Calif. Near Financial Disaster

Car tax, schmar tax. By the time we wake up Monday morning, the State of California may go broke. Of course, leave it to the Dems to point the finger elsewhere:

Democrats see other motives. Some are accusing GOP lawmakers of deliberately dragging their feet on the budget in the hope that will hurt Davis politically and strengthen the recall campaign.

“It’s hard to take Republicans seriously when they say they want a real solution to this budget crisis at the same time some of them are openly backing the recall,” said Roger Salazar, a political adviser to Davis. “They are putting important state programs at risk just out of pure political spite.”

Democrats have retreated recently from some tax proposals but are insisting on a half-cent sales tax increase. Several dozen Democratic legislators even barnstormed Republican districts around the state last week to plead for support but got mostly hostile receptions.

Davis, who left the state this weekend to attend his mother’s 80th birthday celebration in New York, is still expressing optimism that a budget deal can be reached soon, if not by tonight’s constitutional deadline.

“I am doing everything I can to encourage, cajole, persuade, guilt-trip and all the things you do to try to make this happen,” he told reporters last week.

California’s $38 billion deficit is larger than the entire annual budget of any other state except New York. It represents about one-third of the state’s annual spending.

$38 BILLION DOLLARS?!?! What Third World country wouldn’t dream of a budget like that?! Arrgh! How much more money do California Dems want for cryin’ out loud!