California's budget update; please things aren't that bad

California's budget update; please things aren't that bad

fiction
edward w pritchard


I must have read a dozen articles between 2008 and 2012 about the imminent demise of the grand State of California because of reckless spending and a widespread inability to raise taxes and fees to pay for things. Please, things aren't that bad in California it seems. 

I had a chance to see a chart in "Investor Daily" from the California department of Finance showing Revenues are ahead of expenses in California and based on their projections [ department of finance] will be so at least for the next year or two barring a recession or unforeseen occurrence.

How many times have we read that California and other States should run their shop like an American business would? Well, of late California has it's house is in order and is chipping away at the long term debt ran up by previous administrations. Like any government entity there is a propensity to over spend and over promise in California but for now Governor Jerry Brown has silenced most of his critics. At least critics of his budgetary policy and the results achieved to date.

Critics, I can't hear you. Wasn't California the poster child for all the Government entities that were going to implode under mountains of debt? By now wasn't California supposed to be bankrupt?

Run California like an American business? I might have missed it but I don't recall California lining up for TARP funds back in 2009. Critics of public employees and bureaucrats, I can't hear you.

Apologize to the grand State of California and Governor Brown.