NNY S2k

I don't know how long many of those state employees will continue to work when they don't have money to put gas in their vehicles to get to work.

Jet sitter

My cousin overpaid her California taxes last year, she received an IOU. She said that she has little hope that she will ever be paid.

2KIS2K

So far we haven't been threatened with that. We have been threatened with Federal minimum wage which is less than California minimum wage. Some of us counter offer with Federal minimum work for minimum wage.

Morris

She should underpay her Calif tax for 2009 by the amount of the IOU and send back the IOU next April, if it hasn't been cashed. (It probably will be by then)

RC - Ryder

Things are bad allright and likely will get worse, as talking heads predict 4-5 years before an economic turn-around. Other than reduced tax income, the states are suffering the consequences of forever basing next year's budget on last year's bloated budget. Since the 70's the states have increased their workforce by 250-300%, a huge part of the budget. Most of the additional employees over that period of time are somehow occupied in securing us, regulating us, overseeing us, watching us, taxing us, counting us, reviewing us, keeping track of us, double checking us, investigating us, monitoring us, searching for us, communicating with us, screening us, automating us, testing us, sending stuff to us, relieving us of our property and wealth, assessing us, and providing an endless array of new and additional services, whether we want them or not. Yada, Yada, Yada. In times like this, they need to downsize by at least 50%, cut their payroll instead of ours, and give US all a break!

Jet sitter

That's a great idea, but she has retired and now lives in Idaho. She was lucky enough to sell her home 4 years ago, when the prices were high. She rented a 500 sq ft apartment for the last years that she worked in California. She went back to the home that she sold 4 years ago and found that the prices have dropped more than 50%. Also, people are moving into neighboring homes that have been foreclosed on. Not a pretty picture.

Jet sitter

Also, people are moving into neighboring homes that have been foreclosed on. Not a pretty picture.
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Just to clarify, these homes are not being purchased, they are being lived in by "homesteaders." It is so prevalent that the police can even begin to evict the homesteaders.

mikegarrison

"Homesteaders" being a new name for "squatters"?

Jet sitter

Squatters is what they are. She called them homesteaders. I don't know if that is what they call them in California.

RC - Ryder

I think PA and other states, either has an obligation to pay their workers, furlough their workers, or permanently seperate their workers.