Dateline Sacramento (7/30/2009
Dateline Sacramento
News with a View from the California Capitol
July 30, 2009
Budget Signed, Blue Pencil Activity and Continued Deficits
Tuesday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the 27-bill package that contained most of the negotiated budget modifications designed to close the state’s $26.3 billion deficit and create a $1 billion reserve. The approved package of bills totaled approximately $25 billion in reductions, revenue shifts and program changes.
Prior to approving the package, Governor Schwarzenegger used his line-item veto authority to further reduce state spending by an additional $656 million. Schwarzenegger has vowed to use his veto-power to restore most of the budget reserve that was lost when the Assembly failed to approve $1.1 billion in negotiated budget remedies. Those remedies included a $1 billion revenue shift in gas taxes from local government to the state general fund and $100 million for permitting limited off-shore oil drilling.
The governor’s vetoes, which made additional cuts to health and human services programs, caused an uproar among democrat legislators who negotiated the budget deal, and special interest advocacy groups. According to Senator Darrell Steinberg – the Senate Pro Tem – they will fight to restore every additional dollar cut by the governor. Critics are already considering legal options, arguing that the vetoes are illegal.
When the Legislature reconvenes in August, they will continue to address the state’s declining revenues. Despite approximately $60 billion in budget solutions this year, which includes $31 million in spending reductions, $12.5 billion in tax increases, $8 billion from federal stimulus funds and $8.5 billion in borrowing, revenue shifts and administrative restructuring, the state fiscal woes remain. According to Governor Schwarzenegger’s finance director, Michael Genest, even with passage of the revised budget the state will need to borrow $8-10 billion to cover costs in the current year. He also explained that California will likely face an additional $7-8 billion deficit next year. These deficit numbers could increase if the state economy and unemployment rates continue to worsen.
Rise In Acceptance of Cohabitation in Young Adults has Not Changed Desire for Life-Long Marriages
Research shows that the number of young adults choosing cohabitation over marriage is increasing. Prior to the sexual revolution which began in the late 1960’s, society did not accept couples living together outside of marriage. .However, young adults’ attitudes about relationships and marriage have significantly changed over the last forty years. These changing attitudes have led to a rise in the age of adults when they first marry, and living together – or cohabitation – has become the most dominant type of relationship among adults in their twenties.
In a recent research brief, commissioned by Child Trends (a nonprofit research center that studies children development), researchers attempted to “provide a portrait of the [changing] attitudes and opinions of young adults about relationships and the importance of marriage.” The brief, Young Adults Attitude About Relationships and Marriage: Times May Have Changed, But Expectations Remain High, examines the types of young adult relationships, attitudes leading to relationship success, attitudes regarding cohabitation, and attitudes about marriage.
According to the brief, the vast majority of young adults believe that cohabitation is acceptable. Some of the motivations for young adults living together include testing marital compatibility before marriage, desire for increased time together, financial security and convenience. Whatever their motivation, most cohabitating couples nonetheless expect a high degree of love, commitment and fidelity in their relationships. While the beliefs of those interviewed varied according to gender, “the majority of both men and women regard love, fidelity and lifelong commitment as very important to a successful relationship.”
In most cases, cohabitating couples hope to be married in the future. Among the unmarried young adults interviewed, cohabitating individuals expressed the highest level of confidence that they would be married within ten years. Regrettably, research has revealed the opposite to be true. Studies have shown that eight out of ten couples that live together will break up before the wedding, or afterwards in divorce. Further, the relationship skills and depth of commitment found in successful marriages are rarely found in cohabitating relationships.
The challenge facing society today is to destroy the myth that cohabitation is a good alternative or “test run” for marriage. As scholars and researchers examine cohabitation, they find that living together increases acceptance of divorce and devalues marriage. Further, there are a host of negative consequences that are associated with cohabitation, which are magnified if children are involved.
The Faith of African-Americans
Since the passage of Proposition 8 – the California initiative that defined marriage as between one man and one woman – a great deal of attention has been given to the overwhelming support of the initiative by African-Americans. Many have attributed Proposition 8’s passage to the influx of African-American and Latino voters who voted in the Presidential election. A recent study by Barna Research may explain why African-Americans who supported President Obama, also support a conservative, traditional belief in marriage.
According to the report, How Faith of African-Americans Has Changed, African-Americans have maintained a deep-rooted commitment to their faith and religious beliefs. The study explored 12 religious beliefs and 13 religious behaviors of four of the nation’s most populous ethnic groups – White non-Hispanics, Africans, Hispanics and Asians. When comparing the four groups, African-Americans score highest on 10 of the 12 belief indicators. African-Americans also outpaced their counterparts by scoring highest in 8 of the 13 behavior indicators. The findings clearly demonstrate the importance of faith and spirituality to a majority of African-Americans.
The Barna study also compared the current statistics for African-Americans’ faith with findings from 15 years ago. The results of that comparison also showed that the faith of African-Americans is becoming more aligned with conservative biblical teachings. For example, the study finds that African-Americans are more likely to believe in the absolute authority of God and act in accordance with the Bible’s teachings.
Local Links
KING CITY – As the state economic situation worsens, and decreased water supplies hamper California farmlands, rural school districts are paying the price. This week, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced the appointment of Dr. John Bernard as the State Administrator for the King City Joint Union High School District in Monterey County. The state takeover of the district is required by law after the district was granted a state loan to avoid bankruptcy. Read more in the Imperial Valley News.
SAN FRANCISCO – In an attempt to prevent retailers from selling extremely violent video games to children, State Senator Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mateo, is appealing to the United States Supreme Court to overturn the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that struck down a state ban on the sale or rental of violent video games to minors. Read more in the San Mateo Daily Journal.
OAKLAND – Despite the known hazards of marijuana use, Oakland pot activists, fresh from a victory at local polls on the taxing of medical marijuana, took their first official step Tuesday toward asking California voters to legalize pot. A proposed ballot measure filed with the California attorney general's office would allow adults aged 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of pot. Homeowners could grow marijuana for personal use on garden plots up to 25 square feet. Read more on KTVU’s website.
Opportunity “knocks”
RIVERSIDE – California Family Council continues to expand its offerings of the acclaimed Truth Project group leader training seminars. Training in biblical worldview is a prerequisite to living out authentic Christianity in today’s postmodern culture, with its subjective claims of truth.
The next Truth Project group leader training seminar:
Saturday, September 12, 2009
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Host Church: Arcadia Presbyterian Church
121 Alice Street
Arcadia, CA 91006
For more information on attending or hosting a seminar, call the California Family Council at 951.354.8362 and ask for Trudy. Online registration for seminars at: www.californiafamily.org.
