Debt service on those borrowings rings in at more than $4.2 billion this year and next.
Every one of these items was approved at the polls. But here's the real scandal of the California budget: Not a single one received the support of a majority of eligible voters.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday, May 30, 2009 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 4 National Desk 2 inches; 79 words Type of Material: Correction
Hiltzik column: A column by Michael Hiltzik in Thursday's Section A on the California budget said the state's population grew about 30% from 1998 through 2009. The correct figure, based on population estimates from the state Department of Finance, is about 15%. However, the finding by the Legislative Analyst's Office that the state budget remained in line with population growth and inflation during that period, on which the column was based, relied on the correct multiplier of population growth.
That's because most voters are harder to get off their duffs than Homer Simpson. The California voter's default approach to the ballot is a sort of militant apathy.
Only about 70% of eligible voters even register, and it's rare for even 40% of the eligible to turn out. Undoubtedly many of them have better things to do with their time on election day, like shriek about politicians on talk radio and write profane e-mails to the newspapers.
The share of all eligible voters who cast a ballot on May 19 was 19%. Do the math on the 65% "no" vote on the key measures, and you find that it translates to about 12.5% of the California electorate.
This makes a mockery of Schwarzenegger's claim that the election delivered a "loud and clear" message. What message? Proposition 1A, if passed, would have extended a parcel of tax increases for an additional two years. Who's to say that the 81% of eligible voters who just stayed home didn't intend to endorse the tax increase?
But rather than blame the state's fiscal condition on illegal immigrants or unthrifty politicians, they should blame their own stupefied -- or is it embarrassed? -- silence.
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Michael Hiltzik's column appears Mondays and Thursdays. Reach him at michael.hiltzik@latimes.com, read his previous columns at www.latimes.com/hiltzik, and follow @latimeshiltzik on Twitter.
