Ted, to address your points one-by-one:
- Prop. 13 was necessary to protect middle-class homeowners from paying more taxes simply because neighboring homes are being speculated upon. Besides, Prop. 13 does nothing to lower the taxes of new home buyers. Hence, Sacramento should still be raking in the dough from the housing boom. Like Ah-nuld pointed out, CA doesn't have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem.
- Corruption is a big factor, I'll agree, but in my opinion, the bigger waste of money is the bureaucracy. Lots of redundant agencies doing the work that half the personnel could accomplish, but of course, the public employee unions always divert attention by pointing to teachers, nurses, and police officers, which we always seem to have a shortage of.
- Yeah, illegal immigration does put a drag on our state services, somewhere on the order of $5B a year in California alone according to one report. Of course, the allies of the unions are also the same ones protecting the rights of illegal immigrants. As usual, it's all about scoring political points and making someone else pick up the tab.
- As for that "me-first" attitude you talk about, it's not specific to California. I've seen that a lot back in Oregon, especially from people who are quick to blame all of Oregon's recent problems on people moving from California. NIMBYism and the entitlement mentality is alive and well up and down the Left Coast. And probably nationwide as well.
Tenchusatsu |
