by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I swear, I did not make this up. Josh Richman, who writes for some of the Bay Area newspapers, has this sweet little post at his political blog:

A public relations consultant for Frauscher, a European yacht manufacturer, says Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will attend the unveiling of the world's first hybrid yacht engine this Friday morning, May 16, at San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club...

It's just too easy, I can't do it. So, feel free to insert your own funny comment here.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Robert Cruickshank

The AP has gotten a hold of the Governor's May Revise speech and therefore the major budget proposals that are to be unveiled tomorrow. The key elements are described below and over the flip I provide some analysis of each proposal.

• Arnold will float bonds using the state lottery as security. $15 billion over 3 years will be raised but $10 billion goes into "rainy day fund"
• If that fails, 1% sales tax hike to last no more than 3 years
• Prop 98 suspension abandoned; instead COLA will not be paid
• State parks closures abandoned; instead fees to rise $1 to $2
• $6 billion still left to cut or balance out somehow."

Overall thoughts: Here we go again. Arnold Schwarzenegger came to office in the recall of Gray Davis in 2003 promising to solve our state's budget problems once and for all. Instead he immediately blew a $6 billion hole in the budget with the Vehicle License Fee cut and then borrowed to close the rest of the gap - costing the state around $3 billion in annual debt service.

by EmilyDu [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

From the Courage Campaign

The most extreme high priests of the tax cut cult operate right here in

California. Because Democrats do not hold a two-thirds majority in our

state legislature, a small minority of Republicans is able to hold

Californians hostage to a $20 billion state budget deficit, refusing to raise taxes on the super-rich.

It gets worse. Much worse. While California's future is being put in grave jeopardy, the tax cut cult is refusing to close a tax loophole for yacht and private jet owners.

Schools closing. Social services slashed to the bone. And right-wing Republicans are letting the uber-wealthy off tax-free on yacht and private jet purchases. It's no wonder the California Republican Party has been re-branded as the "Yacht Party" by the netroots.

To increase the pressure on Republicans in Sacramento to close this

yacht tax loophole, we need to make this "Yacht Party" brand stick. That's

why the Courage Campaign and California Nurses Association have just

teamed up to produce a new 60-second TV ad that strips naked the

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Legislative leaders have talked about a long hot summer in Sacramento, but I don't think this is what they meant. Check out the latest Courage Campaign "Yacht Party" ad below, but first, here's a letter from Arianna Huffington, including information on how you can get a rush autographed copy of Huffington's latest book, "Right is Wrong":

Dear Friend,

The tax cut cult.

That's what I call Republicans in "Right is Wrong", the new book I just wrote about how the right-wing lunatic fringe has hijacked America.

Unfortunately, the most extreme high priests of the tax cut cult operate right here in California. Because Democrats do not hold a two-thirds majority in our state legislature, a small minority of Republicans is able to hold Californians hostage to a $20 billion state budget deficit, refusing to raise taxes on the super-rich.

It gets worse. Much worse. While California's future is being put in grave jeopardy, the tax cut cult is refusing to close a tax loophole for yacht and private jet owners.
Schools closing. Social services slashed to the bone. And right-wing Republicans are letting the uber-wealthy off tax-free on yacht and private jet purchases. It's no wonder the California Republican Party has been re-branded as the "Yacht Party" by the netroots.

read more »

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

The budget fight has touched just about every single person with an interest in the fiscal policy of the state and that includes strippers, porn stars and others in the adult entertainment industry.  The Democrats are trying to find ways to raise revenue and avoid having to cut even deeper than they already have into essential programs and education funding.  That means "sin taxes" and other sales taxes and fees. LAT:

As state leaders hunt for politically palatable solutions to the swelling budget shortfall, some Democrats are proposing unorthodox ways to generate cash.

Strip clubs, six-packs, grocery bags and iTunes downloads are all in their sights as alternatives to broad income or sales tax hikes. So are gas guzzlers and yachts -- and a tax loophole for criminals.

Despite tough odds of overcoming an oath signed by their Republican colleagues to stop any tax hikes, Democratic lawmakers seem confident that their ideas will carry the day. They predict the public won't stand for painful cuts to schools and healthcare to close a shortfall the governor now pegs as high as $20 billion, and say anti-tax forces will ultimately have to accept that more revenue is needed to bring the state into the black.

This is nothing new.  We are roughly in the same place we were a few months ago, only the deficit is even larger. Flip it.