California: Liberal Experiament Gone Bad? (2009, low crime, new home)

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Actually, most white kids these days are mostly not interested in things like engineering or science. And other than Asians, "POC" seem to be hesitant to "act too white" which hinders them from excellence. Don't blame school funding levels. If there is any blame for aspects of the schools, it would have to be the teachers and administrations (and union). Also, parents who "lead by example" buying a big screen TV and being couch potatoes certainly does not help foster the correct environment for learning and tackling preparation for difficult but rewarding career choices.

As for school supplies, art classes, PE, etc, all I can say is, somehow the public schools I went to got by with a lot less per capita in inflation adjusted dollars. Follow the money ...

I don't know where the money is going..it always seems easy as a "civilian" to blame whatever, whomever, etc that suits whatever political leanings you may have.. I honestly don't know. I honestly didn't read the article..I find the whole premise, especially posted by a non Californian, a bit antagonistic.

I do know that I went to a public high school that had "auto shop" and welding classes etc..along with other options for the non college bound..very important for kids that were not college types, imo.

We can only draw our own conclusions based on what we've experienced in our lifetimes. I don't believe that money is going towards education (that's for sure)..despite what someone else mentioned. How 'bout that whole "California lottery?" wasn't the money supposed to go to education too? I do find it odd that some person has just won some ridiculously huge jackpot of 80 million dollars, yet schools are closing, teachers are getting laid off, and your kid is lucky to have any science at all.

I do have several friends that work for the gov't. in Sacramento..they've mentioned that most of our money goes towards the prison system. Whether or not that's factual I honestly can't say.

As for prop 13...huge problem here, imo.. talk about unfair! I was a little young to understand it at the time but I do remember it being a huge issue! I don't know if that was the beginning of the end ..or so to speak.

[fizbin]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

There is enough turn over that your argument falls flat.

Incorrect. With the exception of the last year when the real estate market readjusted, every home owner who has been in their home for more than a few years is saving tons of money over a new neighbor. And like I said, the rates the new homeowners pay is not the problem - it is the amount that long term homeowners save that is causing the state and local governments to starve.

If you want basic government services you have to pay, period. You want educated kids, schools need money. You want basic protection, the cops need money. You want someone to put the fire out at your home or business, the fire department needs money. You want roads, road builders need money. You want three strikes (a dubious program CA folks overwhelmingly voted for) prisons get money. There is no free lunch, no matter how much anti-tax folks want one.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by clongirl

And how are we going to educate California's future work force? Are you suggesting just allow more of India's and China's population to come over in the future because we don't have enough highly skilled engineers/scientists?

Actually, most of the spending is going towards our prison system...And I can tell you that in my child's school (public), it is the parents that pay for supplies, art/science programs, in fact..a teacher here was prevented from being laid off because the parents stepped up to raise the funds.

There is TONS of waste in our schools. I live in Oakland where our schools were taken over by the state. After a few months of that, Randy Ward, who was appointed by the state, discovered that the school district issued cell phones to everyone. He cut that back to buy your own cell phone and pay for it yourself and expense school business calls. He discovered janitors claiming to work full time at several schools and collected lots of overtime dollars on something that wasn't possible to do. He managed to cut several millions dollars off a bloated budget in no time.

But we have a school board that doesn't have the courage to stand up and do the right thing -- or they might not get re-elected. We have quite a few schools that are 1/3 or 1/4 occupied -- they should be closed and consolidated. But if you even bring that up people scream bloody murder.

While I understand that we need to educate the children, throwing money at the problem isn't working. I've been here for 22 years -- our schools sucked the whole time. And frankly -- most of the blame ISN'T THE SCHOOLS. It's the rotten parenting.

Frankly every election I want to tear my hair out every time I hear It's for the Children. Because it never seems to be for the children -- it seems to be for the self aggrandizement of the people pushing it.

[John23]

The California budget is a bigger ponzi scam than Madoff.

It amazes me....you squander all gains from the 90's, then get leveraged to the biggest real estate bubble of all time from 2002 to 2007, then when it pops, your state goes bankrupt? Then to compound the insanity, you're forced to cut essential services.

Surely *someone* in Sacramento must have known that real estate doesn't go up forever. What happened to a rainy day fund?

And its not like the state is unproductive, has no natural resources, has no demand. Truely a twisted form of economics.

[fizbin]

Of course the problems that have prompted the initiatives on the upcoming May 19th election are greatly exacerbated by the moronic system where state budgets need a 2/3 super-majority to pass the legislature. Stupid law guaranteed to create gridlock on a yearly basis when money is tight.

[Motion]

What about this thing about the higher taxes causing people to leave the state? How true is that or is their more to their leaving?

[fizbin]

Originally Posted by Motion

What about this thing about the higher taxes causing people to leave the state? How true is that or is their more to their leaving?

Last I checked the people are still coming to the state in droves . . .

[Motion]

^
Here's something.

The higher rates could spur some affluent Californians to relocate to low-tax states. Tawny Stanton, who sells high-end real estate in Incline Village, Nev., called the new California budget "excellent for business."

She said more than half her clients are Californians "running away from a government that's broke and the high state taxes."

California budget's higher taxes 'ugly' but necessary, experts say - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

[BayAreaHillbilly]

People who were born in California are leaving in droves as are semi natives (e.g. ones brought here as kids). People from other countries are the main source of inflow, with people from other US states being a distant second. This is the harsh reality that all the polyannas on this thread refuse to address. Why are natives and semi natives abandoning it? Need to face it folks, it's a leading indicator.

[Motion]

Here's the link to the full George Will article.

http://www.mercurynews.com/elections/ci_12280934