Looks like CA will be forced to close the budget gap somehow

#2
#2
arnold is doing the right thing. the unions are going to bankrupt this state. he wants an across the board cut in all gov't salaries. the dems want just to raise taxes to fill the gap. the more he waits the more leverage he is going to get.
 
#3
#3
droski said:
arnold is doing the right thing. the unions are going to bankrupt this state. he wants an across the board cut in all gov't salaries. the dems want just to raise taxes to fill the gap. the more he waits the more leverage he is going to get.
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I read an article that was pretty much laying the blame directly on Enron for scamming, as the article alleged, almost $30 billion from California.

How, in your opinion, did California go from multi-billion dollar surpluses in the late 90s to $25bil in debt? Is it solely the Unions or do you think the Enron scandal played a definitive role as well?
 
#4
#4
it's a combination between the unions, a high unemployment rate, illegal immigrants, and declining property taxes. i fail to see how enron could be the problem.
 
#5
#5
droski said:
it's a combination between the unions, a high unemployment rate, illegal immigrants, and declining property taxes. i fail to see how enron could be the problem.
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Not saying I think Enron is entirely to blame, just curious what you thought... given your residence is in the state in question.
 
#6
#6
as far as i am aware enron ripped of california during the energy crisis in 2000-2001. those contracts are now null and void. edit: and that 30 bil is based on teh assumption that enron was the cause of the energy crisis which seems a little silly.
 
#7
#7
I don't think the current crisis has anything to do with Enron. I can't fathom even a possible connection.

But then, what do I know?
 
#10
#10
IPorange said:
I don't think the current crisis has anything to do with Enron. I can't fathom even a possible connection.

But then, what do I know?
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The author of the article that my question is stemming from stated that the losses that California suffered as a result of the businesses shutting down due to the systematic rolling blackouts that, according to the Cali Public Utilities Commision, Enron engineered to game the energy market.

Does anyone have a factual number of businesses that went bankrupt or suffered crippling losses due to the rolling blackouts? I don't know... I'm trying to gather info on this outside of biased news sites and vague gov't reports.
 
#11
#11
DC Vol said:
The author of the article that my question is stemming from stated that the losses that California suffered as a result of the businesses shutting down due to the systematic rolling blackouts that, according to the Cali Public Utilities Commision, Enron engineered to game the energy market.

Does anyone have a factual number of businesses that went bankrupt or suffered crippling losses due to the rolling blackouts? I don't know... I'm trying to gather info on this outside of biased news sites and vague gov't reports.
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I would think that CA environmental policies had every bit as much to do with that as Enron did, likely much more! The fact they are laying the blame on the defunct Enron is little more than a shell game.
 
#12
#12
imagine how much money the first legal crop of mj could bring in
 
#13
#13
utvolpj said:
imagine how much money the first legal crop of mj could bring in
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It would crash the price of the illegal crop, diverting previously untaxed money that was partly bleeding into Mexico to otherwise be spent in the legal economy, creating an instant boost. Legalizing marijuana would be a good thing, and I say that as someone who has never touched the stuff and likely never will.
 
#14
#14
IPorange said:
It would crash the price of the illegal crop, diverting previously untaxed money that was partly bleeding into Mexico to otherwise be spent in the legal economy, creating an instant boost. Legalizing marijuana would be a good thing, and I say that as someone who has never touched the stuff and likely never will.
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I'm in favor of legalization but I watched a CNBC special on the business of marijuana and the focus was on Mendicino County. While it certainly generated revenue, the crime that came along with it certainly wasn't pretty.
 
#15
#15
volinbham said:
I'm in favor of legalization but I watched a CNBC special on the business of marijuana and the focus was on Mendicino County. While it certainly generated revenue, the crime that came along with it certainly wasn't pretty.
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Interesting. What sort of crime?
 
#16
#16
IPorange said:
Interesting. What sort of crime?
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Basically local laws allow growing for medicinal use and personal use up to a certain amount. Naturally, many of the folks in the county exceeded that limit and were selling.

The crime growth was what comes along with the sudden potential to make lots of cash - guns, violence, etc.

They estimated about 60% of the economy in one town was MJ based and several residents with children were moving out because it was developing a wild west feel.
 
#17
#17
Well, that isn't really full legalization. If you made laws and regulations similar to that of alcohol (I feel they are comparable substances), you would have similar crime associated with them: minimal.
 
#18
#18
Well thats debateable as you have crimes that come from excesive alcohol mainly things like fighting drink driving etc...however mj does the oposite lol.

If you fully legalised it like alcohol the price that drug king pins would save from not having to smuggle it something like a 10% tax would stop alot of smuggling, while also making sure that the quality is purer than when people mix it with dodgy stuff to make up weights.

Infact legalising mj and possibly cocaine is key to my bid for world domination, but thats a different story,
 
#19
#19
I didn't mean to downplay drunk driving or fights, but compared to organized crime to circumvent prohibition of a substance, they are just isolated events.

Also, I'd rather someone drive high than drunk.
 
#20
#20
IPorange said:
Well, that isn't really full legalization. If you made laws and regulations similar to that of alcohol (I feel they are comparable substances), you would have similar crime associated with them: minimal.
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Maybe, maybe not. You would likely see huge farming operations along with distribution. Until you get Federal legalization you would still see illegalities associated with distribution to where it shouldn't be distributed.

A community like the one show in the special would totally transform into a pot production area. With that much $$$ at stake, there could be all sorts of rivalry related crime as well.

Like I said, I'm for it - or at least decriminalization. However, it's not a simple as legalizing it and problems will be minimal.
 
#22
#22
California needs to enact a one time 90% tax on the net worth of the Hollywood Elite to include their offshore accounts and real estate holdings.

California should also tell the environmental fascists to go screw themselves and begin exploiting its known oil and natural gas reserves.
 
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