Word: californiaisms
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...plan settles a dispute between the state of California and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that dates back to George W. Bush's White House. Under the Clean Air Act, California has the right to enforce air-pollution standards that are tougher than the rest of the nation's rules - provided the EPA gives it a waiver. In the past, such waivers had been all but automatic - but when California tried to pass stricter emissions standards for vehicles, the Bush EPA balked, setting up a string of legal battles. California pressed its right to green its millions of cars...
More expert organizations warn that even with the passage of the financial propositions, the future would bring more headaches. The League of Women Voters says that Prop 1A would "make it more difficult for future governors and legislatures to enact budgets that meet California's needs and address state priorities" and "could lock in a reduced level of public services by not taking proper account of the state's changing demographics and actual growth in costs." The Legislative Analyst wrote, "The fiscal effects of Proposition 1A are particularly difficult to assess...
Early in his term, Schwarzenegger tried to pass a series of conservative reform initiatives only to be soundly defeated by liberals led by the powerful California Teachers Association (CTA). This time around Schwarzenegger has let the CTA and other interest groups lead the effort to pass the budget measures. But the relatively few voters following the arguments largely remain skeptical of the proponents' basic message: "Trust us, these measures will fix the problem...
...electorate that rallied behind superhero Arnold Schwarzenegger in the recall election in 2003 mostly views him as part of the Sacramento problem he had promised to fix. The most recent survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found Schwarzenegger's approval rating among likely voters under 35%, while the state legislature is seen in a favorable light by only one in five voters. (See pictures of the career of California's First Lady Maria Shriver...
When times are good, California's diverse economy generates ample tax dollars, especially from income taxes on high earners. But when times are bad, the state's overreliance on income taxes can push the state's finances quickly into the red. Whatever the outcome of Tuesday's vote, Californians are bracing for sharp cuts in programs and services from their state government - and they will have to figure out how to recover from this fiscal earthquake...