Posted by Nayeli
a resident of Midtown
on Jul 17, 2023 at 8:15 pm
Nayeli is a registered user.

Over the last few years, California's population has been decreasing. More importantly, our middle-to-upper class taxpaying population has been decreasing. Despite recent tax increases for everything from gas taxes to the Jerry Brown tax increases, the state is headed towards some difficult budget constraints. Spending has to be cut. Yet, no matter what is cut, someone (or some group) in California will complain about all the outcome of cutting government spending.

If California doesn't make this state more business-friendly and encourage businesses to stay in the state (and have physical workers present), then budget shortfalls will increase. I just hope that the state doesn't fleece the rest of us to make up the difference. We are already over-taxed at a time when the economy isn't nearly as good as pundits in Sacramento or Washington D.C. claim.

Discretionary income (money left after paying the costs of living in the state) has shrunk quite a bit over the last few years. Inflation has been higher month-after-month for a couple of years now -- much higher than increases in pay. With higher costs and pay that isn't rising nearly as much, the state needs to place all options on the table EXCEPT fleecing citizens even more. Otherwise, the exodus to taxpayer-friendly states will increase at an even higher rate.

Posted by cheese guy
a resident of Palo Verde
on Jul 18, 2023 at 6:46 am
cheese guy is a registered user.

One major issue not mentioned in this article is that the State is on the verge of the biggest change in mental health civil commitment laws since the 1960's. SB43 (google it and you will find a good LA Times article on it) is going to pass through the legislature as it has bipartisan support and Newsom will sign it. It will significantly broaden the ability to place mentally ill individuals on mental health conservatorships, thus removing many people off the streets and into care and housing. SB43 will explicitly allow the conservatorship of individuals based solely on substance use disorders (not just severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia) and broaden out the criteria for grave disability to include self-harm in areas such as medical ailments. It's a major change and it's going to have to be backed up by treatment and housing. Everything has a cost, and if we really want to address the mentally ill homeless population we are going to have to pay for it now.