# Cal Gov. Raids Transit $$ Again



## WhoozOn1st (Dec 24, 2009)

Schwarzenegger's plan to again raid transit funds angers rider advocates

"L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, an MTA board member, called the governor's proposal 'legally questionable,' 'wrong-headed' and 'poor public policy.'

"'The fact that this scheme is likely to be overturned by the court, as it has in the past, means that the proposal itself has no validity,' he added."

"The California Supreme Court seemingly put an end to the transit raids only months ago, ordering the state to repay the more than $3 billion in gasoline sales taxes that it had taken since 2007.

"Instead, the Schwarzenegger administration has crafted a plan to again take the funds -- just in a different way."


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## PetalumaLoco (Dec 24, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Schwarzenegger's plan to again raid transit funds angers rider advocates
> "L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, an MTA board member, called the governor's proposal 'legally questionable,' 'wrong-headed' and 'poor public policy.'
> 
> "'The fact that this scheme is likely to be overturned by the court, as it has in the past, means that the proposal itself has no validity,' he added."
> ...


OK, we're going to have to "raid" his Hummer. h34r:


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## the_traveler (Dec 24, 2009)

It's ironic that the Governator wants to reduce public transit by $xxx *million* - but wants to spend $xx *billion* to build a high speed line from LA to SF!


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## GG-1 (Dec 24, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> It's ironic that the Governator wants to reduce public transit by $xxx *million* - but wants to spend $xx *billion* to build a high speed line from LA to SF!


Could he be preparing for the "big one" so there is a way out when LA falls in the ocean. :lol:  

Aloha


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## WhoozOn1st (Dec 24, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> It's ironic that the Governator wants to reduce public transit by $xxx *million* - but wants to spend $xx *billion* to build a high speed line from LA to SF!


It goes beyond, and gets worse than, that. Schwarzenegger recently put the kibosh on (terminated) a state application for federal funds for transit because - as I recall - he said it might jeopardize California's high speed bid. I need to look up the specific report; saw it during the RailRiot, then forgot about it 'til recently. The crux of it was that the clown nixed requesting money for shovel-ready transit infrastructure in favor of long-range wishing, completely disregarding the necessity of a viable feeder network for HSR's success. The renewed attempt to rob transit funds is just the latest gubernatorial lump of coal in California's stocking.


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## Green Maned Lion (Dec 24, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > It's ironic that the Governator wants to reduce public transit by $xxx *million* - but wants to spend $xx *billion* to build a high speed line from LA to SF!
> ...


Par for the course, Patrick. They want to sell the public on shiny new trains rather then give them service they won't think twice about. They think it helps them get re-elected, plus a place in history. Perhaps it does.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 24, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > It's ironic that the Governator wants to reduce public transit by $xxx *million* - but wants to spend $xx *billion* to build a high speed line from LA to SF!
> ...


Hmmm, isn't California where they elect Movie Stars as Governor? IIRC yall recalled a fairly good, twice elected Gov. named Gray Davis and replaced him with the Terminator! I'm hearing yall might elect Moonbeam Brown again next time, go figure! :blink:


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## PetalumaLoco (Dec 25, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> WhoozOn1st said:
> 
> 
> > the_traveler said:
> ...


Not all of us voted for Ahnuld. <_<


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## tp49 (Dec 25, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> Hmmm, isn't California where they elect Movie Stars as Governor? IIRC yall recalled a fairly good, twice elected Gov. named Gray Davis and replaced him with the Terminator! I'm hearing yall might elect Moonbeam Brown again next time, go figure! :blink:


Whether Davis was a good governor is debatable, though I do think he was unfairly recalled. A major reason for his recall was the deregulation of the power industry which led to such fun as the rolling blackouts California experienced a few years back. In reality energy deregulation was the brainchild of the state legislature who had enough votes to override a veto attempt.

California's problems stem from our general fund being hampered by a (state) constitutional mandate that requires 50% of the total of the general fund be spent on education. Thus every budget year the California general fund is really a glass half full. Then take away from that all of the unfunded mandates which since they have no revenue stream come from, yep you guessed it the general fund.

The initiative and referendum process have done nothing to help the state and have a lot to do with the state's current financial situation. As does the fact that the buffoons who inhabit both houses of the California Legislature know that the budget has massive structural problems but will not do a thing to solve the problems. This is in large part due to the term limits (which were imposed by yes initiative and referendum) which now sees members of the legislature spend more time worrying about what office they're going to run for next, and our constitutional office holders on a never-ending game of political musical chairs. This is also how we see freshman assembly members become Speaker. It's a sick joke.

Until California wises up and has a Constitutional Convention and rewrites it not only will the budget issues continue but the state will continue to be ungovernable.

[/rant on the buffoons at 10th and L in Sacramento]

As for the true topic of this thread, the transit funding thing in my estimation is nothing more then posturing on the part of Ahnold. The Governor can propose a budget but the legislature has to pass it. In light of what Cal Supreme has stated on the matter the Governor is keenly aware that he will wind up in court yet again, just like with the prisons and seemingly everything else in this state.


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