Comments on: Court Orders California to Stop Robbing Transit (Updated)

By: Spokker

Spokker — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:03:47 +0000

Rename ourselves The Republic of California and pretend to be a developing country. Oh wait, we don't have to pretend anymore, ha.

By: Wad

Wad — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:23:30 +0000

California's only choice now is to be the recipient of an IMF structural adjustment package.

By: DJB

DJB — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:11:49 +0000

This is nice in a way, but it's also like finding a quarter on the deck of a sinking ship . . . with no lifeboats.

CA is screwed because it takes a 2/3 majority to raise most taxes, and there isn't political support in the state legislature to make the cuts necessary to balance budgets without tax increases.

We need to change the state constitution or endure even more decades of fiscal insanity from Sacramento. Or should I say, from ourselves, since we passed Prop. 13 in 1978 (well, not me, but you get the idea).

By: Emily Rusch

Emily Rusch — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:33:37 +0000

The court case victory halting the legislature's raid on public transit funds indicates how lost Californians' priorities become in Sacramento's budget mess. To cut traffic congestion and harmful pollution, California needs more public transportation. Recent ballot measure victories, including the passage of Measure R in Los Angeles, highlight that voters are willing to pay higher taxes to build it.

Furthermore, there are solutions to balance the budget and pay for public transportation, including taxing oil companies, just like Texas and Alaska already do. But to date Sacramento has chosen to protect the oil companies and punish transit riders.

Governor Schwarzenegger should support a budget that taxes oil companies to help pay for public transportation and other needs. Fellow Republican Gov. Sarah Palin does it. So should California.

Emily Rusch is the State Director of the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG).