Comments on: How to Fix a Downward-Spiraling California http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/how-to-fix-a-downward-spiraling-california/ The official blog of UC Santa Barbara's newspaper, the Daily Nexus. Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:33:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: dsforz http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/how-to-fix-a-downward-spiraling-california/comment-page-1/#comment-246 dsforz Sun, 08 Feb 2009 06:05:57 +0000 http://www.dailynexus.com/dnb/?p=277#comment-246 your absolutely right. I was wrong. Were 7th, not eighth http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/14/BAC915AB6Q.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea we were 8th in 2006 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/12/business/NA-GEN-US-California-No.-8-Economy.php Everyone's loosing businesses, that's because the value of everything, especially property, was hyper inflated. As it falls rapidly, those who purchased anything in 2006-2007 are being hurt. your absolutely right. I was wrong. Were 7th, not eighth

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/14/BAC915AB6Q.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

we were 8th in 2006
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/12/business/NA-GEN-US-California-No.-8-Economy.php

Everyone’s loosing businesses, that’s because the value of everything, especially property, was hyper inflated. As it falls rapidly, those who purchased anything in 2006-2007 are being hurt.

]]> By: Political Guru http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/how-to-fix-a-downward-spiraling-california/comment-page-1/#comment-245 Political Guru Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:12:05 +0000 http://www.dailynexus.com/dnb/?p=277#comment-245 dsforz, you say that we would be the 8th richest nation in the world if California were an independent nation. Well, that might have been the case a decade ago, and maybe about 5 years ago we'd be 10th, but now we'd be 14th-heck, we may have dropped further since I last heard that calculation. The point is, we've been going down. We're losing people, and losing businesses. Owning a business in California is like owning a business on State Street: too damn expensive. Businesses are leaving the state, and that's hurting us. dsforz, you say that we would be the 8th richest nation in the world if California were an independent nation. Well, that might have been the case a decade ago, and maybe about 5 years ago we’d be 10th, but now we’d be 14th-heck, we may have dropped further since I last heard that calculation. The point is, we’ve been going down. We’re losing people, and losing businesses. Owning a business in California is like owning a business on State Street: too damn expensive. Businesses are leaving the state, and that’s hurting us.

]]> By: dsforz http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/how-to-fix-a-downward-spiraling-california/comment-page-1/#comment-242 dsforz Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:35:31 +0000 http://www.dailynexus.com/dnb/?p=277#comment-242 you stated Washington wants to raise taxes, you meant Sacramento I hope. IF you renegotiate taxes you will just increase the budget gap. California is the perfect example on how high taxes do not squelch business, considering that if we were our own country we would be the eighth richest in the world. You stated the problem is that our population has not kept up with out spending, but our population is the problem. Until last year we were by far the fastest growing state, and do not have the infrastructure to support it, leading to deterioration in our roads, schools and overbooked hospitals. Our large number of uninsured creates a massive strain on our hospitals, and our incarceration rate is through the roof, with so many in prison that the federal government needs to keep an eyeful watch to make sure we are not abusing our prisoners (the same government that felt Guantanamo was ok) While our other taxes are high, thanks to prop 13 our property taxes are low. Los Angeles is the only city in the top 50 cities with highest property taxes. As for Shwarzenneger being in bed with the unions, he is anything but. The entire special election he held in 2005 was to throw the unions out of politics altogether. While we have the highest drop out rates, California's students also compose the majority of the top Universities in the United States. I can't speak for the rest of California, but for Los Angeles, the major problem is not the teachers, but poor administration from LAUSD (which is being run by a retired navy admiral who did such a poor job that they had to hire an understudy to do his job) While starting pay in LAUSD is the highest in California, it is the 40th lowest in terms of gradual pay, giving LAUSD teachers little incentive to stay in the district for long, creating high turnover or good teachers moving to other districts. The crowded schools make for a harsh environment for teaching (I went to a school of 5000 with a freshmen class of 1500, 600-700 graduated). you stated Washington wants to raise taxes, you meant Sacramento I hope. IF you renegotiate taxes you will just increase the budget gap. California is the perfect example on how high taxes do not squelch business, considering that if we were our own country we would be the eighth richest in the world.

You stated the problem is that our population has not kept up with out spending, but our population is the problem. Until last year we were by far the fastest growing state, and do not have the infrastructure to support it, leading to deterioration in our roads, schools and overbooked hospitals. Our large number of uninsured creates a massive strain on our hospitals, and our incarceration rate is through the roof, with so many in prison that the federal government needs to keep an eyeful watch to make sure we are not abusing our prisoners (the same government that felt Guantanamo was ok)

While our other taxes are high, thanks to prop 13 our property taxes are low. Los Angeles is the only city in the top 50 cities with highest property taxes.

As for Shwarzenneger being in bed with the unions, he is anything but. The entire special election he held in 2005 was to throw the unions out of politics altogether. While we have the highest drop out rates, California’s students also compose the majority of the top Universities in the United States. I can’t speak for the rest of California, but for Los Angeles, the major problem is not the teachers, but poor administration from LAUSD (which is being run by a retired navy admiral who did such a poor job that they had to hire an understudy to do his job) While starting pay in LAUSD is the highest in California, it is the 40th lowest in terms of gradual pay, giving LAUSD teachers little incentive to stay in the district for long, creating high turnover or good teachers moving to other districts. The crowded schools make for a harsh environment for teaching (I went to a school of 5000 with a freshmen class of 1500, 600-700 graduated).

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