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PermalinkThursday, January 24, 2013
Above: California Governor Jerry Brown speaks during a news conference at the Port of Oakland on July 9, 2012 in Oakland, California.
Cheering a California rebound, Gov. Jerry Brown says voter-approved tax increases have put the state on sound financial footing but warns lawmakers that they must be tight-fisted with the government purse strings.
The Democratic governor delivered his third State of the State address Thursday since reclaiming the governor's office. He did so just months after voters approved his Proposition 30, which raised sales and income taxes temporarily.
His speech was filled with the rhetorical gems and historical references that are hallmarks of his addresses, but it did not break new ground.
The main topics Brown addressed — reform of K-12 education funding, the need for the higher education systems to hold down costs, promotion of high-speed rail and water tunnels under the delta — have been addressed previously, including in his budget proposal.
Brown mostly used his speech to congratulate voters and lawmakers for having an optimistic vision of California. The state, he said, "has once again confounded our critics."
Comments
Derek | January 24, 2013 at 12:05 p.m. ― 4 months ago
Somebody on your show claimed that Spain shut down one of its high speed rail lines in order to avoid the need to subsidize it. Which line was this, and when? I hadn't heard this claim before, and I can't find any information about it online.
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CaliforniaDefender | January 24, 2013 at 12:51 p.m. ― 4 months ago
I heard that too, but they left out the details.
Spain already has the largest high-speed network in Europe. The line cut was between two relatively small cities Toledo (pop. 83,000) and Albacete (pop. 170,000), not some big arterial line. Those two cities are already served by high-speed rail via Madrid, so it really isn't a big deal.
High-speed rail is desperately needed in California, but not when unions and the government inflate costs into the stratosphere.
Besides, Brown has no plans, just a lot of empty rhetoric. However, his corrupt Democratic super-majority does have plans to tax Californians into oblivion.
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RegularChristian | January 24, 2013 at 12:54 p.m. ― 4 months ago
Can't wait for our high-speed rail.Let's git-er-dun.
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