California in retreat on social service spending
During his first governorship more than three decades ago, Jerry Brown warned that California was entering an "era of limits."
The austere state budget he proposed this week is a stark acknowledgment that the Golden State has now reached them. The Democratic governor's spending plan takes large steps toward dismantling much of California's once-vaunted social safety net.
Brown proposes cutting welfare services again as the state continues its struggle to shake off the effects of a deep and persistent recession. He would continue years of reductions in Medi-Cal, child care and home health aid. He would eliminate the Healthy Families program, which was a significant expansion of healthcare in California when enacted in 1997 and serves nearly 900,000 children.
Brown was visibly frustrated as he detailed what he described as the "tough medicine" California needs to balance its books but said a $9.2-billion deficit had forced his hand.
full: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-state-budget-20120107,0,746147.story
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who hold their collective breath until they turn blue every time the word "tax" or "revenue" is uttered.
We are the only oil-producing jurisdiction IN THE WORLD that does not have an oil severance tax.
Our liquor tax has not been raised since the 1960s.
Our tobacco tax is lower than that of New Jersey, according to Mom, who was amazed by the bargain smokes on her recent visit here.
Commercial property has, in effect, benefited from a tax freeze since Prop 13, because most of it changes hands through shell corporations, thereby avoiding reassessment. Gov. Brown actually made some noises about that last June during the final budget skirmish, but, well, you know. 
Then there are the corporations, most of which shirk their state tax duty at least as assiduously as their Federal one.
