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Gov. Jerry Brown released the following open letter to California’s residents that explains the plan.
“When I became governor again – 28 years after my last term ended in 1983 – California was facing a $26.6 billion budget deficit. It was the result of years of failing to match spending with tax revenues as budget gimmicks instead of honest budgeting became the norm.
“In January, I proposed a budget that combined deep cuts with a temporary extension of some existing taxes. It was a balanced approach that would have finally closed our budget gap.
“I asked the Legislature to enact this plan and to allow you, the people of California, to vote on it. I believed that you had the right to weigh in on this important choice: should we decently fund our schools or lower our taxes? I don’t know how you would have voted, but we will never know. The Republicans refused to provide the four votes needed to put this measure on the ballot.
“Forced to act alone, Democrats went ahead and enacted massive cuts and the first honest, on-time budget in a decade. But without the tax extensions, it was simply not possible to eliminate the state’s structural deficit.
“The good news is that our financial condition is much better than a year ago. We cut the ongoing budget deficit by more than half, reduced the state’s workforce by about 5,500 positions and cut unnecessary expenses like cell phones and state cars. We actually cut state expenses by over $10 billion. Spending is now at levels not seen since the seventies. Our state’s credit rating has moved from ‘negative’ to ‘stable,’ laying the foundation for job creation and a stronger economic recovery.
“Unfortunately, the deep cuts we made came at a huge cost. Schools have been hurt and state funding for our universities has been reduced by 25 percent. Support for the elderly and the disabled has fallen to where it was in 1983. Our courts suffered debilitating reductions.
“The stark truth is that without new tax revenues, we will have no other choice but to make deeper and more damaging cuts to schools, universities, public safety and our courts.
“That is why I am filing today an initiative with the Attorney General’s office that would generate nearly $7 billion in dedicated funding to protect education and public safety. I am going directly to the voters because I don’t want to get bogged down in partisan gridlock as happened this year. The stakes are too high.
“My proposal is straightforward and fair. It proposes a temporary tax increase on the wealthy, a modest and temporary increase in the sales tax, and guarantees that the new revenues be spent only on education. Here are the details:
“Millionaires and high-income earners will pay up to 2 percent higher income taxes for five years. No family making less than $500,000 a year will see their income taxes rise. In fact, fewer than 2 percent of California taxpayers will be affected by this increase.
“There will be a temporary ½ cent increase in the sales tax. Even with this temporary increase, sales taxes will still be lower than what they were less than six months ago.
This initiative dedicates funding only to education and public safety – not on other programs that we simply cannot afford.
“This initiative will not solve all of our fiscal problems. But it will stop further cuts to education and public safety.
“I ask you to join with me to get our state back on track,” Brown concluded.
Republican leaders in the state Legislature didn’t appear to welcome the proposal.
In responding to the initiative, on Monday Senate Republican Leader Bob Dutton (Rancho Cucamonga) put the emphasis on the need for reform.
“Clearly the governor has put tax hikes ahead of job creation,” Dutton said in a brief written statement released by his office. “Californians have consistently voted down tax-only proposals. Senate Republicans continue a call to action on reforms first. Only with reforms can we put Californians back to work and restore the people’s confidence in state government.”
Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway of Tulare was similarly critical, calling the new taxes “reckless.”
She said Brown was “once again relying on his failed budget playbook in proposing a massive $35 billion tax increase on hard-working Californians and job creators.”
Conway said voters have rejected similar tax increases in the past.
"Despite their rhetoric, it is clear that our state's projected $13 billion budget shortfall is not the result of a lack of revenue, but rather that Democrats want to grow government spending by $10 billion next year,” she said. “The majority party's budget priorities are clear – sock working families with a painful tax increase to pay for more health and welfare spending and unsustainable public employee pensions, while education continues to take a massive hit.”
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“Bountiful, A Celebration of Abundance” is marking its second year raising funds for the Lake County Hunger Task Force.
Last year, the fundraiser’s sale of gift boxes featuring local produce and wine brought in approximately $4,766 to benefit the task force, according to Michelle Scully, one of the fundraiser's organizers.
The nonprofit Lake County Hunger Task Force was founded in 2001 and pursues the goal of making sure Lake County’s hungry are fed.
It provides fresh produce and nutritionally sound food to needy local residents through creation of community gardens, education such as canning lessons and equipment donation, regular food distribution, and also advocates for the needs of those in poverty.
Because of the recession and the rise of local poverty levels, as well as the loss of two local food pantries this year, needs have increased dramatically, and the all-volunteer Lake County Hunger Task Force’s work has become even more important.
“Lake County has a greater need than ever for food to help those on fixed incomes make their budgets stretch to the end of each month,” said task force volunteer Lorrie Gray.
“The elderly have been especially hit hard by the economy, with many making the choice between medications, rent and food,” Gray explained. “They have no safety net, and we would like to help provide them with as much healthy food as we possibly can. They are less likely to take advantage of the Cal Fresh program, when eligible, than other age groups.”
The task force reported that 22 percent of Lake County's population is over age 65 and may not be eligible for food assistance. Only 10 percent of those eligible do apply, for many it is fear of the process or the ethic of a generation unused to asking for assistance.
Sixty-nine percent of the school-aged children in Lake County are eligible for school lunches due to the limited economic resources of their families, the group reported.
The Bountiful gift boxes contain Comice pears, wine, walnuts and apples from Lake County producers. One hundred percent of the proceeds are donated directly to the Lake County Hunger Task Force.
“The Bountiful Gift box project was such a beautiful effort to be involved with,” said Scully. “The generosity of the local producers was so great and the response by both gift box purchasers and receivers was overwhelmingly positive. It was really awesome to be part of such a win-win project.”
She added, “The gift givers felt like they were giving a truly thoughtful and meaningful gift, the recipients loved being able to experience the wonderful products we produce here in Lake County, and the Hunger Task Force received over $5,000 to continue all of the great work they do for our community. It’s hard to beat something like that!”
Gift boxes are $43 and purchasers may request red or white wine and requests will be honored as supply dictates.
A new feature this year is a very limited number of boxes available with olive oil rather than wine. Asian pears also will be substituted for apples in these boxes.
Also available this year is the opportunity to purchase a grocery holiday gift card for a senior citizen.
“This allows the seniors to purchase the food that they prefer and in the quantities they need over time rather receive more food than they can eat all at once,” said Gray.
These gift cards may be given in a recipient's name and a card specifying the donation will be provided.
“Last year the gift box idea came together really quickly and we made do with what we had in terms of packaging,” said Scully. “This year we are very excited by the generous donation of specially designed gift boxes from the company International Paper. I couldn’t be more pleased with their generosity and how wonderfully the new gift box turned out. It is a package that people will be proud to give and to receive. I hope that everyone who donated products, purchased a box, and received a gift box will be just as happy with its presentation.”
Anyone interested in purchasing a gift box may contact either Michelle Scully at 707-263-1121 or Lorrie Gray at 707-277-9227 or via email at
Boxes are $43, which includes tax and numbers are limited.
Distribution is scheduled for Dec. 15 in Kelseyville. Bountiful Gift Box purchasers will be given complete details.
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One of my favorite childhood memories is of my family huddled on our front porch around a bristly brown coconut with screwdriver and hammer in hand.
After some discussion, the hammer was wielded on the poised screwdriver so that holes were bored in the coconut’s top, allowing us to savor the sweet water within.
Afterwards, the hammer was brandished once again to smash the coconut to bits. Enjoyment of succulent snow white flesh clinging to hard shards of shell then ensued.
I tried to recreate this memory with my own young family, only to find I had no idea how to properly employ hammer and screwdriver to achieve the perfect crack.
Even so, whole coconuts have always represented a bit of exotic family fun to me. I get a little thrill when I see them in the supermarket, the way others might feel at the sight of a Ferris wheel at the carnival.
With winter inching closer and our recent blustery winds, I’m in need of some tropical therapy; perhaps you are, too. Chatting about coconuts might be just what we need.
Coconuts are fruits of the coconut palm, which grow in a wide tropical and subtropical swath encompassing the globe. In the U.S., coconut palms thrive only in Hawaii and South Florida.
There is some disagreement as to the exact origin of the plant, with some scientists theorizing an Indo-Pacific origin and others a South American one.
The English name, coconut, is derived from the Spanish and Portuguese word “coco,” which means “grinning face,” a reference to the three indentations at one end of the coconut that resemble eyes and a mouth.
“Nut” is a misnomer, however, as the fruit of the coconut palm is botanically a drupe, meaning a fruit with flesh around an inner seed. In fact, the coconut is the largest known seed in the world.
Fresh coconut is available throughout the year, with peak season from October through December.
While it takes a year or so for a coconut to mature on the tree, coconut palms flower up to 13 times a year, thus yielding a continuous harvest.
An average tree produces about 60 coconuts per year, but some generate three times that amount.
When on the tree, coconuts are encased in a green husk. The whole coconuts we see in markets have had these removed, so that the fibrous mesocarp, or shell, is exposed.
While most coconuts shells are coffee-colored, I was introduced to a new variety recently, the white coconut. It’s similar to its darker cousin in size, shape, and fibrous coiffure, but ranges in color from pale cream to ivory.
Though it looks like an albino version of the brown coconut, it is, in fact, a subspecies grown in Thailand.
Coconut water, meaning the liquid contained in young coconuts, is currently a very popular beverage. A variety of brands in cans, bottles and pouches have popped up in markets over the last few years, including some from Mexico and Thailand. A number have added flavors, such as lime, and others include a bit of free-floating coconut pulp.
I find it an extremely refreshing thirst quencher, especially in hot weather, but if you’re trying to avoid excess sugar as I am, be sure to read the labels, as many have added sweetener.
This drink has long been popular in the tropics, where young coconuts are packaged and sold so that the water can be drunk directly from the fruit. The green outer husks are removed and the rest is wrapped in plastic for sale in markets, or they’re sold fresh from street vendors’ carts.
Coconut water is full of potassium and contains antioxidants that have been linked to a variety of health benefits, one reason for its popularity.
While in a very young state, coconuts have scant meat and what they have is extremely tender, almost like a gel. As the coconut matures, the water is gradually replaced by coconut meat and air.
The soft gel-like meat from young coconuts is a popular addition to smoothies, as well as in other dishes, and is particularly beloved by those who advocate a raw foods diet.
Coconut milk, not to be confused with coconut water, is a product of the coconut’s flesh, obtained by pressing it or by passing hot water through it when grated.
In countries where fresh coconut milk is available, there are two grades, thick and thin. This distinction is not made here, as coconut milk is typically sold only in cans and is a combination of the two.
Upon opening a can of coconut milk, a thick paste is sometimes found to have risen to the top. This can be used in recipes that require coconut cream, or the can may be shaken before opening so that it blends with the rest of the milk.
Light coconut milk, which has some of the fat removed, typically will not separate like this.
I absolutely love cooking with coconut milk, which adds a creamy richness and coconut taste to both sweet and savory dishes.
It’s a staple in tropical cuisines throughout the world, from all parts of Asia and the South Pacific islands to South America and the Caribbean. It forms the basis of many Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai curries.
Coconut milk is a favorite in vegan cooking because of, in part, its buttery consistency. I developed a vegan risotto with butternut squash, and the addition of coconut milk provided the creamy richness that butter and cheese normally add to most risottos.
It's wonderful when added to creamy soups, such as one where coconut milk, pumpkin and curry combine to make a lovely Asian-inspired soup that’s healthy, as well as flavorful.
The coconut milk that’s packaged in aseptic containers as a substitute for dairy, soy, or rice milk is different from that which is packaged in a can for cooking. Rather, it’s a beverage with very little, if any, coconut taste, and makes a good cereal topping or substitute for milk in a recipe.
Coconut oil is high in saturated fat; even so, it’s considered a healthy oil to consume because of the nature and size of the fat molecules.
Briefly, all fats are comprised of molecules called fatty acids. They’re defined by saturation, such as saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, as well as by molecule size, as in short-, medium- or long-chain fatty acids.
While most fats are of the long-chained variety, coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain fatty acids, which, accordingly to preliminary scientific research, don’t have a negative effect on cholesterol and are said to be protective of the heart.
One of the practical benefits of coconut oil is that it has a higher smoke point than many other oils, so that you can cook with it at normal stovetop temperatures and have less concern about oxidation.
Maile Field, former Lake County resident and enthusiastic coconut aficionado, tells tales of family coconut hunts in Hawaii, where parents and children alike learned to dehusk coconuts and enjoy fresh coconut water in its natural habitat.
According to Field, shaving fresh coconut flesh with a carrot peeler and toasting it was a special family treat. While Field reports using a toaster for this purpose, I recommend utilizing the stovetop or oven, whether toasting fresh coconut or the shredded and packaged variety.
Toasted coconut makes a wonderful topping for anything made with coconut milk, including curries and soups.
Much of the fat in coconuts is in the form of lauric acid, which helps fight bacteria from internal pesticides and wards off infections. It has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Coconut flesh contains protein, manganese, iron, phosphorus and potassium, as well as omega-6 fatty acids, which are beneficial for the body.
Today’s recipe is coconut-orange rice pudding, a comforting dish with a taste of the tropics, perfect, in my opinion for a cold, blustery day.
My recipe below includes almond milk, as I like the taste it adds, but soy or dairy milk would work just as well.
While you enjoy the richness of the coconut milk in the dish, be comforted by the fact that it’s nourishing as well as delicious.
Before I go, here’s a Web site that does a good job of describing how to open a coconut: http://www.howtoopenacoconut.com/.
If you’ve got a hankering for fresh coconut, you can now purchase one with confidence, knowing you’ll be able to open it when you get home.
Enjoy!
Comforting coconut-orange rice pudding
1 cup Arborio or other short grain rice
1 can coconut milk (about 13.5 ounces)
About 3 cups almond milk (enough to combine with coconut milk to make 5 cups liquid)
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons agave syrup (or sugar)
1 teaspoon each vanilla and orange extracts
Zest of one orange
¼ teaspoon cardamom
Toasted coconut and/or toasted slivered almonds for garnish
Combine rice, milks and salt in pot. Bring to a medium simmer, cover and cook for half an hour, stirring occasionally, until the rice pudding is thick, creamy and moist. Remove from heat. It will become thicker as it cools.
Add agave syrup, vanilla, orange extract, orange zest and cardamom. Blend well.
Garnish with toasted coconut, toasted slivered almonds or both. Pudding may be served warm or cold. If pudding becomes thick, add a bit of almond milk to thin it out.
This makes enough for six generous servings.
Recipe by Esther Oertel.
Esther Oertel, the “Veggie Girl,” is a culinary coach and educator and is passionate about local produce. Oertel gives private cooking lessons. She welcomes your questions and comments; e-mail her at
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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A head-on collision near Blue Lakes on Saturday evening resulted in minor injuries for the people involved but a horse in a trailer towed by one of the vehicles was treated at the scene by a vet.
The crash occurred shortly after 6 p.m. on Highway 20 at Blue Lakes, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A pickup towing a horse trailer collided with another vehicle. The CHP’s initial reports did not indicate what led to the crash.
The crash blocked the roadway, and one horse was reported to be down shortly after the incident occurred, the CHP said.
Originally the downed horse was reported as dying of its injuries at the scene, however on Sunday the CHP said a vet who responded to the scene treated the animal for shock and it survived.
The two horses involved were later transferred to another trailer and safely removed from the area.
One lane of traffic was open shortly before 7 p.m. The CHP did not report when the rest of the highway was cleared.
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