Oakland administration arrests people to avoid unrest

California government uses tear gas to scatter protesters from Oakland.

Anti-Wall Street demonstrations fill the streets of entire state of California on November 2. Around 8 people were injured during clashes between Oakland police officials and the demonstrators on Thursday.

Oakland people though claimed that the protesters were demonstrating through peaceful rallies against economic discrimination in the state and the United States.  The police claimed the officials were compelled to use tear gas to control the protesters who were turning violent. The police officials of riot gear surrounded hundreds of demonstrators who were participating in rallies in streets of Port of Oakland. The police fired tear gas in order to disperse thousands of protesters who caused almost a shutdown in the entire city.

The demonstrators mainly included working class people of the Oakland City, which is situated on the eastern bank of San Francisco Bay.

According to an official report, more than 80 people were arrested while 5 protesters and 3 police officials were injured during clashes between them.

The police claimed that they had to take initiatives against the agitating protesters who were vandalizing public properties and provoking the city administration.

California Gov agrees on budgetory deal without Republican inputs

The governor of California Jerry Brown said that he is no longer pushing for bipartisan deal on budget saying that he is working with the Democrats lawmakers with interest only on spending plan. It was the democratic lawmakers that are agreeing with him on spending plan. The bipartisan deal on tax could not be reached.

The governor disclosed this while he was unveiling the state budget to the public on Monday. The governor had reached a deal with the democratic law makers to cutbacks in future if the expected income could be not being realized. The details on the programs that could be affected by such cut were not provided by the governor.

It is expected that the law makers would vote on the budget on Tuesday and the governor has already indicated that he will sign the budget as soon as the votes are conducted. He said that the state has made some tough decisions adding that state courts and state universities would be affected by the cuts.

The governor revealed that he talked with the law makers for some months adding that he could not get the support of the Republican law makers. The major areas of disagreement between the Republicans and the governor are mainly in the area of tax. The budget would become operational on Friday. The passage of the budget was tortuous as the governor once vetoed a package by the Democrat law makers which was the first in the history of the state.

Jerry Brown plans to extend tax hikes in California

Jerry Brown

California is ready to welcome Jerry Brown, new governor elect with a a $28-billion budget deficit. Jerry Brown is all set with his plans to extend taxes and reduction in many programs.

He is formulating a budget to reduce state service that includes university funds and welfare programs. There will be a an extension on hike in temporary taxes on vehicles, income and sales.

Brown, had appealed voters to support him with the promises of not raising taxes. He had also stated that he would ask lawmakers to approve a budget in shortest duration –i.e. within 60 days to save the extra burden of time and expenditure.

Don Sipple, GOP strategist stated that a combination of tax cuts and inclusion of new taxes can make up for the budget shortfalls in long term. However, very few voters would like to bear the burden of extra taxes on their shoulders. The current temporary tax hikes are going to expire by July 1.

California is currently under a budget deficit of $28-billion by extending temporary tax hikes; Brown wants to compensate for$9.5 billion at least. Though there is a majority of Democrats in the Legislature, but still an extension in the tax hikes would require support of two third votes from the Republicans and it might be difficult for Brown to put the tax extensions in front of voters.

There will be tight vigilance over corruption and poor accountability on use of property taxes in California accounting for approximately $5 billion.

Brown wants to implement changes in the corporate tax plans to make them mandatory for every businessman while right now it gives choice to them.

Snowfall, storm spoil holiday plans in California

snow covered California

Many flights were cancelled in Southern California due to snowstorm on Sunday December 26.

A heavy cover of snow could be seen all over buses, trains and buildings, that has disturbed commuting through out California. The after-Christmas sales have been badly hampered due to such a bad weather.

New York and Boston have been covered with around one foot thick snow layer. Experts predicted up to 20 inches of snowfall for Philadelphia.

Flights have been cancelled throughout Northeast and also in Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and the Carolinas. New York City alone has witnessed cancellation of 1400flights of different airlines.

Blizzard caused a heavy loss to travel industry by leading to cancellation of travel plans. The United States has been experiencing bad weather conditions in many of states for many weeks. Thousands of travelers have been affected so far and even daily commuting to local destinations is difficult for people.

An official from Los Angeles airport reported that fights of Delta airline heading toward Kennedy were cancelled while American Airlines stopped all 15 flights for Boston, New York, and Washington. Weather forecasters have issued a warning for the Northeast and New York for another snowstorm and a further reduction in visibility respectively.

California Gains No seat in House for Low Population Growth

California's shares of House of Representative seats remains same

A recent population tally figure of California unveiled by the US Census Bureau denies the state any new seat in the House of Representatives. The 2010 decennial population figures are in conflict with a higher population count carried out by the state.

California has been gaining new seats every ten years after it attained statehood in 1850. But this time the census figures show a very small percentage increase over the growth in the last decade. This denial has happened for the first time in the last 90 years.

In this regard, Hans Johnson, director of research at the Public Policy Institute of California said, “You might consider this an indicator of the maturation of the state. At some point, it had to stop growing as much as it had. California has always had a growing piece of the pie, and this is the first time we haven’t had that. That’s certainly going to disappoint some people.”

California is still the most populous state of the nation with a head count of 37,253,956, which is 10 percent more than the 2000 census count of 33,871,648.

The Census Bureau figures don’t match with the California’s state Department of Finance population figures. Earlier in December the state Department of Finance put the population tally at 38.8 million. While the Census Bureau sends questionnaires to households the state department takes housing, tax, and school data to count population and hence the difference.

California will have to contend with the 53 seats in the House of Representative. As per the Department of Finance’s figures it would have earned two more seats taking the number to 55. Ratcheting up the issue will be of no use as the Supreme Court has ruled in a lawsuit in 2000 that the Census Bureau’s figures are final.