governor and state Legislature will likely adopt a number of desperate financial measures to stop the bleeding.  Excessive borrowing and spending, and subpar tax revenue due to high unemployment and a small business collapse have left the golden state with a projected $83 billion shortfall over the next four years.

Couple a severe deficit with an election year, and 2010 may prove to be a very tumultuous year for Californians.  The continued economic misery serves as clear cut evidence for the urgent necessity of novel ideas, fresh solutions, and brand new perspectives in Sacramento.

Latest articles

Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read
A man filling out his election ballot.
Oregon Activist Sues over Closed Primaries: 'I Shouldn't Have to Join a Party to Have a Voice'
A new lawsuit filed in Oregon challenges the constitutionality of the state’s closed primary system, which denies the state’s largest registered voting bloc – independent voters – access to taxpayer-funded primary elections. The suit alleges Oregon is denying the voters equal voting rights...
01 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Supreme Court building.
Supreme Court Sides with Federal Corrections Officers in Lawsuit Over Prison Incident
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 30 that federal prison officers and officials cannot be sued by an inmate who accused them of excessive force during a 2021 incident, delivering a victory for federal corrections personnel concerned about rising legal exposure for doing their jobs....
01 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read