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Line 25: − − ==Economy== − The economy has been badly battered by the [[Recession of 2008]], especially by the collapse of the state's [[housing bubble]]. Unemployment in August 2009 reached 12.2%, the highest since 1940. Homebuilding this year is less than a quarter of what it was in 2005, and 500,000 of the state's job losses have been in construction, finance, real estate and industries related to construction. The state budget is in crisis, because it relied heavily on personal income taxes. The financial collapse greatly reduced personal wealth of rich Californians, and job losses related to the housing bust combined to sharply reduce that source of revenue. After bitter debate in the legislature a budget was passed in July 2009. It closed a roughly $24 billion two-year gap with extensive cuts to social services, parks and education, which in turn reduced consumer spending among laid off and furloughed government workers.Also greatly damaging the economy is their very [[socialist]] nature, being a state in which welfare is easy to come by increasing mass numbers of homeless how live to drink and get high − − ==Another budget crisis== − An ugly budget crisis in 2009 was resolved after months of squabbling, with budget cuts, accounting gimmicks, and new taxes. The legislature in 2009 cut billions from education, healthcare and social services while temporarily hiking income, sales and vehicle taxes. The 2010 budget deficit is projected at $21 billion which must be closed somehow. − − Suggested solutions include raising tobacco taxes; cutting pensions for retired public workers; repealing corporate tax breaks passed in 2008 and 2009; revising the tax rules for commercial and residential property; reducing the 2/3 legislative vote needed to pass a budget; and strengthening the firewall that protects local government and transportation money from being raided by the state. "There's a lot of people putting chess pieces on the board right now," said Jon Coupal, president of the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. "The question is which of those chess pieces will be moving."<ref>Shane Goldmacher, "California faces a projected deficit of $21 billion," [https://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget-deficit18-2009nov18,0,7647152.story ''LosAngeles Times'' Nov. 18, 2009]</ref> Line 49:
Line 41: − − ==Business climate== − California scores poorly in state ratings of business climate. In a CNBC survey, it ranked 32nd overall but last in "cost of business" and 49th in "business friendliness." IT (Intel, Google, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Apple, Yahoo!) and biotechnology remain strengths, but some traditional industries are struggling. High costs, as well as tax breaks from other states, have caused movie studios to shift production from California. In 1996, feature films involved 14,500 production days in Los Angeles County; in 2008, the total had fallen in half. Businessmen both in California and those who have moved out of the state have said that California has declared war on its own economy, with Los Angeles and San Francisco taking particular delight in job-killing legislation. − − ==Budget Crises== − The state has had two severe budget crises in 2009, caused by high spending, a plunge in tax revenue (caused by the decline in income of the wealthy who pay most of the taxes), and a refusal of enough Republicans to provide the two-thirds majority in the legislature needed to raise taxes. Long term borrowing is not allowed—the state has to balance its budget annually, but many gimmicks are used. − − With a $26 billion deficit in its $92 billion budget, the state ran out of money and issued IOU's (warrants) before the solution was reached: massive spending cuts. In February 2009, the Legislature raised the state sales tax, bringing the total—including local sales taxes—to about 9 cents or more. Top income tax rates, already among the highest in the country, were raised. So were motor vehicle registration fees. Spending cuts approved in February and July are deep. Together, the cuts equal almost 30% of the general revenue fund and will affect schools, prisons, colleges and welfare. Some welfare benefits will be cut by half. California's student-teacher ratio, now about a third above the national average, will probably go even higher. The high prestige University of California system lost 20% of its state payments. It is raising tuition and student fees by 9.3%, imposing salary reductions of 4% to 10% on more than 100,000 workers, and postponing faculty hires until improvements occur. − − Republicans claimed victory in the end, as they achieved large budget cuts and no new taxes. Line 126:
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Line 282: − − ==Education== − − The state of California has three tiers of public higher education: the California community colleges, the [[California State University]] (CSU) system, and the [[University of California]] (UC) system. Here are some notable universities from California. − *[[California Institute of Technology]] − *[[Stanford University]] − *[[University of California, Berkeley]] − *[[University of California, Los Angeles]] − *[[University of California, San Francisco]], primarily a medical school − *[[University of Southern California]]
no edit summary
The state Constitution of California, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
The state Constitution of California, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution.''
:''We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution.''
==History==
==History==
Since 2014 California has become more politically segregated, with conservatives mostly choosing to live in rural or suburban areas. Multiple polls, surveys, and news sources have indicated consistently among the largest populated places in California with conservative registered voters are Newport Beach and [[Yorba Linda]], both in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] of Southern California.<ref>Wisckol, Martin (August 25, 2014). [https://www.ocregister.com/2014/08/25/survey-3-oc-cities-are-states-most-conservative/]. ''Survey: 3 O.C. cities are state’s most conservative''. Retrieved December 26, 2019.</ref><ref>Martin, Ted (May 17, 2018). [https://presscalifornia.com/2018/05/17/ten-conservative-cities-california/]. ''The ten most conservative cities in California''. Retrieved December 26, 2019.</ref>
Since 2014 California has become more politically segregated, with conservatives mostly choosing to live in rural or suburban areas. Multiple polls, surveys, and news sources have indicated consistently among the largest populated places in California with conservative registered voters are Newport Beach and [[Yorba Linda]], both in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] of Southern California.<ref>Wisckol, Martin (August 25, 2014). [https://www.ocregister.com/2014/08/25/survey-3-oc-cities-are-states-most-conservative/]. ''Survey: 3 O.C. cities are state’s most conservative''. Retrieved December 26, 2019.</ref><ref>Martin, Ted (May 17, 2018). [https://presscalifornia.com/2018/05/17/ten-conservative-cities-california/]. ''The ten most conservative cities in California''. Retrieved December 26, 2019.</ref>
==Elected officials==
==Elected officials==
* State Treasurer [[Fiona Ma]] (D)
* State Treasurer [[Fiona Ma]] (D)
* State Controller [[Betty Yee]] (D)
* State Controller [[Betty Yee]] (D)
==Economy==
The economy has been badly battered by the [[Recession of 2008]], especially by the collapse of the state's [[housing bubble]]. Unemployment in August 2009 reached 12.2%, the highest since 1940. Homebuilding this year is less than a quarter of what it was in 2005, and 500,000 of the state's job losses have been in construction, finance, real estate and industries related to construction. The state budget is in crisis, because it relied heavily on personal income taxes. The financial collapse greatly reduced personal wealth of rich Californians, and job losses related to the housing bust combined to sharply reduce that source of revenue. After bitter debate in the legislature a budget was passed in July 2009. It closed a roughly $24 billion two-year gap with extensive cuts to social services, parks and education, which in turn reduced consumer spending among laid off and furloughed government workers.Also greatly damaging the economy is their very [[socialist]] nature, being a state in which welfare is easy to come by increasing mass numbers of homeless how live to drink and get high
===Business climate===
California scores poorly in state ratings of business climate. In a CNBC survey, it ranked 32nd overall but last in "cost of business" and 49th in "business friendliness." IT (Intel, Google, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Apple, Yahoo!) and biotechnology remain strengths, but some traditional industries are struggling. High costs, as well as tax breaks from other states, have caused movie studios to shift production from California. In 1996, feature films involved 14,500 production days in Los Angeles County; in 2008, the total had fallen in half. Businessmen both in California and those who have moved out of the state have said that California has declared war on its own economy, with Los Angeles and San Francisco taking particular delight in job-killing legislation.
===Budget Crises===
The state has had two severe budget crises in 2009, caused by high spending, a plunge in tax revenue (caused by the decline in income of the wealthy who pay most of the taxes), and a refusal of enough Republicans to provide the two-thirds majority in the legislature needed to raise taxes. Long term borrowing is not allowed—the state has to balance its budget annually, but many gimmicks are used.
With a $26 billion deficit in its $92 billion budget, the state ran out of money and issued IOU's (warrants) before the solution was reached: massive spending cuts. In February 2009, the Legislature raised the state sales tax, bringing the total—including local sales taxes—to about 9 cents or more. Top income tax rates, already among the highest in the country, were raised. So were motor vehicle registration fees. Spending cuts approved in February and July are deep. Together, the cuts equal almost 30% of the general revenue fund and will affect schools, prisons, colleges and welfare. Some welfare benefits will be cut by half. California's student-teacher ratio, now about a third above the national average, will probably go even higher. The high prestige University of California system lost 20% of its state payments. It is raising tuition and student fees by 9.3%, imposing salary reductions of 4% to 10% on more than 100,000 workers, and postponing faculty hires until improvements occur.
Republicans claimed victory in the end, as they achieved large budget cuts and no new taxes.
===Another budget crisis===
An ugly budget crisis in 2009 was resolved after months of squabbling, with budget cuts, accounting gimmicks, and new taxes. The legislature in 2009 cut billions from education, healthcare and social services while temporarily hiking income, sales and vehicle taxes. The 2010 budget deficit is projected at $21 billion which must be closed somehow.
Suggested solutions include raising tobacco taxes; cutting pensions for retired public workers; repealing corporate tax breaks passed in 2008 and 2009; revising the tax rules for commercial and residential property; reducing the 2/3 legislative vote needed to pass a budget; and strengthening the firewall that protects local government and transportation money from being raided by the state. "There's a lot of people putting chess pieces on the board right now," said Jon Coupal, president of the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. "The question is which of those chess pieces will be moving."<ref>Shane Goldmacher, "California faces a projected deficit of $21 billion," [https://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget-deficit18-2009nov18,0,7647152.story ''LosAngeles Times'' Nov. 18, 2009]</ref>
==Energy==
==Energy==
===Energy crisis===
===Energy crisis===
In 2000 and 2001, California suffered an energy crisis characterized by electricity price instability and four major blackouts and caused by a supply and demand imbalance. Multiple factors contributed to this imbalance, including: a heavy dependence on out-of-State electricity providers, drought conditions in the northwest that reduced hydroelectric power generation, a rupture on a major natural gas pipeline supplying California power plants, strong economic growth leading to increased electricity demand in western States, an increase in unplanned power plant outages, and unusually high temperatures that increased electricity demand for air-conditioning and other cooling uses. Following the energy crisis, the California State government created an Energy Action Plan designed to eliminate outages and excessive price spikes. To achieve these goals, the plan calls for optimizing energy conservation, building sufficient new generation facilities, upgrading and expanding the electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure, and ensuring that generation facilities can quickly come online when needed.
In 2000 and 2001, California suffered an energy crisis characterized by electricity price instability and four major blackouts and caused by a supply and demand imbalance. Multiple factors contributed to this imbalance, including: a heavy dependence on out-of-State electricity providers, drought conditions in the northwest that reduced hydroelectric power generation, a rupture on a major natural gas pipeline supplying California power plants, strong economic growth leading to increased electricity demand in western States, an increase in unplanned power plant outages, and unusually high temperatures that increased electricity demand for air-conditioning and other cooling uses. Following the energy crisis, the California State government created an Energy Action Plan designed to eliminate outages and excessive price spikes. To achieve these goals, the plan calls for optimizing energy conservation, building sufficient new generation facilities, upgrading and expanding the electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure, and ensuring that generation facilities can quickly come online when needed.
==Education==
The state of California has three tiers of public higher education: the California community colleges, the [[California State University]] (CSU) system, and the [[University of California]] (UC) system. Here are some notable universities from California.
*[[California Institute of Technology]]
*[[Stanford University]]
*[[University of California, Berkeley]]
*[[University of California, Los Angeles]]
*[[University of California, San Francisco]], primarily a medical school
*[[University of Southern California]]
==Spectator Sports==
==Spectator Sports==
In college sports, [[UCLA]], [[USC]], [[Stanford]], [[University of California, Berkeley]] and [[Santa Clara University]] have recently had great success, in [[basketball]] and [[football]] respectively, except for Santa Clara University which discontinued it's football program in 1992.
In college sports, [[UCLA]], [[USC]], [[Stanford]], [[University of California, Berkeley]] and [[Santa Clara University]] have recently had great success, in [[basketball]] and [[football]] respectively, except for Santa Clara University which discontinued it's football program in 1992.
==Other professional sports teams==
===Other professional sports teams===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
| San Jose Spiders || Los Altos Hills
| San Jose Spiders || Los Altos Hills
|}
|}
==Places of Interest==
==Places of Interest==