Well, this is the definition of insanity. California will never be back to where it was when I first moved here in the 1970’s.
We have to get rid of every one who is in powers and clean the slate. Then start electing people who are wanting California to return to the days of being a beautiful state to live and work in.
Rita M- Does CA need or do you want more people “to return to the days of being a beautiful state”? I prefer saving some of CA for tomorrow. I’d like to save its spectacular, diverse beauty for future generations to experience. Slow growth preserved some of CA for you and me. In 1950, 10M population to 38 to 39M in just 70 years is too much growth. Our 1950 General Plan is for max population of 30M. CA’s infrastructure has not been maintained or updated by elected leaders or bureaucrats who control CA. Another superior, informative article by Andy Caldwell. Local cities must ensure resident safety, manage growth and housing supply.
If California wasn’t such a beautiful state to live in, Newscum would discover there would be no one left in the state to kick around and suck money from.
Thanks Andy. Sadly it appears that the theme continues as the Californian government recently passed legislation requiring refiners to continue to supply their product even during their "turn arounds," which is when they close in order to clean their refineries to change over to producing a product appropriate for the seasons. When I represented some Gulf Oil refineries, I saw that it was impossible to store sufficient product to accomplish this objective. Apparently other refiners agree, as several have indictated that they are closing, which will increase the cost of gasoline and eliminate high paying jobs. FYI, Gulf Oil always had the highest paying jobs even in places like Philadelphia.
Wrong end of the telescope? Apparently, Andy is looking through it with the lens cover still on! Andy would have the developers simply build the homes and apartments and pocket the profits; then have the residents who already live there pay for widening the streets, building and staffing the additional firehouses, schools, and infrastructure through property tax increases. No thank you! That "very large swath of land - abutting the 101 freeway" is agricultural land growing some of the $billion strawberry crop Santa Barbara County likes to brag about. I would rather eat those locally grown strawberries than see the fields covered with new homes and eat strawberries grown in Chile with Trump's added expense of a tariff.
Andy says "The proof that it is [State] government’s fault that we don’t have better-paying jobs and affordable housing is evident by looking at how other states are doing." Well, Andy, I'm looking, but instead of comparing "apples to oranges" I want to compare "apples" to "apples." >sigh< But, I can't! Once 5th, now California's STATE GDP is the world's 4th largest economy! Couldn't find a single state the even comes close! Population? Texas, with 28 million residents, comes the closest to California's 38 million, but, Texas is much larger and mostly flat. Perhaps if Dallas-Fort Worth were as beautiful as Santa Barbara there wouldn't be all the development? I mean, they are just scraping away tumbleweeds off a monotonous flat landscape.
Part of the blame for the housing shortage is due to corporations and other investors buying up our state's housing stock in order to turn a profit by then renting those properties to squeeze even more money out of the pockets of the "landless peasants." Perhaps California needs not only a state-wide "rent control" law, but also a law that prohibits, or at least taxes the hell on, the owning of a second "single family home" or condo? That would free up thousands of properties for purchase by families who need one. Perhaps California could carve up some of the property surrounding those large estate homes in Montecito to build "affordable housing." I mean, who really needs a 5-acre yard? That would also prevent urban sprawl onto the county's open and scenic landscape, since the land is already "developed."
"There is no money to maintain the infrastructure" whines Andy. Well, it may come as a surprise to you, Andy, since you don't work for a living, but MONEY does not "maintain infrastructure." No, Andy, that would be PEOPLE, people who must be paid to do the work, which are the "salaries, benefits, and pensions" you decry. C'mon, get real - and take the lens cap off your telescope.
Agree SHS, your suggestion worth consideration with the an estimated 9% vacancy of existing homes in 93108, these homes purchased to park money in a safe location. You posted: “a law that prohibits, or at least taxes the hell on, the owning of a second "single family home" or condo? That would free up thousands of properties for purchase by families who need one.” I’m against rent control, and vacant, unoccupied homes. I’ve often asked why no city or county vacancy tax on unoccupied homes. One foreign never-to-be-seen neighbor owns worldwide 22 homes; others owning locally also own 2-7 other residential properties. All pay local county property taxes and associated bond fees; however, I doubt most pay any CA state income tax when owning g at least one residential property in TX, FL, NV …
Thank you Andy for introducing Steven Greenhut to a new audience. He has been sounding warnings for years, and has written numerous excellent books that clearly explain the fiscal and governance challenges this state continues to ignore.
Cannot say we were not warned, as Andy has also been doing for years. Thank you for your sustained efforts. Why "we the people" have not yet been able to listen, yet still continuously complain, shall remain the deep political mystery.
Margaret Thatcher acolyte and newly announced governor candidate Steve Hilton will get the chance to put these issues before voters in California yet again. May this state be finally able to listen with new ears, from someone with a proven track record. (Please note the GOP gathering this coming Tuesday to meet governor candidate Steve Hilton - announcement on SB Current.)
My own Steven Greenhut favorite naturally is "Plunder : How Public Employee Unions are Raiding Treasuries, Controlling Our Lives and Bankrupting the Nation." All of his books contribute to an excellent summer reading program. Gens XYZ (etc), hope you are listening, because these past decades of Big Government excesses are dumped on your laps to now fund for the rest of your own lives.
Crunch time for these future funding promises, made in your names, is finally happening. Learn why the now "4th largest economy in the world" continues to grow public debt, yet also has some of the highest taxes in the nation and the worst business climate and educational systems of all. This is what Steven Greenhut has been laying out for us, for years. Why haven't we been able to hear him?
Good Article…many of the points made are historical significant, further demonstrating that California needs a reset, both financially & politically…looking forward to it…
Interesting perspective, Andy. Having been essentially booted out of the city by hateful people and being Republican didn't help. I have to ask why is the expansion of the city really necessary? Needing more government "workers?" Speaking of telescopes, when I was about ten years old, I took my dad's telescope apart and was left with a pile of lenses. Never got it working after that, I can remember doing that as if it was yesterday. It could be the city took their telescope apart and couldn't see anything afterwards ... and the lenses and metal tube spacers got all mixed up <g>! The telescope was a Lafayette Radio brand, probably inexpensive, but sure had a lot of stuff inside it. Optics was never a hobby after that.
Start putting the greedy employers in jail who are hiring the illegals, and that would go a long way towards solving both the housing and immigration problem.
The problem is, voters are just plain stupid. The see a name they sorta recognize, check the box, and believe they’re kingmakers. Newsom can’t run again, so we’ll probably be looking at Kamala Harris. She was run out of Washington DC, so this line seems appropriate for her bid for CA Gov:
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last”
Definition of ‘moronically voter’: any Californian supporting to elect
a 50% naturalized American dual citizen, educated and a culurated, trained in a foreign county (born to two-non citizen parents: Steve Hilton), or a Californian who votes for birthright citizen born to two-non citizen foreign student VISA holders who was partially educated in Canada(Kamala Harris).
Why do Californians seem not to find to elect for our Governor a born, raised, educated trained, proven American?
Pete Wilson was a solid Governor after serving as San Diego Mayor. It’s been down hill ever since.
Well, this is the definition of insanity. California will never be back to where it was when I first moved here in the 1970’s.
We have to get rid of every one who is in powers and clean the slate. Then start electing people who are wanting California to return to the days of being a beautiful state to live and work in.
Rita M- Does CA need or do you want more people “to return to the days of being a beautiful state”? I prefer saving some of CA for tomorrow. I’d like to save its spectacular, diverse beauty for future generations to experience. Slow growth preserved some of CA for you and me. In 1950, 10M population to 38 to 39M in just 70 years is too much growth. Our 1950 General Plan is for max population of 30M. CA’s infrastructure has not been maintained or updated by elected leaders or bureaucrats who control CA. Another superior, informative article by Andy Caldwell. Local cities must ensure resident safety, manage growth and housing supply.
If California wasn’t such a beautiful state to live in, Newscum would discover there would be no one left in the state to kick around and suck money from.
Thanks Andy. Sadly it appears that the theme continues as the Californian government recently passed legislation requiring refiners to continue to supply their product even during their "turn arounds," which is when they close in order to clean their refineries to change over to producing a product appropriate for the seasons. When I represented some Gulf Oil refineries, I saw that it was impossible to store sufficient product to accomplish this objective. Apparently other refiners agree, as several have indictated that they are closing, which will increase the cost of gasoline and eliminate high paying jobs. FYI, Gulf Oil always had the highest paying jobs even in places like Philadelphia.
Wrong end of the telescope? Apparently, Andy is looking through it with the lens cover still on! Andy would have the developers simply build the homes and apartments and pocket the profits; then have the residents who already live there pay for widening the streets, building and staffing the additional firehouses, schools, and infrastructure through property tax increases. No thank you! That "very large swath of land - abutting the 101 freeway" is agricultural land growing some of the $billion strawberry crop Santa Barbara County likes to brag about. I would rather eat those locally grown strawberries than see the fields covered with new homes and eat strawberries grown in Chile with Trump's added expense of a tariff.
Andy says "The proof that it is [State] government’s fault that we don’t have better-paying jobs and affordable housing is evident by looking at how other states are doing." Well, Andy, I'm looking, but instead of comparing "apples to oranges" I want to compare "apples" to "apples." >sigh< But, I can't! Once 5th, now California's STATE GDP is the world's 4th largest economy! Couldn't find a single state the even comes close! Population? Texas, with 28 million residents, comes the closest to California's 38 million, but, Texas is much larger and mostly flat. Perhaps if Dallas-Fort Worth were as beautiful as Santa Barbara there wouldn't be all the development? I mean, they are just scraping away tumbleweeds off a monotonous flat landscape.
Part of the blame for the housing shortage is due to corporations and other investors buying up our state's housing stock in order to turn a profit by then renting those properties to squeeze even more money out of the pockets of the "landless peasants." Perhaps California needs not only a state-wide "rent control" law, but also a law that prohibits, or at least taxes the hell on, the owning of a second "single family home" or condo? That would free up thousands of properties for purchase by families who need one. Perhaps California could carve up some of the property surrounding those large estate homes in Montecito to build "affordable housing." I mean, who really needs a 5-acre yard? That would also prevent urban sprawl onto the county's open and scenic landscape, since the land is already "developed."
"There is no money to maintain the infrastructure" whines Andy. Well, it may come as a surprise to you, Andy, since you don't work for a living, but MONEY does not "maintain infrastructure." No, Andy, that would be PEOPLE, people who must be paid to do the work, which are the "salaries, benefits, and pensions" you decry. C'mon, get real - and take the lens cap off your telescope.
Agree SHS, your suggestion worth consideration with the an estimated 9% vacancy of existing homes in 93108, these homes purchased to park money in a safe location. You posted: “a law that prohibits, or at least taxes the hell on, the owning of a second "single family home" or condo? That would free up thousands of properties for purchase by families who need one.” I’m against rent control, and vacant, unoccupied homes. I’ve often asked why no city or county vacancy tax on unoccupied homes. One foreign never-to-be-seen neighbor owns worldwide 22 homes; others owning locally also own 2-7 other residential properties. All pay local county property taxes and associated bond fees; however, I doubt most pay any CA state income tax when owning g at least one residential property in TX, FL, NV …
Thank you Andy for introducing Steven Greenhut to a new audience. He has been sounding warnings for years, and has written numerous excellent books that clearly explain the fiscal and governance challenges this state continues to ignore.
Cannot say we were not warned, as Andy has also been doing for years. Thank you for your sustained efforts. Why "we the people" have not yet been able to listen, yet still continuously complain, shall remain the deep political mystery.
Margaret Thatcher acolyte and newly announced governor candidate Steve Hilton will get the chance to put these issues before voters in California yet again. May this state be finally able to listen with new ears, from someone with a proven track record. (Please note the GOP gathering this coming Tuesday to meet governor candidate Steve Hilton - announcement on SB Current.)
My own Steven Greenhut favorite naturally is "Plunder : How Public Employee Unions are Raiding Treasuries, Controlling Our Lives and Bankrupting the Nation." All of his books contribute to an excellent summer reading program. Gens XYZ (etc), hope you are listening, because these past decades of Big Government excesses are dumped on your laps to now fund for the rest of your own lives.
Crunch time for these future funding promises, made in your names, is finally happening. Learn why the now "4th largest economy in the world" continues to grow public debt, yet also has some of the highest taxes in the nation and the worst business climate and educational systems of all. This is what Steven Greenhut has been laying out for us, for years. Why haven't we been able to hear him?
I read this article by Andy Caldwell titled
"Of Telescopes, Mirrors, and the Government We Deserve"
AND "I can't solve the problem. I am the problem"
Let's be clear and concise today on Sunday with a more accurate title
"California and Santa Barbara Criminal Cabal"
Howard Walther, member of a Military Family
PS1 - Cabal Definition - the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot (as to overturn a government) I think that says it all.
Amen....great article!
Housing shortages and affordability; two problems that could easily be solved with a reduction in the birthrate.
Good Article…many of the points made are historical significant, further demonstrating that California needs a reset, both financially & politically…looking forward to it…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasdelbeccaro/2018/04/19/the-top-four-reasons-california-is-unsustainable/
Yes, the 101 in SBar is a good example of needed infrastructure, after 30 years it is sill being widened. And not sure of funding.
Interesting perspective, Andy. Having been essentially booted out of the city by hateful people and being Republican didn't help. I have to ask why is the expansion of the city really necessary? Needing more government "workers?" Speaking of telescopes, when I was about ten years old, I took my dad's telescope apart and was left with a pile of lenses. Never got it working after that, I can remember doing that as if it was yesterday. It could be the city took their telescope apart and couldn't see anything afterwards ... and the lenses and metal tube spacers got all mixed up <g>! The telescope was a Lafayette Radio brand, probably inexpensive, but sure had a lot of stuff inside it. Optics was never a hobby after that.
Housing shortage:
a) Get rid of the illegal aliens.
b) Subsidized detached ADU's out in the country.
Eliminate illegal invaders and that would go a long way towards solving this problem.
Start putting the greedy employers in jail who are hiring the illegals, and that would go a long way towards solving both the housing and immigration problem.
SHS: E-verify doesn’t always work when Social Security numbers and fake IDs are easily created.
The problem is, voters are just plain stupid. The see a name they sorta recognize, check the box, and believe they’re kingmakers. Newsom can’t run again, so we’ll probably be looking at Kamala Harris. She was run out of Washington DC, so this line seems appropriate for her bid for CA Gov:
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last”
We gotta get behind Steve Hilton for governor!
Definition of ‘moronically voter’: any Californian supporting to elect
a 50% naturalized American dual citizen, educated and a culurated, trained in a foreign county (born to two-non citizen parents: Steve Hilton), or a Californian who votes for birthright citizen born to two-non citizen foreign student VISA holders who was partially educated in Canada(Kamala Harris).
Why do Californians seem not to find to elect for our Governor a born, raised, educated trained, proven American?
Pete Wilson was a solid Governor after serving as San Diego Mayor. It’s been down hill ever since.