Comment Re:I stopped shopping locally (Score 2, Insightful) 579
You're right, I don't. They should rein in their spending if they are spending more than they are taking in.
The thing is, California's inflation-adjusted property taxes have been in steady decline for a long time due to Prop 13. Because California is more dependant on income and sales taxes than other states, it means in an economic slump they see an even larger drop in revenue than most states.
Simply curtailing spending accordingly is not that practical as it would entail periodic large layoffs of state workers. Would you like to see a surge in public school class size, deferred maintainance, and massive prison overcrowding (or early release) every time there's a recession?
California either needs to run periodic defecits or else institute a reform of Prop 13, but that's a political sacred cow.
The thing is, California's inflation-adjusted property taxes have been in steady decline for a long time due to Prop 13. Because California is more dependant on income and sales taxes than other states, it means in an economic slump they see an even larger drop in revenue than most states.
Simply curtailing spending accordingly is not that practical as it would entail periodic large layoffs of state workers. Would you like to see a surge in public school class size, deferred maintainance, and massive prison overcrowding (or early release) every time there's a recession?
California either needs to run periodic defecits or else institute a reform of Prop 13, but that's a political sacred cow.
