California vs. Texas

[Howard Jones]

49th in reading scores
48th in math..............................and wait for it.............

Number 1 in average teachers salaries................BAMB!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

49th in reading scores
48th in math..............................and wait for it.............

Number 1 in average teachers salaries................BAMB!!!!!!!!!!

Now that is interesting, throwing money at something doesn't necessarily work!

 

[Howard Jones]

Oh and if you really want to know how bad it is in California

2011 CalFacts

 

[Howard Jones]

I leave it to Jim to tell us why we need to raise taxes and spend more money.

 

[Jack]

Don't forget to have your Liberals spayed or neutered !

 

[Jim Craik]

So let me see if I understand what you are saying.

In a discussion about the quality of education in California.......

If you ignore CA having by far more top rated Universities than any other state.

If you ignore the fact that our high schools were rated #1

If you ignore the fact that California has by far the highest number of childeren where English is not spoken at home......

And if you ignore the very high cost of living in California...........

If you ignore all that, you might not understand why CA reading scores were low and Teachers pay is high.


Now, how can California have such low grammar school scores yet have such sucess at the High School and University level?

As they say on "Jeopardy"........What is Education?

 

[Jim Craik]

Here is more good news:

From Bloomberg/Business Week

Jerry Brown is a happy man who rarely smiles, but lately he has been smiling. A lot of people are saying that, now that he’s done what was long assumed impossible: balance the California budget.

This is California, the Greece of America, the liberal state that wants to spend on everything and the libertarian state that won’t pay for anything.

When Brown took office two years ago, the state had a $27 billion deficit. Standard & Poor’s (MHP) rated California’s credit the worst of the 50 states, and 24/7 Wall St. ranked it as the worst-run state in its 2011 and 2012 surveys.

This year, California will have an $850 million budget surplus in the coming fiscal year. Unemployment, which peaked at 12.4 percent just before Brown took office, is 9.4 percent. S&P has upgraded its outlook on the state.

 

[marc]

Jim,
The weather in Saratoga must be affecting your brain. Do you enjoy paying higher taxes? Are you getting better bang for your buck from California higher cost of living? Does 9.4 unemployment sound like good news to you? How did it go down, they left California? How's your gas prices? Still over $4 a gallon? Are you implying that you have too many illegal immigrants in your school systems that bring the numbers down? How is that medical marijuana going? I guess if you can get a prescription for that, nothing else matters?

 

[Larry L.]

"When Brown took office two years ago, the state had a $27 billion deficit. Standard & Poor’s (MHP) rated California’s credit the worst of the 50 states, and 24/7 Wall St. ranked it as the worst-run state in its 2011 and 2012 surveys.

This year, California will have (WILL have? Or they 'predict'/'hope'/'are counting on'?) an $850 million budget surplus in the coming fiscal year. Unemployment, which peaked at 12.4 percent just before Brown took office, is 9.4 percent (REAL numbers? REAL full time jobs? Or part time minimum wage jobs? Do the figures reflect all the people who've stopped looking for work - or have simply left the state?)."

I noticed you left out what was said afterward: "Confidence remains fragile, according to a survey of 1,142 large and small business leaders conducted by the California Business Roundtable: More than six out of 10 say it’s STILL HARDER TO DO BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA than in other states. But 24 percent of businesses say they >PLAN< to add jobs this year, compared with 16 percent that intend to cut them.

'Projections' and 'plans' are one thing. What actually happens - and often does where govt is concerned - could be quite another. IOW the jury is still out with regard to whether or not Cali is actually climbing out of its financial hole.

It might help to remember that Obama said if the spendulus bill were passed now, now, NOW unemployment wouldn't exceed 8%. Reality? It hit a high of 10.2%. He said Obamacare would lower med ins prems by $2500 for the average family. He said if we wanted to keep our doctors/plans we COULD - P-E-R-I-O-D. I don't think I need to rehash what has actually turned out to be the case there. The list of shortfalls is almost endless.

Again, Cali's pie-in-the-sky projections may or may not prove to be reality. E.g.: It's completely bogus for anyone to claim Cali "WILL" have a surplus of any amount., etc.

 

[Mesa]

49th in reading scores
48th in math..............................and wait for it.............

Number 1 in average teachers salaries................BAMB!!!!!!!!!!

Oh cummon little Buddy lets not just pick on teachers, there are MANY government sector jobs that have similar pay schedules!!!

Is that adjusted for the fact it takes a stupid amount of money just to buy a shack here?
Does the lack of performance take into account that there is no discipline in schools now? Does it take into account some "parents" expect the school system to raise their kids....... oh but don't actually punish them for anything......and lets not forget EVERYBODY is a winner here! YAY...

 

[Jim Craik]

Jim,
The weather in Saratoga must be affecting your brain. Do you enjoy paying higher taxes? Are you getting better bang for your buck from California higher cost of living? Does 9.4 unemployment sound like good news to you? How did it go down, they left California? How's your gas prices? Still over $4 a gallon? Are you implying that you have too many illegal immigrants in your school systems that bring the numbers down? How is that medical marijuana going? I guess if you can get a prescription for that, nothing else matters?

Marc,

Tell us more about how good the Cowboys were back in the 1900's and your rich racing haritage.

Yes, it very expensive to live here in California, many just cant make a go of it.

I really glad that there is a nice place for those who are not quite successful enough to make it in California.

 

[Howard Jones]

Balanced ya say?

So I run up my credit cards to a balance that it is so far beyond what I can afford that I can't pay the service on the debt, let alone every hope to pay down the balance, then ignore the loan payments when I do my annual budget..........................bingo......... balanced budget................demo style! Right?

I know WHY California schools are AFUed, I'm not debating that. It's just one thing on the long list of the reasons people are leaving California.

 

[Howard Jones]

Forgot this

Dan Walters: Is California's new budget balanced? Not really - Dan Walters - The Sacramento Bee

 

[Howard Jones]

and these

Jerry Brown Stands Atop California's Collapsing House Of Cards - Forbes

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2013/0206/California-s-balanced-budget-Hold-the-applause.

California's Balanced Budget: Not as Good as It Looks | National Review Online

Gov. Brown Uses Tricks to 'Balance' CA Budget

If you really what to see how bad it is, just try to balance the budget without raising tax's AGAIN in the highest taxed state in the country.

Remember, anything you raise taxes on you get less of, including the number of people paying taxes.

It's not now bad it is now, it's how bad it's going to get.

 

[Howard Jones]

Here give it a try.

California Budget Balancer - California budget, california deficit, jerry brown budget - latimes.com - latimes.com

 

[Jim Craik]

Gee Howie,

You live in California, you know that we just finished two terms with a Republican Actor playing Governor.

He was actually the second Republican actor we have had play Governor, and although its hard to believe this last one was even worse than the first.

But dont worry, we now have a very smart Governor who is well on his way to correcting the mess left by the latest Actor/Republican.

Sparky, You seem perplexed, you just cant figure out how the states with the highest cost of living could also have the highest taxes............who would think?

Yes we pay alot in taxes, as you know We have several Silicon Valley properties including our main home on 15 acres, our property tax alone would curl your toes. I bet just our property tax is higher than most people make, but I'm OK with that.

We as a State just voted in a Tax increase, I think it important to pay for what we receive.

But we knew that going in, living in Paradise does cost much more than almost anywhere else. We could have retired and lived like Kings in Texas long ago........its all a matter of priorities.

But the nice thing about the Silicon Valley is the almost unlimited opportunity to make more than enough to cover the high costs, the people are smart and the work fascinating.

Now as you know, not everyone who lives here or grew up here has the ability to remain here, I went to my 40th High School Reunion, I would guess that 90% no longer live in the Bay Area.

Some can make it here and some can't, but one thing I have learned in my 60 years of living in The Valley,.................the ones that can make it here absolutly LOVE it!

The ones that can't are also the ones who find fault with EVERYTHING and EVERYONE except their own inability to make proper choices.

 

[Mesa]

Wow, harsh. And I thought we were all tree huggers here? Its easy to find fault when the government wants to give it all away to those who didn't make any of it. And of course it's the % tax not the outright total tax dollars. Since we already make a ton of money here (just to survive) at a "normal" tax rate we would already be paying the most of any state in total dollars, so remind me again why we also need to have the highest % tax rate as well.

So are you suggesting if you can't make enough dough to stay you should go? Well THAT statement actually enacted would take a hell of a load off the social services budget don't you think?

And 'ol Jerry doesn't have ANY surplus, maybe he is better than the Govenator but still, thats a lot of bong hits away from saying with a straight face "we have a surplus".

 

[Steve]

Wow, Jim, sounds like you want to run off all of the people who don't make a lot of money and keep CA for the wealthy. Not very inclusive of you.....

 

[Jim Craik]

I suppose if you are a cynic you could paint it that way, but really Steve, that we have here is natural-selection-Captialism of the highest order.

Success in the Valley has little to do with age, sex, color, nationality, looks, accent, golf score, how you dress...............or even education, no one cares.

This is a free market, the old rules are gone.

You go to lunch a "Bucks", the folksy dinner in Woodside where Venture Capitaist eat and deal......you'll see Investor/Capitalists in serious discussions ranging from old Indian men in suits, to nerds to kids in shorts and hoodies.

Once you get past the first door, its down to what you can contribute. The valley is a small place things happen fast, people move from company to company, if you have an ability and a people know, you can always find work.....and a raise.

 

[Steve]

Got it. So CA is for the successful and TX is for the losers who couldn't make it in CA.

I only wish I was as rich and successful as you and your Valley friends so I could afford your liberal idealism (and taxes). Unfortunately I'm just a measly orthopaedic surgeon putting hands back on and stuff.....