Experts Expound

“What do you think will happen next Tuesday with the ballot propositions? If they fail, then what?”

They will just barely pass, but it won’t be enough to get the state back to even….

The first five will fail. Maldanado’s ransom will pass. Maldonado will then try to take credit for having the budgetary vision for California.John Burton will have a obscenity laced tantrum. Dean Florez will have a press conference. Meg Whitman won’t debate Steve Poizner or Tom Campbell. Life will go on.

1A-through-1E will fail. Then all hell breaks loose. But don’t worry, the Terminator will come to the rescue, just like he did in the recall.
It appears the propositions will fail, and as to “then what,” I am struck by the sense of foreboding on the part of some very knowledgeable people in Sacramento. There is deep concern that the talent and wherewithal to deal with this crisis does not exist in our Legislature.

We will securitize the proceeds from vending machines in all state buildings. Shockingly, this will fund two prisons, LAUSD and Legislators’ cars for 2 years.

California will experience a fiscal nightmare—a budget gap that cannot be closed without inflicting much pain on nearly everyone south of a $250,000 annual income. The impact will fall most heavily on those least able to absorb it, those already holding the short stick—aged, blind, disabled, folks on fixed income who rely on state and local services. Local government will be robbed blind by the state. And this is what happens if the propositions PASS. If they fail? Don’t even want to think about it.

A brilliant political play engineered by Arnold chief of staff Susan Kennedy? Not so much. All but 1F go down in flames. Look for U-G-L-Y spending cuts, the ouster of Karen Bass, and the beginning of the end of the legacy-less governorship.

Regardless if the propositions pass or fail, California faces a gargantuan budget problem. There aren’t that many ways to solve this problem. What’s the price for majority fees?

The failure of the initiatives will be a badly needed dose of reality for the Democrats. It is more importantly a message for those Chicago thugs in Washington who will likely miss the message.

It will be business as usual, back to the never-ending budget debate/debacle/deficit.

They fail. Let’s get to cutting.

Californians are tired of the abdication of leadership. Voters vote 1A-F down and demand that legislators fix the problem.

They crash and burn in a twisted heap of carnage and destruction…then the state does the same.

Andrew Acosta, A.G. Block, Mark Bogetich, Barry Brokaw, Morgan Crinklaw, J Dale Debber, Peter DeMarco, Jim Evans, Kathy Fairbanks, Jeff Fuller, Rex Frazier, Ken Gibson, Evan Goldberg, Deborah Gonzalez, Sandy Harrison, Bob Hertzberg, Jason Kinney, Greg Lucas, Mike Madrid, Nicole Mahrt, Steve Maviglio,  Adam Mendelsohn, Barbara O’Connor, Bill Packer, Kassy Perry, Jack Pitney, Adam Probolsky, Tony Quinn, Matt Rexroad, Matt Ross, Roger Salazar, Dan Schnur, Will Shuck, Ralph Simoni, Sam Sorich, Ray Sotero, Garry South, Kevin Spillane, Angie Wei, Rich Zeiger.