In view of the California Budget shortfall ("crisis" in politicianese), one living away from the Golden State must wonder how safe from either route or frequency cuts is the existing Amtrak California service.
Second only to the Northeast Corridor, this is a meaningful service enjoying a high level of public acceptance and to me is what 21st century intercity passenger railroading is all about.
So far, there has been no mention of cuts to the subsidies for the Amtrak California trains. Compared to other issues in the state, it is miniscule. In fact, before Amtrak's voodoo economics were revised, the San Diego trains more than covered their full operating costs, and I think it is still near 90%. The San Joquin train are some where comfortably above 50% and the "Capital Corridor" between San Jose / Oakland and Sacramento just under 50%. The ridership on all is reasonably good, and sold out trains are common at peak periods.
The NYT version of the California issues appears to miss the mark in many ways. This state knows how to waste money on almost everything it does in a big way. The educational system's per pupil costs are about the highest in the nation (I do not have exact figures at hand).
Some of the practices of the highway department nere (Caltrans as they call it) simply leave my jaw hanging.
As for the state legislature, the people of this state rightfully distrust it. Putting the inmates in charge of the asylum is about the best that can be said for them. These people never saw a spending program they did not like, which is the primary reason behind the various tax ceiling initiatives. As to property taxes being "lower than average," I have no idea where they got that. Conficatory is the term that comes more to mind. Maybe low compared to New York. Sales taxes are about as high as anywhere, and that includes states that have no income tax at all, much less one of the highest in the nation.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Concerning the NYT statement to the effect that taxes in California are not that high:
According to a graph in a Yahoo news article that was attributed to the Tax Foundation, whoever that is, California state and local taxes combined are about 10.5% of average personal income in the state versus 9.7% of average personal income nationwide. Thus, state and local taxes in California are 8.2% higher than natioally. Remember, the average includes the high taxed states in the northeast such as New York and Taxatuchetts.
Note: edited to clarify that the percentage is on personal income.
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
California is also aggressive in trying to reach out and touch former residents.
Dad has not lived in California since 1979. By 1981, he surrendered his CPA license in California (having finally obtained his Nevada license ... it was a political issue which held him up). Even so, California income tax people hounded him for years, because he had been a resident.
There's a reason they call the California Revenoooers the "State Board of Equalization." Income redistribution, anyone?
Of course, if Amtrak California is making money, it will soon have its coffers raided ... just as the Counties are having their coffers raided.
Posted by RR4me (Member # 6052) on :
I agree with George Harris that Amtrak is probably under the radar for cuts. Mr. Harris' comments coupled with some from the article illustrate some issues. Significant education cuts are being made, yet we spend large amoutns per pupil. Most folks have a right to ask, "therefore, is the money being spent wisely?" Tom Campbell, an itinerant polictian, once wrote an excellent essay measuring the costs of doing business in Silicon Valley against the much higher costs claimed for education, and asked anyone in the State Education bureaucracy to respond. No one did or could. I won't even get started on the public employee unions and the insidious creep of their benefit plans. Initiatives, term limits, and gerrymandering have all but ruined California. I urge everyone I can to decline to state any party affiliation as one small way to strike back. OK, EOR (end of rant)
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
"Tom Campbell, an itinerant polictian, once wrote an excellent essay measuring the costs of doing business in Silicon Valley against the much higher costs claimed for education,"
I happen to know a man here that operates a drywall business, and this sort of thing came up in a conversation we had a few weeks ago. I was making a comment about some of the the things I saw going on in a certain agency here (not the one that I am primarily involved in) and he made the statement that, for work in a school building to their standards he had to charge roughly three times what he charged for the same sort of work in a private building that was completely compliant with the building code due to the strange and unnecessary requirements (he gave some examples) in the education department's specifications.
"I won't even get started on the public employee unions and the insidious creep of their benefit plans."
Just read up on the negotiations between BART and their labor unions currently happening.
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
It's certainly a troubled paradise, to be sure. The current political climate is not taking the State in directions I would like to see it go; I do vote regularly, but my candidates rarely win. One of the last good things (and there is fierce argument about this too) is our Proposition 13; which keeps residential property taxes from skyrocketing; has a 1% yearly raise limit (if I'm correct.) So those of us in the same house for a long time retain a low tax rate; once the house sells, it's reassessed at the current rates for the new owner. My little house has been in the family since 1955-- so here I shall stay. It's possible that 13 may be revised or even abolished in the future-- doing so is kind of a 'holy grail' for our progressive politicians. To your original question GBN-- Amtrak CA appears 'under the radar' as the other posters have said-- I bet some of the 'Surfs" are full today, with the opening of the Del Mar racing season.