Links for January 9, 2012

As you are all aware, the Governor released his proposed budget last week.  Analyses are starting to come in.  The picture they paint is not pretty.  Here is the California Budget Project's "First Impressions"  as well as a more thorough if still preliminary account that they are providing.

The California Faculty Association did what UCOP wouldn't: Respond in a forceful way to how damaging the budget would be.

Oh, and the LAO wants to have more say in how programs are developed and defined.

Jim Newton in the LAT asks why it is that no one is willing to recognize the damage that Proposition 13 is doing to the state.

More on the way that austerity is destroying the European economy (to say nothing about European society).  Not that American politicians and economists seem able to understand that.

Of course, states still seem to think that if they provide enough free stuff to businesses they will come in and save the economy.  Chris has more on this issue here.