It's interesting to read in another artilce that the state California spends 5 times as much per prisoner than they do per school student while in an associated linked article the governor’s solution is to shorten the state school’s instructional days by 5. I’m still amazed that the governor and our other Elitists Politicians refuse to Enforce our Immigration Laws and Secure our National Borders which would remove millions of ILLEGALS and their Anchors from our Prison Systems and our Educational Systems resulting in Billions saved.

http://www.azstarnet.com/news/295522

Gov: 'California's day of reckoning is here'
The Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.03.2009

SACRAMENTO — California's worsening budget crisis holds both pain and promise for the state's future, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told a joint session of the Legislature on Tuesday, as he urged lawmakers to act quickly to solve the state's fiscal mess.

The state faces deep cuts to education and other core programs to plug a $24.3 billion deficit, while a steep decline in tax revenue has created a looming cash crisis that jeopardizes its ability to pay its day-to-day bills.
Even in such dire circumstances, Schwarzenegger said California can emerge more efficient and fiscally stable if lawmakers take steps to restructure government and rethink the services it provides with the revenue it has.

"We can only spend what we have. That is the harsh but simple reality," he said in the rare midyear appearance, which lasted less than 15 minutes. "Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried up."

The governor's speech comes just four months after he and lawmakers agreed to a two-year budget package that was intended to close a deficit of $42 billion through mid-2010.

Schwarzenegger said state tax revenue has dropped 27 percent from last year and has returned to 2003 levels.

In a letter to legislative leaders last week, Controller John Chiang warned that California will run out of money to pay its bills on July 29. He called on lawmakers to pass a balanced budget by their June 15 constitutional deadline so the state can access short-term loans in a tight credit market.
Its new fiscal year begins July 1.

"California's day of reckoning is here," Schwarzenegger said.
He has outlined a series of cuts that include an additional $5.2 billion reduction to public schools, laying off 5,000 state workers and further cutting the pay of another 200,000. He has proposed eliminating welfare for 500,000 families, terminating health coverage for nearly 1 million low-income children and closing 220 state parks.

"People come up to me all the time, pleading, 'Governor, please don't cut my program.' They tell me about how the cuts will affect them and their loved ones," Schwarzenegger said. "I see the pain in their eyes and I hear the fear in their voice. It's an awful feeling. But we have no choice."
The Republican governor and legislators of his own party say they will not raise taxes, after agreeing to $12.8 billion in higher sales, personal income and vehicles taxes earlier this year.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers agree they face a series of bad choices. The Democratic leaders of the Assembly and Senate pledged to work quickly to resolve the deficit but said they would resist cuts that would wipe out vital programs, particularly those for children and the poor.

"I'm not saying they aren't going to be large cuts or painful. … This is going to be traumatic to a lot of programs and a lot of people, but we are committed to avoiding the wholesale elimination of major investments that matter to the people of California," said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

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