The Budget Challenge game has returned by the nonprofit Next 10 to find out how ordinary Californians would spend tax dollars if they were calling the shots.
This year can be called Episode 2014: A long time ago (2010) in a galaxy far away (the Capitol), lawmakers were struggling with a $20 billion deficit.
Today, state revenues are expected to come in $5 billion above expenditures. But the state of California owes significant debt, teacher retirement benefits are tremendously underfunded, public school spending is still toward the bottom of the national spectrum, the state lacks a rainy day to protect itself in bad economic years – and what about all those struggling business owners who could create jobs with some of their tax dollars sent back to them?
The projections used in the game come from the California Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst's Office.
Weigh in at Next 10's game to choose your budget priorities.