California has been labeled ‘ungovernable’ based on its gargantuan budget shortfalls, the difficulties within the legislature as well as the third highest nation jobless figures at 12.4 percent. But that hasn’t seemed to deter Republican Meg Whitman or Democrat Jerry Brown from fighting tooth and nail to get the state’s top job.
At 72, Brown is running a tough race while most other men of his age are settling into retirement; he served as Governor in California 35 years ago. Whitman at 54 is the ex-CE of eBay and has spent an estimated $140 million of her own money (estimated to be within the $1.2 billion range) on the campaign.
While they have been neck-and-neck most of the way, recently released polls put Brown marginally ahead of Whitman, but no matter who wins, the most pressing challenge of the next Governor will be the fiscal quagmire, which appears a hopeless case.
The pension problem has been a key point of debate between the two gubernatorial candidates, with Brown proposing negotiating with state employees or unions to raise the age of retirement, which at present is as young as 50 for some public servants.
Whitman endorsed the idea of raising the retirement age, but added a new model for retirement for future employees of the state, which is modeled on the 401(k) program of the private sector.
With only a couple of weeks left before voters go to the polls, the pressure is on the two candidates to outline a proactive, positive outlook for California, however Californians seem to show little enthusiasm for the plans of either hopeful.
