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Discuss the state budget crisis and May election with U-T editorial writer Chris Reed
 
11:56
Chris Reed -  Hi, welcome to this chat, I'm happy to take your questions on any topic, preferably ones I know something about.
11:56
Chris Reed -  State politics, the special election, etc., are good topics.
12:04
SignOnLiveChatModerator -  Chris, what is the most important item on the ballot in the upcoming election?
12:07
Chris Reed -  It's Prop 1A, which would divert revenue during good years to a "rainy day" fund for use during bad years while extending tax hikes for two years.

Fans say it's an essential reform.

Non-fans (me) say it's not nearly strong enough and has numerous downsides, such as the fact that its companion measure, 1B, would divert $9.3 billion from ever reaching the rainy day fund and give it to schools.

It's insane to not link school funding to reforms. School quality is not a function of school spending. If it were, schools would be far better than they used to be.
12:14
SignOnLiveChatModerator -  Schwarzenneger supports the ballot measures, but his popularity is very low. In 2005 when his popularity was also low, a series of ballot propositions he supported all went down to defeat. Will this May's election be a repeat of 2005?
12:16
Chris Reed -  It will be, but the circumstances are different.

In 2005, Arnold was taking on the Sacramento  establishment -- the dominant Democrats, the media, the unions, the trial lawyers. He proposed several reforms, including a spending cap that would have made the present crisis much less severe. The establishment buried him.

This time, he's with the establishment -- and the public is going to bury him. The mood is very much like 2003.
12:26
Chris Reed -  Some people are online reading -- questions please!
12:27
Chris Reed -  Or comments!
12:28
Chris Reed -  Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
12:29
SignOnLiveChatModerator -  Chris, California seems to be in a perpetual budget crisis. Do you see the current crisis going away when the economy rebounds, or does California need to reform its entire budgeting process?
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