Everything seems to be conspiring against my dream of returning to the golden state, the dismal economy, drought, the broken state government/budget, the awful traffic, and the spiteful electorate...
So what are the alternatives places that offer the California (north or south) dream of creativity, cool people, laid back lifestyle, food, diversity, and great weather? Do I have to compromise?
What can be done to fix the golden state? a new constitution? a new governor? less or more unions? Less or more people? Better schools? repeal prop 13?
is california really going to fall into the sea or is there hope?
fix the golden state: lower taxes. we are right at the top in state income tax (9.5%), state sales tax (8.25% statewide, soon to be 9.75% in l.a. county), car tax, gas tax, corporate tax, etc.
prop 13 is the only thing that keeps property taxes average for the country. and the 2/3 vote to pass a budget? well the legislature hasn't had too much trouble going from a state budget of $75 billion in 1999 to $142 billion in 2009.
schwarzenegger promised to fix the budget, cut spending, and eliminate waste back in 2003 and he has completely rolled over to state unions and the legislature. he should be recalled.
if the budget had been increased based on population and inflation, california would have about a $10 billion surplus today. complete failure by the governor, the democratic and republican legislature.
was it 'painful' to be in california in 1999? did people say we need to double the size of government back then? i don't think so. so in addition to cutting taxes, roll back spending to 1999 levels (adjusted for population/inflation).
Repeal Prop 13 ("We want it all, but let somebody else pay for it"), the 2/3 legislative vote for new taxes, and the voter initiative process ("Put my personal whim on the ballot -- now !). I'd have to say The Gropernator has actually taken the job (that he "stole" ?) seriously, and done a creditable job -given the nature of politics in modern-day America.
Then, after all that's been done, we'll have the long-delayed Big One, and it will all end up in the ocean. So come on back, and enjoy the party !
Also, I don't blame The Governator. After seeing the legislature in (non) action, and the way the electorate votes, well, there's only so much he can do. California needs to have a constitutional convention to fix some of its problems, and that's only the beginning.
might provide a 'lil help - but the structural issues of how to fairly pay for services, functional gov't, not enough water, pollution, racial issues still remain.
the Governator is the last line of protection for californians. he has signed every bloated, out-of-control budget since he was elected. he has the power to veto any budget and say 'no' to public union bribes. but he's too much of a girly man to do what he promised to do.
the governator is as much to blame as the legislature and californians who vote for bond issues (who don't realize that selling bonds means california is taking out a loan).
and if the fed bails out california it will only continue the problem of failed policies being reinforced and rewarded.
George Will (this morning) is happy to see California "learn its lesson" and suffer in whatever way necessary to get back on track. Too bad more conservatives didn't feel that way about the banks and the corporations.
The prison employees union is a disgrace. And to the extent that the teachers' union covers for under-performing teachers, so is it. In "the land of the free" nearly every entity that can afford to prosper is given too much leeway, whether it be commerce, union, or individual borrower. Every organism is a potential cancer upon itself, and by extension on others. Thus, moderation -- enforced, if necessary -- is the best course. Isn't it ?
Private capitalism, public socialism -- private gain at public expense -- seems the order of the day/month/year/century.
As to "socialized medicine": we have socialized police, fire, post office and libraries. Don't we ?
SDR, you inadvertently made a really good point, and it's one thing that frustrates me to no end in California. I feel like society here bends to the will of the lowest common denominator. Which means that every single person who has a gripe or is offended or who is too stupid to do their job correctly gets a pass. I feel like I've never seen a government so paralyzed by the chorus of complaints from its people....it's like democracy on steroids, people who are so intent on taking care of everyone that no one gets taken care of, and nothing gets done.
Well, like you said - unworthy, underperforming teachers who get a pass under the cover of their union. Ineffectual members of the state legislature who get a pass by constantly being reelected by their constituents. People who got a pass from a bank and bought a $780,000 home with no down payment and then - surprise! - couldn't pay their mortgage. I know this also worked in Las Vegas, Miami and a few other places, but in what way does this make sense to most people in the country?
It certainly doesn't. Am I wrong in suggesting that these faults infect the nation, and not just California ?
It's common for individuals to claim that they "have it worse" than others -- a sort of "victim's remorse" ? I usually don't buy it. The sainted Howard Jarvis (instigator of Prop 13) was one such, and his self-serving solution, which he apparently persuaded his "neighbors"(fellow citizens, also "victims") to buy into, has created an inherently unfair bifurcated tax structure that has pitted neighbor against neighbor ever since -- as I understand it.
I think they should withdraw from the Union and form their own Country. Think about it they could lead the USA like they have for the past 60 years (since the end of WWII). They could model themselves on the US Constitution and pull all the same tricks as the original 13 colonies. Think about it! They control a vast amount of the computer world, the movie world, and the gang world....and you know they all want to go green.....I mean (Cash, Green). It might be, The California Electric Koolaid Acid Test. If they survive a take over by Mexico, then other States might follow suit and before long
there will be no need for all those screwed up folks in Washington D.C.
I think I will go have another beer and sort this thing out in my head.
uh oh, krugman posits that the troubles in cali is a forerunner to what the other 49 states are about to experience...
California, it has long been claimed, is where the future happens first. But is that still true? If it is, God help America.
...[california] should not be in fiscal crisis; it should not be on the verge of cutting essential public services and denying health coverage to almost a million children. But it is — and you have to wonder if California’s political paralysis foreshadows the future of the nation as a whole.
tk, I was just about to post this article. Krugman says things way better than I can. I don't think it's fair to assume that the rest of the country is in for what California is experiencing though. Everything that's happened here has been an extreme case of what we're seeing in other places.
His comments on the Republican party in California are really interesting though.
They certainly are. I'm glad to see him more frequently invited to the table on Sunday morning TV -- for whatever that might be worth. (That might be the only time that TV-watching conservatives get a helping of "the other side," all week ?)
Despite the economic slump, despite irresponsible policies that have doubled the state’s debt burden since Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, California has immense human and financial resources. It should not be in fiscal crisis; it should not be on the verge of cutting essential public services and denying health coverage to almost a million children. But it is — and you have to wonder if California’s political paralysis foreshadows the future of the nation as a whole.
The seeds of California’s current crisis were planted more than 30 years ago, when voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 13, a ballot measure that placed the state’s budget in a straitjacket. Property tax rates were capped, and homeowners were shielded from increases in their tax assessments even as the value of their homes rose.
no, the seeds of the crisis were planted more than 10 years ago that led to 'doubling the state's debt burden' since 2003.
california's property taxes (thanks to prop 13) are average compared to the rest of the country. the rest of the taxes are at the top - we're number 1! we're number 1! yeah! note that property taxes are reassessed when a home sells and that prop 13 protects older homeowners on fixed incomes from getting 'taxed out' of their homes due to property values increasing.
if higher taxes were the answer, california's economy would be the best in the country. i can't believe krugman can recognize the debt burden and then say california should get rid of the 2/3 majority to make it easier to raise taxes. especially during a bad recession. the tax increases from this past february take about an addition $1,400 from every household .. where does it stop?
and krugman mentions cutting 'essential public services'. well what was california like in 1999? was it just a wasteland of anarchy? were there no schools, emergency rooms, firefighters, and police? did anyone ask for the size of government to double in 10 years? you guys have to study this closer, because the one thing i do agree with is that the rest of the country is headed in this direction.
the united states is much closer to total collapse than most people ever thought they would live to see. it's already been financially obliterated and once the fed gov is unable to continue selling its crap bonds (sooner than we think?), the government will collapse too. everybody agrees that the past year has been shitty, but things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.
The big lie being heard is that "no one saw this coming." Balderdash. Maybe Fox news wasn't talking about it, but those listening to PBS had occasional hints -- or even direct testimony -- that things were getting out of balance, and that it couldn't go on indefinitely. I'd say I've been hearing of this for the last four or five years. . .
isn't california's constitutional problem that it can be amended too easily (and therefore isn't a framework, a la the u.s. constitution?)
and cali's taxes aren't the highest..
gas taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation (only 14 have lower rates)
30th/50 for tobacco taxes
distilled spirit taxes are in the median
wine taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation
state sales tax are LOWER than king county, wa but still high
state prop taxes are NOT the highest in the nation (barely in top 10)
corporate taxes rank not even in top 10
Tsk tsk -- you can't rile up the masses with figures like that ! Things have to be made out to be DISASTROUS -- SHOCKING -- if you're going to add to your conservative base ! So you exaggerate a bit. . .the ends justify the means !
the goal isn't to rile them, it's to show their fallacies. unfortunately, i've observed facts don't matter to the conservative base - so it's a bit of an exercise in futility.
SDR, you win my award of the day for using the word "Balderdash" in context.
I'll admit I know very little about the actual details of CA's problems. I've only been here two years, but that was enough time to see those problems wreaking havoc. I'm going to go read Los Angeles Magazine's article on Mayor Tony that uses the word "FAILURE" in bold print on the cover; what I've seen of Mayor Tony so far, I'd have to agree with them. I'll report back.
I'll take any help I can get. Sometimes I feel like the guy's father, in "The Boys in the Band" -- his dying words were "I don't understand any of it; I never did. . ."
Like, all of those pretty bubble/graphs up there -- what are they supposed to show ? What are they based on ?
OK, so here you go. Some quotes from Los Angeles Magazine, June 2009. Mayor Tony just got reelected to a second term (apparently; I sure didn't vote for him) and the article tries to give him suggestions on how he might salvage his time in the Mayor's office.
An Open Letter to Antonio Villaraigosa by Ed Leibowitz
"....Your successes can mask the truth: what you now lead is an administration in which politics is almost always trumps policy - where solvable problems become impossible to fix."
"We're still the gang capital of the world, with 40,000 members causing havoc. In 2006, gangs were responsible for more than half the city's murders. Crime rates have gone down, though try telling that to the elementary school students in Highland Park who practice diving under their desks in anticipation of live rounds, the way children in the '50's prepared for atomic bombs. By middle school, as much as 90% of the students in L.A.'s poorest neighborhoods will have been exposed to violence, with more than a quarter of them suffering post-traumatic stress disorder."
Andy Lipkis: "The critical problem the mayor should take on is water. Three factors are creating a perfect storm of water shortages in LA. First, although rain in most years could provide nearly half the water we need for all uses, we send most of the rainwater we receive into the ocean. Second, we are inefficient in our use of the water that is piped here from hundreds of miles away. Third, our traditional sources of water are being threatened by environmental degradation and climate change...."
Lisa Watson: "With more homeless than any other city in the country, Los Angeles has the opportunity to be a national leader or a national disgrace. I hope that Mayor Villaraigosa continues to take on the challenge to lead the country in ending homelessness by providing affordable and permanent supportive housing to the area's 70,000 homeless people."
Bill Allen: "When compared with the rest of LA County, the city of LA has dramatically underperformed in the creation of jobs since 1980. From 1980, to 2008, LA added more than 1 million residents to its population while losing more than 50,000 jobs. The causes include the highest taxes on business of the 88 cities within the county, a far too complicated and political process for development, and an extraordinarily high rate of conversion of the city's scares industrial land to uses that accommodate population growth but not job growth."
David A. Abel: "It was urban theorist Jane Jacobs who said that a metropolitan economy, when it is working well, doesn't lure the middle class, it creates one. The most important challenge for the mayor is to attract, retain and grow middle-class jobs. Today LA is not only losing its middle class, it is without either a coherent, integrated economic strategy to reverse the trend or an accountable city department to implement one."
~~~~~
Of course these quotes are all about Los Angeles, but the problems here in the state's most populous region create quite a drain on the rest of California. When I think of the problems that CA faces, these are the things I think about.
They are based on the basic operations of local government and by extension state government.
The images show about 5 square miles of a given area [although loosely made up on a whim] and the costs associated with each facet of government.
Assuming there's between 25,000 to 40,000 people in this section... it shows how the development patterns of a traditional development (medium density with concurrent street grid. 6,000-10,000 people per square mile) and a typical California development [or replace this with Florida, Arizona et cetera-- medium to low density with a non-concurrent street grid with 2,000 to 6,000) differ in terms of cost.
Most costs are typically fixed-- meaning, a library is a library and have roughly the same expenses whether the library is in Topeka or in Fort Lauderdale. This can get muddled if the state's objective for meeting demand includes risk management or peak demand. A library is an investment in your citizens-- proximity means that library has a better chance of having an effect on more people.
Here's the breakdown--
Police-- given that they are on patrol to prevent or stop crime (not to respond to calls about crimes that have already happened) can only survey so much. So whether it is 1,000 people or 7,000 people in a square mile... he still costs salary plus equipment plus uniform plus transportation plus 'maintenance.'
Fire-- fire service almost borders on being absolutely worthless. Any given fire station can handle at most 3 fires-- generally the maximum number of trucks a station has. These have fixed costs as well as the building, staff, vehicles and equipment costs about the same whether there is a fire happening or not.
Schools-- Bus service is often based on distance from school rather than the number of students. A surprising number of buses never operate at full capacity. Centralization allows more students to get to school by other means. So, the closer kids are to a school... the less the school spends on buses.
Ambulances-- These cost an enormous amount of money per mile of travel. If you have a pod-and-collector styled street grid (i.e. a bunch of streets with no outlets), an ambulance will spend more money per body than it would in a standard street grid.
Garbage-- There's two limitations to garbage service... mileage and capacity. Luckily capacity is rarely an issue-- garbage service becomes more expensive the longer and farther a truck operates. The bigger spread you have between buildings [lower density means more frequent stops] and a lack of centralization means that a truck wastes more fuel per pound of garbage than centralized dense development-- ie 6 cans per stop instead of 2.
Utilities-- Urban utilities are expensive; however, unless you're at Manhattan densities... the cost of putting in utilities doesn't change much if a development is at 1,500 people per square mile or 8,000 people per square mile.
The lower density (and therefore bigger distance between homes and other buildings) means the chance of failure is higher and the expense is greater. If you have 10 houses on a block and it costs 30,000 for installation and 3,000 a year on maintenance, that's 3,000 per house and 300 per house per year. If your have 40 houses on a block, that's 750 per house and 75 per house per year.
But to develop the utilities for 40 houses at 10 houses per block... that costs the government 120,000 installation and 12,000 a year. The more pipes, wires and cables there are running... the bigger expense in maintenance and the higher probably for failure. Water pipes leak, sewage pipes leak, power lines have inefficiency problems, transformers blow, street lamps can only provide so many candlelights per square foot and so on.
Basically, any politician (democrat or republican) is going to have a hard time maintaining a budget if their area of responsibility becomes bigger, less organized and more expensive.
While California has has successes with increasing density, it has also suffered from a huge influx of sprawl.
I tried to leave complex issues and more "academic" reasons out of this to simplify the fact that if an area grows laterally... everyone pays for it by either getting services cut or by increases in taxes.
So what are the alternatives places that offer the California (north or south) dream of creativity, cool people, laid back lifestyle, food, diversity, and great weather? Do I have to compromise?
My first thought - New Orleans...cool people, laid back lifestyle, good food and good weather (hurricanes vs. earthquake is up to discussion)
If humid isn't your thing how about Denver, CO...the ski bum/mt. biker crowd is laid back, weather is surprisingly good, food is diverse & great local beers
Another last thought is Austin, TX...could be considered the "California" of TX. Thankfully for Austin, Texas is doing quite all right economically.
I have actually been considering New Orleans not for this year but the upcoming one. Particularly interested in opportunities in education and in the experimentation going on with regards to fixing education system (charters, Non-profts, Teach for america etc)////
new orleans problem is not so much hurricanes as the fact that the city is basically below sea level. any effort put into that city (whether 5 years, 10 years, 50 years, etc) runs the risk of being destroyed by water in a matter of just hours.
as for the new california? maybe mexico? costa rica? further south...
Don't get me wrong about New Orleans. After Katrina I was one saying that it should be largely abandoned as a city. It think it should go forward as a much smaller version of it's pre-Katrina self and don't condone rebuilding all the sprawl. That said, they still have some great food down there and a culture that is completely unique to America. I just love the laid back hot humid climate as well. Nobody moves too fast down there which is kind of nice.
nam, I know a lady who's been very involved in the charter school efforts in the ninth ward... she's a nola native and began her career in the inner-city schools in baltimore and then moved back down to new orleans after katrina. if you're still interested next year I could put you in touch.
No wonder conservatives don't listen to PBS ! I just learned, on NPR's "Morning Edition," that many central-California towns and cities have no meters on their water supply; that in Fresno and other places meters were finally installed, in recent years -- and then removed when a "meter ban" was imposed at the behest of the no-tax crowd (!); and that meters will yet be installed in some places, following further legislation. Sacramento's meters are coming. . .in 2025.
gas taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation (only 14 have lower rates)
30th/50 for tobacco taxes
distilled spirit taxes are in the median
wine taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation
state sales tax are LOWER than king county, wa but still high
state prop taxes are NOT the highest in the nation (barely in top 10)
corporate taxes rank not even in top 10
gas tax
california - $0.67/gal (highest federal + state tax)
connecticut - $0.66/gal
illinois - $0.64/gal
sales tax
california - 8.25% state (highest state baseline), up to 10.25% max
indiana, new jersey, rhode island, mississippi next at 7% state
state income tax
california's 9.55% rate kicks in at $47,055
washington d.c. is 8.5% at $40,000
vermont is 8.5% at $78,850
hawaii is 8.25% at $48,000
rhode island is 7.75% at $78,850
hawaii has the highest overall state income tax (11% if you make over $200,000) but california ramps up the rate the fastest (1.3% higher than hawaii if you make $48,000).
California's Tax Climate
overall view of cali's taxes - note that this was before the recent february tax increases that took effect in april and may. individual tax burden was 6th highest, with the new taxes it is close to being the worst with new jersey.
tax business climate in california was 48th worst. again, now it competes with new jersey for the worst business tax climate in the nation.
and regarding wine, tobacco, and property taxes - i admit those are average for the nation. but income, gas, and sales have a much larger impact on the tax climate.
In the 1990s, McIntyre fought for a voluntary meter program in Fresno and some 8,000 customers agreed to have meters installed. But then, a vehement group of taxpayers convinced city leaders to incorporate a "no meter policy" into Fresno's city charter. McIntyre gets almost teary-eyed recalling the defeat.
"The meter opponents succeeded and meters were banned for single-family residential units," he says. "So we had to pull the meters out."
i don't know who these 'taxpayers' were, but i can tell you as a fiscal conservative i definitely believe in conservation. that's one of the things i like about LEED is that it takes steps to conserve resources, make buildings efficient, and save property owners some money.
too bad local water departments are raising rates as a result of selling less water - and they are the ones telling us to use less water!
Um, yeah. Los Angeles may not have enough real police on the streets, but we do have Ergonomics Police. I know this for a fact because they just showed up in my office; three people whose jobs are to determine if we're sitting properly in our chairs. Supposedly this has something to do with all of the workman's comp claims filed.
Does anyone else see something wrong with this? Am I being haughty when I suggest that perhaps some Californians wouldn't make it in other states?
Sorry tk, I haven't been responsive to your question. You opened up a can of worms.
Ditto what aquapura said earlier; talkitect's suggestions are OK as well; I know you are tired of the cold but I'd also like to throw Philadelphia into the mix.
Oh man, WonderK, I feel inclined to throw that list entirely out simply for the inclusion of Cambridge, MA. Someone cannot possibly have done their homework on that one... that is an insanely expensive place to live!
The rest probably are cheap, though (with the second exception of Washington DC -- although it did seem the most reasonably-priced of the big cities I've lived in). I wonder if they're considered "cheap" though b/c most of them are sprawl capitals...?
Santa Fe, NM
Denver, Co
Flagstaff, AZ
Salt Lake City,
Washington DC
East Village
Manchester, NH
Charleston, SC
Greensboro, NC
Orlando, Fl
Miami, Fl
Portland, ME
Whither California?
Everything seems to be conspiring against my dream of returning to the golden state, the dismal economy, drought, the broken state government/budget, the awful traffic, and the spiteful electorate...
So what are the alternatives places that offer the California (north or south) dream of creativity, cool people, laid back lifestyle, food, diversity, and great weather? Do I have to compromise?
What can be done to fix the golden state? a new constitution? a new governor? less or more unions? Less or more people? Better schools? repeal prop 13?
is california really going to fall into the sea or is there hope?
Baltimore, yo. (except the weather ain't that great)
fix the golden state: lower taxes. we are right at the top in state income tax (9.5%), state sales tax (8.25% statewide, soon to be 9.75% in l.a. county), car tax, gas tax, corporate tax, etc.
prop 13 is the only thing that keeps property taxes average for the country. and the 2/3 vote to pass a budget? well the legislature hasn't had too much trouble going from a state budget of $75 billion in 1999 to $142 billion in 2009.
schwarzenegger promised to fix the budget, cut spending, and eliminate waste back in 2003 and he has completely rolled over to state unions and the legislature. he should be recalled.
if the budget had been increased based on population and inflation, california would have about a $10 billion surplus today. complete failure by the governor, the democratic and republican legislature.
was it 'painful' to be in california in 1999? did people say we need to double the size of government back then? i don't think so. so in addition to cutting taxes, roll back spending to 1999 levels (adjusted for population/inflation).
Repeal Prop 13 ("We want it all, but let somebody else pay for it"), the 2/3 legislative vote for new taxes, and the voter initiative process ("Put my personal whim on the ballot -- now !). I'd have to say The Gropernator has actually taken the job (that he "stole" ?) seriously, and done a creditable job -given the nature of politics in modern-day America.
Then, after all that's been done, we'll have the long-delayed Big One, and it will all end up in the ocean. So come on back, and enjoy the party !
California has a LOT of problems right now. But the one that scares me the most, which you didn't mention, is the division that continues to simmer amongst all of the ethnic communities here. Case in point, the giant bust the other day of the Latino gang that was actively trying to assassinate African-Americans. I mean, jesus christ!
Also, I don't blame The Governator. After seeing the legislature in (non) action, and the way the electorate votes, well, there's only so much he can do. California needs to have a constitutional convention to fix some of its problems, and that's only the beginning.
wk i think that was an episode of The Shield a few years back.
might provide a 'lil help - but the structural issues of how to fairly pay for services, functional gov't, not enough water, pollution, racial issues still remain.
the Governator is the last line of protection for californians. he has signed every bloated, out-of-control budget since he was elected. he has the power to veto any budget and say 'no' to public union bribes. but he's too much of a girly man to do what he promised to do.
the governator is as much to blame as the legislature and californians who vote for bond issues (who don't realize that selling bonds means california is taking out a loan).
and if the fed bails out california it will only continue the problem of failed policies being reinforced and rewarded.
George Will (this morning) is happy to see California "learn its lesson" and suffer in whatever way necessary to get back on track. Too bad more conservatives didn't feel that way about the banks and the corporations.
The prison employees union is a disgrace. And to the extent that the teachers' union covers for under-performing teachers, so is it. In "the land of the free" nearly every entity that can afford to prosper is given too much leeway, whether it be commerce, union, or individual borrower. Every organism is a potential cancer upon itself, and by extension on others. Thus, moderation -- enforced, if necessary -- is the best course. Isn't it ?
Private capitalism, public socialism -- private gain at public expense -- seems the order of the day/month/year/century.
As to "socialized medicine": we have socialized police, fire, post office and libraries. Don't we ?
SDR, you inadvertently made a really good point, and it's one thing that frustrates me to no end in California. I feel like society here bends to the will of the lowest common denominator. Which means that every single person who has a gripe or is offended or who is too stupid to do their job correctly gets a pass. I feel like I've never seen a government so paralyzed by the chorus of complaints from its people....it's like democracy on steroids, people who are so intent on taking care of everyone that no one gets taken care of, and nothing gets done.
I feel a blog post coming on....
Why do you feel that this condition infects California any more than it does elsewhere ? In what ways do unworthy individuals "get a pass" ?
Well, like you said - unworthy, underperforming teachers who get a pass under the cover of their union. Ineffectual members of the state legislature who get a pass by constantly being reelected by their constituents. People who got a pass from a bank and bought a $780,000 home with no down payment and then - surprise! - couldn't pay their mortgage. I know this also worked in Las Vegas, Miami and a few other places, but in what way does this make sense to most people in the country?
It certainly doesn't. Am I wrong in suggesting that these faults infect the nation, and not just California ?
It's common for individuals to claim that they "have it worse" than others -- a sort of "victim's remorse" ? I usually don't buy it. The sainted Howard Jarvis (instigator of Prop 13) was one such, and his self-serving solution, which he apparently persuaded his "neighbors"(fellow citizens, also "victims") to buy into, has created an inherently unfair bifurcated tax structure that has pitted neighbor against neighbor ever since -- as I understand it.
I think they should withdraw from the Union and form their own Country. Think about it they could lead the USA like they have for the past 60 years (since the end of WWII). They could model themselves on the US Constitution and pull all the same tricks as the original 13 colonies. Think about it! They control a vast amount of the computer world, the movie world, and the gang world....and you know they all want to go green.....I mean (Cash, Green). It might be, The California Electric Koolaid Acid Test. If they survive a take over by Mexico, then other States might follow suit and before long
there will be no need for all those screwed up folks in Washington D.C.
I think I will go have another beer and sort this thing out in my head.
but who would CA sell C17s too?
uh oh, krugman posits that the troubles in cali is a forerunner to what the other 49 states are about to experience...
California, it has long been claimed, is where the future happens first. But is that still true? If it is, God help America....[california] should not be in fiscal crisis; it should not be on the verge of cutting essential public services and denying health coverage to almost a million children. But it is — and you have to wonder if California’s political paralysis foreshadows the future of the nation as a whole.
tk, I was just about to post this article. Krugman says things way better than I can. I don't think it's fair to assume that the rest of the country is in for what California is experiencing though. Everything that's happened here has been an extreme case of what we're seeing in other places.
His comments on the Republican party in California are really interesting though.
They certainly are. I'm glad to see him more frequently invited to the table on Sunday morning TV -- for whatever that might be worth. (That might be the only time that TV-watching conservatives get a helping of "the other side," all week ?)
krugman:
Despite the economic slump, despite irresponsible policies that have doubled the state’s debt burden since Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, California has immense human and financial resources. It should not be in fiscal crisis; it should not be on the verge of cutting essential public services and denying health coverage to almost a million children. But it is — and you have to wonder if California’s political paralysis foreshadows the future of the nation as a whole.
The seeds of California’s current crisis were planted more than 30 years ago, when voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 13, a ballot measure that placed the state’s budget in a straitjacket. Property tax rates were capped, and homeowners were shielded from increases in their tax assessments even as the value of their homes rose.
no, the seeds of the crisis were planted more than 10 years ago that led to 'doubling the state's debt burden' since 2003.
california's property taxes (thanks to prop 13) are average compared to the rest of the country. the rest of the taxes are at the top - we're number 1! we're number 1! yeah! note that property taxes are reassessed when a home sells and that prop 13 protects older homeowners on fixed incomes from getting 'taxed out' of their homes due to property values increasing.
if higher taxes were the answer, california's economy would be the best in the country. i can't believe krugman can recognize the debt burden and then say california should get rid of the 2/3 majority to make it easier to raise taxes. especially during a bad recession. the tax increases from this past february take about an addition $1,400 from every household .. where does it stop?
and krugman mentions cutting 'essential public services'. well what was california like in 1999? was it just a wasteland of anarchy? were there no schools, emergency rooms, firefighters, and police? did anyone ask for the size of government to double in 10 years? you guys have to study this closer, because the one thing i do agree with is that the rest of the country is headed in this direction.
the united states is much closer to total collapse than most people ever thought they would live to see. it's already been financially obliterated and once the fed gov is unable to continue selling its crap bonds (sooner than we think?), the government will collapse too. everybody agrees that the past year has been shitty, but things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.
michiganistan here we come!
What about those suggestions?
A up and coming rustbelt town? Houston? Anyone else....
The big lie being heard is that "no one saw this coming." Balderdash. Maybe Fox news wasn't talking about it, but those listening to PBS had occasional hints -- or even direct testimony -- that things were getting out of balance, and that it couldn't go on indefinitely. I'd say I've been hearing of this for the last four or five years. . .
. . .I'm speaking of the national and international fiscal imbalance -- balance of payments, US savings rate, etc etc
isn't california's constitutional problem that it can be amended too easily (and therefore isn't a framework, a la the u.s. constitution?)
and cali's taxes aren't the highest..
gas taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation (only 14 have lower rates)
30th/50 for tobacco taxes
distilled spirit taxes are in the median
wine taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation
state sales tax are LOWER than king county, wa but still high
state prop taxes are NOT the highest in the nation (barely in top 10)
corporate taxes rank not even in top 10
Tsk tsk -- you can't rile up the masses with figures like that ! Things have to be made out to be DISASTROUS -- SHOCKING -- if you're going to add to your conservative base ! So you exaggerate a bit. . .the ends justify the means !
the goal isn't to rile them, it's to show their fallacies. unfortunately, i've observed facts don't matter to the conservative base - so it's a bit of an exercise in futility.
SDR, you win my award of the day for using the word "Balderdash" in context.
I'll admit I know very little about the actual details of CA's problems. I've only been here two years, but that was enough time to see those problems wreaking havoc. I'm going to go read Los Angeles Magazine's article on Mayor Tony that uses the word "FAILURE" in bold print on the cover; what I've seen of Mayor Tony so far, I'd have to agree with them. I'll report back.
I'll take any help I can get. Sometimes I feel like the guy's father, in "The Boys in the Band" -- his dying words were "I don't understand any of it; I never did. . ."
Like, all of those pretty bubble/graphs up there -- what are they supposed to show ? What are they based on ?
OK, so here you go. Some quotes from Los Angeles Magazine, June 2009. Mayor Tony just got reelected to a second term (apparently; I sure didn't vote for him) and the article tries to give him suggestions on how he might salvage his time in the Mayor's office.
An Open Letter to Antonio Villaraigosa by Ed Leibowitz
"....Your successes can mask the truth: what you now lead is an administration in which politics is almost always trumps policy - where solvable problems become impossible to fix."
"We're still the gang capital of the world, with 40,000 members causing havoc. In 2006, gangs were responsible for more than half the city's murders. Crime rates have gone down, though try telling that to the elementary school students in Highland Park who practice diving under their desks in anticipation of live rounds, the way children in the '50's prepared for atomic bombs. By middle school, as much as 90% of the students in L.A.'s poorest neighborhoods will have been exposed to violence, with more than a quarter of them suffering post-traumatic stress disorder."
Andy Lipkis: "The critical problem the mayor should take on is water. Three factors are creating a perfect storm of water shortages in LA. First, although rain in most years could provide nearly half the water we need for all uses, we send most of the rainwater we receive into the ocean. Second, we are inefficient in our use of the water that is piped here from hundreds of miles away. Third, our traditional sources of water are being threatened by environmental degradation and climate change...."
Lisa Watson: "With more homeless than any other city in the country, Los Angeles has the opportunity to be a national leader or a national disgrace. I hope that Mayor Villaraigosa continues to take on the challenge to lead the country in ending homelessness by providing affordable and permanent supportive housing to the area's 70,000 homeless people."
Bill Allen: "When compared with the rest of LA County, the city of LA has dramatically underperformed in the creation of jobs since 1980. From 1980, to 2008, LA added more than 1 million residents to its population while losing more than 50,000 jobs. The causes include the highest taxes on business of the 88 cities within the county, a far too complicated and political process for development, and an extraordinarily high rate of conversion of the city's scares industrial land to uses that accommodate population growth but not job growth."
David A. Abel: "It was urban theorist Jane Jacobs who said that a metropolitan economy, when it is working well, doesn't lure the middle class, it creates one. The most important challenge for the mayor is to attract, retain and grow middle-class jobs. Today LA is not only losing its middle class, it is without either a coherent, integrated economic strategy to reverse the trend or an accountable city department to implement one."
~~~~~
Of course these quotes are all about Los Angeles, but the problems here in the state's most populous region create quite a drain on the rest of California. When I think of the problems that CA faces, these are the things I think about.
See, these are the things that confuse me; the author calls for more housing in the city -- while decrying that industrial land is being lost.
Maybe he foresees factories with housing in the basement, or on the roof among the water tanks and smokestacks ?
I'm easily confused, obviously. . .
They are based on the basic operations of local government and by extension state government.
The images show about 5 square miles of a given area [although loosely made up on a whim] and the costs associated with each facet of government.
Assuming there's between 25,000 to 40,000 people in this section... it shows how the development patterns of a traditional development (medium density with concurrent street grid. 6,000-10,000 people per square mile) and a typical California development [or replace this with Florida, Arizona et cetera-- medium to low density with a non-concurrent street grid with 2,000 to 6,000) differ in terms of cost.
Most costs are typically fixed-- meaning, a library is a library and have roughly the same expenses whether the library is in Topeka or in Fort Lauderdale. This can get muddled if the state's objective for meeting demand includes risk management or peak demand. A library is an investment in your citizens-- proximity means that library has a better chance of having an effect on more people.
Here's the breakdown--
Police-- given that they are on patrol to prevent or stop crime (not to respond to calls about crimes that have already happened) can only survey so much. So whether it is 1,000 people or 7,000 people in a square mile... he still costs salary plus equipment plus uniform plus transportation plus 'maintenance.'
Fire-- fire service almost borders on being absolutely worthless. Any given fire station can handle at most 3 fires-- generally the maximum number of trucks a station has. These have fixed costs as well as the building, staff, vehicles and equipment costs about the same whether there is a fire happening or not.
Schools-- Bus service is often based on distance from school rather than the number of students. A surprising number of buses never operate at full capacity. Centralization allows more students to get to school by other means. So, the closer kids are to a school... the less the school spends on buses.
Ambulances-- These cost an enormous amount of money per mile of travel. If you have a pod-and-collector styled street grid (i.e. a bunch of streets with no outlets), an ambulance will spend more money per body than it would in a standard street grid.
Garbage-- There's two limitations to garbage service... mileage and capacity. Luckily capacity is rarely an issue-- garbage service becomes more expensive the longer and farther a truck operates. The bigger spread you have between buildings [lower density means more frequent stops] and a lack of centralization means that a truck wastes more fuel per pound of garbage than centralized dense development-- ie 6 cans per stop instead of 2.
Utilities-- Urban utilities are expensive; however, unless you're at Manhattan densities... the cost of putting in utilities doesn't change much if a development is at 1,500 people per square mile or 8,000 people per square mile.
The lower density (and therefore bigger distance between homes and other buildings) means the chance of failure is higher and the expense is greater. If you have 10 houses on a block and it costs 30,000 for installation and 3,000 a year on maintenance, that's 3,000 per house and 300 per house per year. If your have 40 houses on a block, that's 750 per house and 75 per house per year.
But to develop the utilities for 40 houses at 10 houses per block... that costs the government 120,000 installation and 12,000 a year. The more pipes, wires and cables there are running... the bigger expense in maintenance and the higher probably for failure. Water pipes leak, sewage pipes leak, power lines have inefficiency problems, transformers blow, street lamps can only provide so many candlelights per square foot and so on.
Basically, any politician (democrat or republican) is going to have a hard time maintaining a budget if their area of responsibility becomes bigger, less organized and more expensive.
While California has has successes with increasing density, it has also suffered from a huge influx of sprawl.
I tried to leave complex issues and more "academic" reasons out of this to simplify the fact that if an area grows laterally... everyone pays for it by either getting services cut or by increases in taxes.
My first thought - New Orleans...cool people, laid back lifestyle, good food and good weather (hurricanes vs. earthquake is up to discussion)
If humid isn't your thing how about Denver, CO...the ski bum/mt. biker crowd is laid back, weather is surprisingly good, food is diverse & great local beers
Another last thought is Austin, TX...could be considered the "California" of TX. Thankfully for Austin, Texas is doing quite all right economically.
I have actually been considering New Orleans not for this year but the upcoming one. Particularly interested in opportunities in education and in the experimentation going on with regards to fixing education system (charters, Non-profts, Teach for america etc)////
new orleans problem is not so much hurricanes as the fact that the city is basically below sea level. any effort put into that city (whether 5 years, 10 years, 50 years, etc) runs the risk of being destroyed by water in a matter of just hours.
as for the new california? maybe mexico? costa rica? further south...
aqua - thanks for getting back to one of my original questions...
Don't get me wrong about New Orleans. After Katrina I was one saying that it should be largely abandoned as a city. It think it should go forward as a much smaller version of it's pre-Katrina self and don't condone rebuilding all the sprawl. That said, they still have some great food down there and a culture that is completely unique to America. I just love the laid back hot humid climate as well. Nobody moves too fast down there which is kind of nice.
A Harper's Index item from earlier this year claimed that, at present rates, the rebuilding of N.O. should be complete in. . .2028.
nam, I know a lady who's been very involved in the charter school efforts in the ninth ward... she's a nola native and began her career in the inner-city schools in baltimore and then moved back down to new orleans after katrina. if you're still interested next year I could put you in touch.
No wonder conservatives don't listen to PBS ! I just learned, on NPR's "Morning Edition," that many central-California towns and cities have no meters on their water supply; that in Fresno and other places meters were finally installed, in recent years -- and then removed when a "meter ban" was imposed at the behest of the no-tax crowd (!); and that meters will yet be installed in some places, following further legislation. Sacramento's meters are coming. . .in 2025.
holz.box:
and cali's taxes aren't the highest..
gas taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation (only 14 have lower rates)
30th/50 for tobacco taxes
distilled spirit taxes are in the median
wine taxes are among the LOWEST in the nation
state sales tax are LOWER than king county, wa but still high
state prop taxes are NOT the highest in the nation (barely in top 10)
corporate taxes rank not even in top 10
gas tax
california - $0.67/gal (highest federal + state tax)
connecticut - $0.66/gal
illinois - $0.64/gal
sales tax
california - 8.25% state (highest state baseline), up to 10.25% max
indiana, new jersey, rhode island, mississippi next at 7% state
state income tax
california's 9.55% rate kicks in at $47,055
washington d.c. is 8.5% at $40,000
vermont is 8.5% at $78,850
hawaii is 8.25% at $48,000
rhode island is 7.75% at $78,850
hawaii has the highest overall state income tax (11% if you make over $200,000) but california ramps up the rate the fastest (1.3% higher than hawaii if you make $48,000).
California's Tax Climate
overall view of cali's taxes - note that this was before the recent february tax increases that took effect in april and may. individual tax burden was 6th highest, with the new taxes it is close to being the worst with new jersey.
tax business climate in california was 48th worst. again, now it competes with new jersey for the worst business tax climate in the nation.
and regarding wine, tobacco, and property taxes - i admit those are average for the nation. but income, gas, and sales have a much larger impact on the tax climate.
thanks for the tip, SDR - Without Meters, Fresno Water Beyond Measure
In the 1990s, McIntyre fought for a voluntary meter program in Fresno and some 8,000 customers agreed to have meters installed. But then, a vehement group of taxpayers convinced city leaders to incorporate a "no meter policy" into Fresno's city charter. McIntyre gets almost teary-eyed recalling the defeat.
"The meter opponents succeeded and meters were banned for single-family residential units," he says. "So we had to pull the meters out."
i don't know who these 'taxpayers' were, but i can tell you as a fiscal conservative i definitely believe in conservation. that's one of the things i like about LEED is that it takes steps to conserve resources, make buildings efficient, and save property owners some money.
too bad local water departments are raising rates as a result of selling less water - and they are the ones telling us to use less water!
woohoo 10.25 sales tax in indianapolis. and we don't have palm trees or an ocean view.
Um, yeah. Los Angeles may not have enough real police on the streets, but we do have Ergonomics Police. I know this for a fact because they just showed up in my office; three people whose jobs are to determine if we're sitting properly in our chairs. Supposedly this has something to do with all of the workman's comp claims filed.
Does anyone else see something wrong with this? Am I being haughty when I suggest that perhaps some Californians wouldn't make it in other states?
I love how 99 percent of the responses have nothing to do with recomending other interesting places to live...
Look into:
Montreal - amazing people, culture, multi-lingual, interesting design but cold winters
Portland, Oregon is fantastic - the landscapes there are just so varied and amazing and there is lots of interesting people and great design
Seattle is wonderful if you don't mind the lack of public transportation
Madison Wisconsin is a hidden gem (although its also cold in the winter)
Sorry tk, I haven't been responsive to your question. You opened up a can of worms.
Ditto what aquapura said earlier; talkitect's suggestions are OK as well; I know you are tired of the cold but I'd also like to throw Philadelphia into the mix.
Basically pick the most creative places on this list and you'll probably be better off.
Oh man, WonderK, I feel inclined to throw that list entirely out simply for the inclusion of Cambridge, MA. Someone cannot possibly have done their homework on that one... that is an insanely expensive place to live!
The rest probably are cheap, though (with the second exception of Washington DC -- although it did seem the most reasonably-priced of the big cities I've lived in). I wonder if they're considered "cheap" though b/c most of them are sprawl capitals...?
Interesting, in any case.
wK- I've been sitting back and enjoying the pandora's box/free flow conversation. Both branches of my initial post are worthy of in depth discussion.
BUT, philly ain't California - no way, no how (it does gets my vote for most corrupt/inept civic government of the places I've lived).
Santa Fe, NM
Denver, Co
Flagstaff, AZ
Salt Lake City,
Washington DC
East Village
Manchester, NH
Charleston, SC
Greensboro, NC
Orlando, Fl
Miami, Fl
Portland, ME
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