Paradise Lost

What remains of the California Dream has taken a few more hits recently:

1. A public hearing of the school board in Modesto was interrupted due to parents concern over deep budget cuts in local schools. The parents loudly requested rescheduling of the meeting to a larger facility. The fire marshal was called to clear the room as attendance exceeded capacity.

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/216651.html

2. In the next fiscal year, Sacramento faces a $55 million budget deficit, a situation caused in part by a marked slowdown in property, utility users and sales tax revenues. At the same time, the city's expenses will be increasing as new contractual pay raises are enacted.

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/693812.html

3. The City of Vallejo, in what might be a first for a California city, is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. 20 police and fire employees in the past three days have submitted their retirement papers and more are expected to follow, officials reported.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_8294421?source=most_emailed

4. In a scene likely to be played out in states and municipalities nationwide, things are starting to implode in California at the state level, the county level, and the city level. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered additional cuts across the state bureaucracy that will slow down state hiring and nonessential service contracts - a move he said could save the cash-strapped state $100 million by June 30. Schwarzenegger issued the order on the heels of a $2 billion midyear budget reduction to deal with the state's projected $14.5 billion deficit.

http://www.minyanville.com/articles/index/a/15978

5. A bill requiring that public school students learn about global warming has passed the State Senate and heads to the State Assembly.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/environment/archives/132221.asp

Is there a causal relationship between onerous State educational and other mandates imposed on localities, which seldom come with associated state financing, and the deterioration of local services? Earth to State Legislature - Your state is already in a deep financial crisis. Why do you continue to pass obliviously authoritarian measures that no one can pay for? Wake up! Businesses and working people are leaving your state only to be replaced, when replacements occur, by undocumented workers (that would be illegal aliens).