I’ve only been able to talk to Villines staffers and they tell me that his about face on the tax issue is directly related to a fear of the State going bankrupt. He is said to have a "moral conviction" against this happening.
Obviously, this is a very big miscalculation on his part. Whatever "reforms" there are in this budget will be short lived, the taxes won’t, and bankruptcy, at this stage is the best possible option and the only way the State gets its obligations and spending under control.
I would, if given the opportunity, strenously argue that bankruptcy is the only true moral option at the point, as it will in fact save the State in the long term.
This whole thing is sickening. I can’t believe we are being played ……. AGAIN.
February 15th, 2009 at 12:00 am
So…Villines has a “moral conviction” against the state going bankrupt…but no “moral conviction” to honoring his pledges, promises, committments and statements he has repeatedly made as to being opposed to tax increases?
February 16th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Well, in order to prevent bankruptcy isn’t the best course of action is to make more deep cuts in the budget and sell whatever assets and review the liabilities the state has on the books?
Or isn’t bankruptcy a scare tactic by the Democrats that has forced Villines and Cogdill in a straight jacket by committing politicial suicide, so that the Democrats do not want to seal their own fate of political suicide withing their own constituency.
Surely, their must be some wiggle room to make additional $14 Billion in cuts, because I am confident that the Finance Department can something in the massive bureaucracy that warrants such cuts.
February 16th, 2009 at 12:00 am
The state needs to go BK, this would force all the state employee unions to bear their share of the burden to balance the state budget. Force upon them pay cuts and retirement cuts and if they don’t like it they can go into the private sector. That same private sector that is currently cutting pay and retirement benefits in hopes of staying in business long enough to ride out the recession. It is very bleak in the private sector right now so excuse me if I don’t cry for state employees.
February 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Way to go Mike. Someone needs to stand up to the bullying. Clearly Villines won’t. Why are the sell outs coming from the Central Valley? Cogdill, Villines, Ashburn?
Please run Mike the Party needs some Central Valley people.