Who gives, who receives in Calif.?
A common subplot in California public-policy debates is the state's political geography. Last week's proposal to create a "South California" is no exception.
Democrats dominate the state's coastal regions, while the state's inland areas lean Republican. Proponents of
"South California" say they want to carve out a more Republican state, and to end what they say is the current practice of Republican counties' taxpayers subsidizing services in coastal counties.
Some Democrats contend that just the opposite is true.
A few years ago, the then-leader of the Assembly Budget Committee produced maps showing the top revenue-generators and service-takers in California. Then-Assemblywoman Noreen Evans' point was that Democrat-leaning counties produce the most revenue while Republican-leaning inland counties received most of the services, at least on a per-person basis. Evans, D-Santa Rosa, is now in the state Senate.
Here is a link to the maps.
Meanwhile, KQED's John Myers offers further analysis of "south" California in his Capital Notes blog.
"Setting aside the legal and political roadblocks, though, it's worth examining some data about those 13 counties: Riverside, Imperial, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Kings, Kern, Fresno, Tulare, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa and Mono. The state's highest unemployment is found in this grouping (Imperial: 27.7%); the #2 and #3 counties in May 2011 unemployment benefits paid out are here (San Diego & Orange, respectively); five of the six highest county rates for welfare assistance in FY 2009-10 were here (Fresno, San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Fresno); and it would feature one of the state's most Democratically-heavy counties by percentage (Imperial 51.63% Dem) and one of the most Republican by percentage (Tulare 46.03% GOP)."
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