The War Over California - Ross Douthat Blog - NYTimes.com

The War Over California - Ross Douthat Blog - NYTimes.com: "The argument about what went wrong with California is really an argument about the future of America. To the right, the Golden State’s ongoing crisis is a case study in liberal failure: A big-spending state that lived far beyond its means, and let its public-policy priorities be dictated by the appetites of liberal interest groups instead of the common good. To the left, it’s a case study in how a malign nexus of conservative intransigence and institutional sclerosis can thwart good governance. The problem in California isn’t the spending, liberals argue: It’s the supermajority requirements that prevent a liberal majority from raising the taxes necessary to pay for it."
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Why do people think California is the only state going under? Illinois isn't far behind California. Neither are New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Ohio, and a few others. If you take them all together, I think some common factors are obvious:

1. Federal unfunded mandates in education, health, and other social services can be devastating to state and local governments that have to serve a large low-income population.
2. States with powerful public employee unions have been forced into assuming crippling pension and health care burdens.
3. The major sources of revenue relied upon by state and local governments are political dynamite. Property taxation has been a source of voter revolt for 30 years. Sales tax increases drive business elsewhere and in any event these revenues decline in recession. And just begin the conversation about increasing state income tax and watch the fireworks.
4. And the neat little privatization and special district gimmicks that state and local governments have been using--CIDs, TIFs, SIDS, SADS, BIDs, etc.--are proving to be short term wonders and long term problems.

The recession made things worse, but a whole lot of states were already in big, big structural trouble.

Recession Slows Growth of Population in Sun Belt - NYTimes.com

Recession Slows Growth of Population in Sun Belt - NYTimes.com: "States in the South and the West that grew by exceptional leaps and bounds during the real estate boom of just a few years ago are now experiencing sharply slower growth in population, the Census Bureau said Wednesday."
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May as well stay put here in the snow belt, says I.

Seven-year-old caught ploughing in Germany - Yahoo! News

Seven-year-old caught ploughing in Germany - Yahoo! News: "BERLIN (AFP) – A seven-year-old boy was stopped by police in northern Germany while trying to plough snow with a front loader he borrowed from his parents' business, authorities said."
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See what happens when you try to take a little initiative?

Ancient Homeowner Association Rules | Arts & Culture | Smithsonian Magazine

Ancient Homeowner Association Rules | Arts & Culture | Smithsonian Magazine: "In the interests of achieving a pleasing harmony and a clene appearance for the community, the colour of the exterior of each abode shall not be changed without leve. If leve be granted, the abode may then be peynted only with one of the following colours: riverbed clay grey, cow dung brown or farm field burnt umber."
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Thanks to Shu for locating this fascinating piece of ancient urban archaeology.

State can no longer leave colleges in 'crisis mode' :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Commentary

State can no longer leave colleges in 'crisis mode' :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Commentary: "Here are some of the numbers: The state is in arrears $445 million to the University of Illinois system, $125 million to Southern Illinois University, $37 million to Northern Illinois University and $28 million to Western Illinois University. The state's other universities are in similar straits.

As a short-term solution, the universities have imposed hiring freezes, used up reserves and delayed paying vendors. They are considering furloughs and layoffs. At WIU, President Al Goldfarb said the school has even postponed repairing an elevator in the university's library to help save enough money to meet the payroll.

'All of the state's universities are in crisis mode right now,' said SIU President Glenn Poshard."
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I keep hearing all this Obama/Democratic Party rhetoric about how the recession is over and the recovery is under way. This is just one example of many institutions in this society that are in an untenable position. It isn't a temporary thing. It is a structural thing. And the same can be said of many, many cities and counties and even states.

School Board sues lawmaker over rent :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education

School Board sues lawmaker over rent :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education: "State Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) has been occupying a rent-free Chicago Board of Education building for seven years and owes more than $500,000 in rent, leaseholder taxes and penalties on it, a new report by the schools inspector general indicated Monday."
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What a surprise to see that "(D-Chicago)" thing after her name.

Small-business bankruptcies rise 81% in California -- latimes.com

Small-business bankruptcies rise 81% in California -- latimes.com: "As credit lines have shrunk and consumers have cut back on spending, thousands of small businesses have closed their doors over the last year. The plight of struggling firms has been aggravated by the reluctance of banks to lend money, said Brian Headd, an economist at the Small Business Administration's office of advocacy.

'While bankruptcies are up, overall, small-business closures are up even more,' Headd said."
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But this article starts off with the party line about how the rest of the economy is "stabilizing." I just don't see it. Government budgets at all levels are in terrible shape. The stimulus created a small improvement in unemployment, but when that wears off, what then? You can't get the economy going by borrowing money from the Chinese to fix potholes.

Left To Die: Did Off-Duty NYC EMTs Refuse To Help? - wcbstv.com

Left To Die: Did Off-Duty NYC EMTs Refuse To Help? - wcbstv.com: "Dead is 25-year-old Eutisha Rennix, who was six months pregnant. She was a cashier at a bakery in downtown Brooklyn, near the fire department's headquarters. The victim's family said Eutisha Rennix suffered shortness of breath and collapsed with two off-duty EMTs in the store buying breakfast. 'After she collapsed they asked for help. They were told, call it in … because they were on a break. They got their bagels and coffee and left,' Cynthia Rennix said."
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Your stimulus package dollars at work.

Las Vegas Woman Victim of Foreclosure Mistake - Las Vegas Now

Las Vegas Woman Victim of Foreclosure Mistake - Las Vegas Now: "As Mauck walks around her now empty condo, she can't help but remember how things used to look. Every room in the home is empty and Mauck says the reason is a mistake of address numbers. Her address is 1157, which is close to 1156, a condo that is in foreclosure."
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They "trashed out" the wrong condo--meaning "the Brenkus Team of Keller and Williams Realty" threw away every single thing she owned. And now of course they are disputing her claim concerning how much they owe her, and won't talk to the press about it.

10 Housing Markets Where Prices Have Gone Up - Yahoo! Real Estate

10 Housing Markets Where Prices Have Gone Up - Yahoo! Real Estate: "The ten metro areas that enjoyed the greatest home-price increases over the past year (through June 30, 2009) largely missed the housing boom and didn't indulge in subprime-lending excesses.

With no boom, these cities had no need to bust. Instead, their housing markets have plugged along at 4% annual price appreciation, below the national average of 6% annually between 1968 and 2008, according to the National Association of Realtors. Most of these areas are relatively small, with populations less than 200,000."
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Texarkana, here I come. Not.

Sacramento's fast-tracking of projects hits snag - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Sacramento's fast-tracking of projects hits snag - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee: "Underfunded cities and counties have struggled to keep up with demand for residential and commercial inspections and plan reviews. And owners of large projects have long chafed at too much oversight and burdensome delays.

That conflict helped produce the city's fast-track program. And while the idea of green-lighting some makeovers with only verbal authority alarmed some people, the plan's backers said the program did not compromise public safety or work quality."
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Oh, no. Of course not. Perish the thought.

A power struggle in Carson -- latimes.com

A power struggle in Carson -- latimes.com: "Southern California churns with homeowner association disputes, but the one that has consumed a sprawling complex of town homes in Carson is in a whole different stratosphere -- disputed elections, a city official threatened with arrest and armed guards stationed at the association headquarters. Even the Boys and Girls Club got caught in the middle."
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link to another example of HOA dysfunction.