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Bad schools, DMV, poor road maintenance, failing dams, poor water supply, one party rule, over regulated housing market, HSR, and unfunded pensions are some exa

Bad schools, DMV, poor road maintenance, failing dams, poor water supply, one party rule, over regulated housing market, HSR, and unfunded pensions are some examples of dysfunctional California.

ryandrake 8y ago
Despite having the highest state income taxes in the country. Where does it all go?
- californio 8y ago
  In broad strokes, California's top spending is on Education, Healthcare, and Transportation. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, within those categories there are glaring examples of abuse... Transportation We're currently $37.3b over budget on a "bullet train" (in quotes because much of the track can't run faster than current trains in those areas). And despite having nearly doubled its budget almost before it laid any track, the recently released plan by the commission acknowledges that it still doesn't have enough money to complete a Bay Area <-> Bakersfield first leg. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-train-slow-track-20180315-story.html http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-train-s... A little while back, we also replaced part of a bridge for $6.5b despite early estimates indicating it would be less than $1b. https://www.citylab.com/equity/2015/10/from-250-million-to-65-billion-the-bay-bridge-cost-overrun/410254/ https://www.citylab.com/equity/2015/10/from-250-million-to-6... Education University of California chancellor ran a hidden account with $175m in it while pulling out her pockets and claiming they couldn't educate the students any more. https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/25/california-auditor-slams-uc-presidents-office-over-175-million-in-hidden-funds/ https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/25/california-auditor-sl... The previous UC Chancellor at Davis was booted from office for misappropriating funds, but she's also still on the payroll and making as much as she did while chancellor... which, by the way is $400k+ http://www.slate.com/articles/life/moneybox/2012/03/uc_davis_chancellor_linda_katehi_s_salary_makes_her_a_member_of_the_1_percent_.html http://www.slate.com/articles/life/moneybox/2012/03/uc_davis... Health I can't think of glaring abuses of the healthcare system off the top of my head, but it's worth noting that California has the largest population of homeless people in the US (and while most states' homeless numbers are shrinking, California's is growing) and, being a border state, a higher number of illegal immigrants than most states. Ignoring any political discussion about those groups, they both incur a disproportionate cost on healthcare as they are either incapable or disallowed from buying insurance policies yet they still need and receive healthcare.
- claydavisss 8y ago
  CALPERS...this is the black hole of the state budget by a mile.
gamblor956 8y ago
On a list of the best public schools in the US, half are located in California. There are 49 other states. The DMV has counterparts in every state. If you have an appointment or visit a less-busy office, you can be in and out in under half an hour once every few years. California has more miles of roads than any other state except for Texas, and our roads get used by millions more people than the Texas roads do. More use = more wear and tear. Failing dams. The Oroville dam failed because it was damaged by a storm. While it was being repaired, historic levels of monsoon rains flooded the reservoir behind it, requiring the use of the spillway at volumes it was not designed to handle. However, subsequent investigations revealed that the problem was not as bad as feared due to features of the dam dating back to its construction that had been forgotten in the interrim. Poor water supply. Citation needed. LA has plenty of water. SF's source of water is so pure it doesn't even need to filter it. If we weren't exporting so much alfalfa and almonds, we wouldn't have a water crisis in the state. Literally 80% of California's water supply goes to agricultural needs (40% of California's total water). Those farmers are protected by a labyrinth of state and federal laws, centuries-old contracts, and interstate compacts. One party rule has been a good thing for California. We have a surplus. Growing business, growing tourism, lower unemployment, lower crime. Over regulated housing market. Citation needed. Every part of California that isn't the Bay Area is building housing just fine. (LA is on track to build several hundred thousand new units of housing from 2015 through 2020.) The problem is that so many people want to live in California that we can't keep up--there simply aren't the construction workers to build the houses/condos/apartments that we need to build to keep up with demand. HSR. Yes, we have this thing. Unfunded pensions. True, we have $333 billion of unfunded pension liabilities. But we can pay 69% of promised benefits, and unlike other states, California's public pensions can be reduced by legislative action, so the problem is one of political unwillingness rather than an actual crisis. (And you better believe that if a politician is faced with increasing taxes versus cutting pensions, they're going to cut pensions.)
- claydavisss 8y ago
  > Poor water supply. Citation needed You cannot be serious. Why do you think Brown is proposing the Delta Tunnel project? Because the state basically lurches from water crisis to water crisis. Need a citation? Call your governor.
dmode 8y ago
1. California is home to the best public universities in the country 2. DMV - I will give you that, but honestly I never have an issue with it. Everything is online, and the last time I went to a DMV was 5 yrs back 3. Failing dams - there was literally one dam that failed due to an extraordinary storm. You are reaching there 4. Poor water supply - not sure what this means. Quality of water is so good, that I always drink directly from the tap. Unlike in many parts of the country. 5. One party rule - they are democratically elected, and California has very strong direct democracy as well. Besides, most states in US are one party rule. Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, Utah etc. etc. 6. Housing - sure, but we already have 40 million people, some of the densest urban areas, and heavy traffic. Pushback is to be expected on new housing 7. HSR - I love it. Connecting rural areas to urban areas through modern transport will unlock the American economy like no other. Think about it - why are we restricted to living within 30 miles of our work in the 21st century. I had a team member in China, who daily commuted 150 miles one way to Shanghai in a HSR. 8. Unfunded pensions - this is a new talking point. Has very little impact on state finances.

Bad schools, DMV, poor road maintenance, failing dams, poor water supply, one party rule, over regulated housing market, HSR, and unfunded pensions are some examples of dysfunctional California.

ryandrake 8y ago

Despite having the highest state income taxes in the country. Where does it all go?

californio 8y ago
In broad strokes, California's top spending is on Education, Healthcare, and Transportation. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, within those categories there are glaring examples of abuse... Transportation We're currently $37.3b over budget on a "bullet train" (in quotes because much of the track can't run faster than current trains in those areas). And despite having nearly doubled its budget almost before it laid any track, the recently released plan by the commission acknowledges that it still doesn't have enough money to complete a Bay Area <-> Bakersfield first leg. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-train-slow-track-20180315-story.html http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-train-s... A little while back, we also replaced part of a bridge for $6.5b despite early estimates indicating it would be less than $1b. https://www.citylab.com/equity/2015/10/from-250-million-to-65-billion-the-bay-bridge-cost-overrun/410254/ https://www.citylab.com/equity/2015/10/from-250-million-to-6... Education University of California chancellor ran a hidden account with $175m in it while pulling out her pockets and claiming they couldn't educate the students any more. https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/25/california-auditor-slams-uc-presidents-office-over-175-million-in-hidden-funds/ https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/25/california-auditor-sl... The previous UC Chancellor at Davis was booted from office for misappropriating funds, but she's also still on the payroll and making as much as she did while chancellor... which, by the way is $400k+ http://www.slate.com/articles/life/moneybox/2012/03/uc_davis_chancellor_linda_katehi_s_salary_makes_her_a_member_of_the_1_percent_.html http://www.slate.com/articles/life/moneybox/2012/03/uc_davis... Health I can't think of glaring abuses of the healthcare system off the top of my head, but it's worth noting that California has the largest population of homeless people in the US (and while most states' homeless numbers are shrinking, California's is growing) and, being a border state, a higher number of illegal immigrants than most states. Ignoring any political discussion about those groups, they both incur a disproportionate cost on healthcare as they are either incapable or disallowed from buying insurance policies yet they still need and receive healthcare.
claydavisss 8y ago
CALPERS...this is the black hole of the state budget by a mile.

gamblor956 8y ago

On a list of the best public schools in the US, half are located in California. There are 49 other states. The DMV has counterparts in every state. If you have an appointment or visit a less-busy office, you can be in and out in under half an hour once every few years. California has more miles of roads than any other state except for Texas, and our roads get used by millions more people than the Texas roads do. More use = more wear and tear. Failing dams. The Oroville dam failed because it was damaged by a storm. While it was being repaired, historic levels of monsoon rains flooded the reservoir behind it, requiring the use of the spillway at volumes it was not designed to handle. However, subsequent investigations revealed that the problem was not as bad as feared due to features of the dam dating back to its construction that had been forgotten in the interrim. Poor water supply. Citation needed. LA has plenty of water. SF's source of water is so pure it doesn't even need to filter it. If we weren't exporting so much alfalfa and almonds, we wouldn't have a water crisis in the state. Literally 80% of California's water supply goes to agricultural needs (40% of California's total water). Those farmers are protected by a labyrinth of state and federal laws, centuries-old contracts, and interstate compacts. One party rule has been a good thing for California. We have a surplus. Growing business, growing tourism, lower unemployment, lower crime. Over regulated housing market. Citation needed. Every part of California that isn't the Bay Area is building housing just fine. (LA is on track to build several hundred thousand new units of housing from 2015 through 2020.) The problem is that so many people want to live in California that we can't keep up--there simply aren't the construction workers to build the houses/condos/apartments that we need to build to keep up with demand. HSR. Yes, we have this thing. Unfunded pensions. True, we have $333 billion of unfunded pension liabilities. But we can pay 69% of promised benefits, and unlike other states, California's public pensions can be reduced by legislative action, so the problem is one of political unwillingness rather than an actual crisis. (And you better believe that if a politician is faced with increasing taxes versus cutting pensions, they're going to cut pensions.)

claydavisss 8y ago
> Poor water supply. Citation needed You cannot be serious. Why do you think Brown is proposing the Delta Tunnel project? Because the state basically lurches from water crisis to water crisis. Need a citation? Call your governor.

dmode 8y ago

1. California is home to the best public universities in the country 2. DMV - I will give you that, but honestly I never have an issue with it. Everything is online, and the last time I went to a DMV was 5 yrs back 3. Failing dams - there was literally one dam that failed due to an extraordinary storm. You are reaching there 4. Poor water supply - not sure what this means. Quality of water is so good, that I always drink directly from the tap. Unlike in many parts of the country. 5. One party rule - they are democratically elected, and California has very strong direct democracy as well. Besides, most states in US are one party rule. Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, Utah etc. etc. 6. Housing - sure, but we already have 40 million people, some of the densest urban areas, and heavy traffic. Pushback is to be expected on new housing 7. HSR - I love it. Connecting rural areas to urban areas through modern transport will unlock the American economy like no other. Think about it - why are we restricted to living within 30 miles of our work in the 21st century. I had a team member in China, who daily commuted 150 miles one way to Shanghai in a HSR. 8. Unfunded pensions - this is a new talking point. Has very little impact on state finances.