California’s unemployment rate climbed to 11.5 percent in May, the highest in modern record-keeping, the U.S. Department of Labor has reported. Last month, California lost 68,900 jobs, and in the past 12 months a staggering 739,500 jobs have disappeared from the state. If you include part-time workers seeking full-time work plus workers who have given up looking for traditional employment, the jobless rate could be as high as 25 percent, exceeding the national unemployment levels in the worst part of the Great Depression. Economists project that the layoffs will continue to rise at least through the end of this year and probably into 2010, even if the economy starts to recover.

Most of the cutbacks came from government: 11,400 job cuts in federal government and 2,800 from state and local agencies, as municipalities scaled back their services to cope with the crippling effects of tax declines and budget cuts. Adding to the decline in government employment, every major job category lost jobs in May except for education and health care, which added 2,100. Construction companies cut 11,300 positions; manufacturing, 10,400; professional and business services, 10,900; retail, wholesale, transportation and utilities, 8,300; leisure and information, 8,100; and hospitality, 2,700.

As shocking as these numbers are, what is even more shocking is that the State Government doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it, as they are mostly concerned with their own survival. Early indications are that the Obama administration stimulus money is going mostly to save the jobs of existing State workers and bureaucrats, who are already doing relatively well. Very little of the funding seems to be going into job creation, economic development or innovative programs to help small business.

The Obama administration has refused requests for emergency assistance from senior State government officials. Calling California, “one of the biggest remaining threats to the economy” the Washington Post reported that top state officials have gone hat in hand to the administration, armed with dire warnings of a fast-approaching “fiscal meltdown” caused by a budget shortfall. Concern has grown inside the White House in recent weeks as California’s fiscal condition has worsened, leading to high-level administration meetings. But the Post reported that federal officials are worried that a bailout of California would set off a cascade of demands from other states. The administration is also concerned that California will enact massive cuts to close its deficit aggravating the state’s recession and further dragging down the national economy. After a series of meetings, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, top White House economists Lawrence Summers and Christina Romer, and other senior officials have decided that California could hold on a little longer and should get its budget in order rather than rely on a federal bailout.

California’s ports are getting quieter and the state’s huge export slump is getting worse. According to a report in the Sacramento Bee, exports from California fell 25.5 percent in April from a year earlier, figures compiled Wednesday by Sacramento trade consultant Jock O’Connel reveal. The shipments from California’s ports, totaling $9.25 billion, represent the worst April in four years. Earlier this year, exports were falling at about a 20 percent rate. O’Connell said the new figures show a turnaround is a ways off despite signs on the national level that the economy might bottom out soon. O’Connell told the Bee that the export decline was widespread. The volume of cargo leaving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach was off 18 percent. Exports from San Francisco International Airport fell 34 percent. For the state, April marked the sixth straight month of declining exports. O’Connell added that imports at California’s ports fell 28.5 percent, demonstrating the global spread of the recession.

The respected publication “The Economist” has called California “the ungovernable State”. They certainly have a point- the Goverment here is a total mess, and voters are in a foul mood about tomorrow’s special election – and they should be, our government has failed us, and has many, many structural problems, but our leaders have failed us also. We have a government with absolutely no foresight, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, our part-time Governor, deserves his share of the blame. With all of California’s problems, our “lack of leadership” is certainly the most serious. Here are an excerpt and the full article can be read here:

ON MAY 19th Californians will go to the polls to vote on six ballot measures that are as important as they are confusing. If these measures fail, America’s biggest state will enter a full-blown financial crisis… A good outcome is no longer possible. California now has the worst bond rating among the 50 states. Income-tax receipts are coming in far below expectations. On May 11th Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor, sent a letter to the legislature warning it that, by his latest estimates, the state will face a budget gap of $15.4 billion if the ballot measures pass, $21.3 billion if they fail. Prisoners will have to be released, firefighters fired, and other services cut or eliminated. One way or the other, on May 20th Californians will have to begin discussing how to fix their broken state.

Only a minority of Californians bother to vote, and those voters tend to be older, whiter and richer than the state’s younger, browner and poorer population… Those voters, moreover, have over time “self-sorted” themselves into highly partisan districts: loony left in Berkeley or Santa Monica, for instance; rabid right in Orange County or parts of the Central Valley. Politicians have done the rest by gerrymandering bizarre boundaries around their supporters. The result is that elections are won during the Republican or Democratic primaries, rather than in run-offs between the two parties.
Representative democracy is only one half of California’s peculiar governance system. The other half, direct democracy, fails just as badly. California is one of 24 states that allow referendums, recalls and voter initiatives. But it is the only state that does not allow its legislature to override successful initiatives (called “propositions”) and has no sunset clauses that let them expire. It also uses initiatives far more, and more irresponsibly, than any other state.

The Sacramento business journal is reporting “huge” demands for California bonds: Investors were more enthusiastic about buying California debt than expected, putting in orders for $6.54 billion in general obligation bonds in a sale by the state Treasurer’s Office that ended Tuesday State officials had expected to sell $4 billion. The extra cash will allow officials to restart more stalled projects that were halted in December due to the state’s cash crisis. Treasurer Bill Lockyer’s office said there was “huge” demand from both individual investors and institutional buyers such as mutual funds. Officials have not determined which of 5,300 halted projects should be allowed to proceed. Until this sale, the tight credit market and the state’s prolonged budget crisis kept California out of the bond market for nine months.

Agricultural holding company Yasheng Group reported a $76 million profit for 2008 as part of its goal to be listed on a major U.S. stock exchange, according to a report in the San Francisco Business Times. Yasheng Group is a Redwood City holding company focused on agriculture in China. It has about 15,000 workers. It owns seven agricultural businesses in China that grow products such as onions, potatoes, apples, alfalfa, flax, beets, wheat, apricots, sunflowers, beer barley and cumin. As part of its move towards a major stockmarket listing, Yasheng published its financial results for 2006 and 2007 in January. More on Yasheng Group seeking stock exchange listing

The UCLA Anderson Forecast, an economic think tank, has linked the current national recession to slumping international economic conditions that will impact the timing and pace of any national recovery. The Forecast asserts that a turnaround in the U.S. economy depends upon a recovery in world trade. The report also states that regardless of the steps taken by the U.S. government, national solutions will not be enough to restore growth and therefore global solutions are essential. In California, it’s forecasted that the economy will remain in turmoil for the foreseeable future as the twin sector engines of consumers and construction continue to drag, according to a press release that summarized the report.
More on UCLA Forecast says National Recovery depends on World Trade

California came in dead last in a national ranking of the best states to do business, according to Chief Executive magazine. Finishing just ahead of California in the 2009 rankings were New York, Michigan, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Texas was ranked first.  The magazine evaluated states on natural resources, regulation, tax policies, quality of living, education and infrastructure, among other categories. Chief Executive magazine said states that perform well in the rankings tend to have lower taxes and little unionization. California ranked 48th in “cost of business” and “business friendliness.”

China has blocked the video-sharing Web site YouTube but has not offered any reason or explanation for the ban. Mountain View-based Google, which owns YouTube, said it began noticing a decline in traffic from China about noon Monday.  By early Wednesday, site users insider China continued to encounter an error message: “Network Timeout. The server at youtube.com is taking too long to respond.” “We do not know the reason for the blockage and we are working as quickly as possible to restore access to our users,” said Scott Rubin, a spokesman for Google. It’s not the first time users in China have been unable to access the site. In March 2008, China blocked YouTube during riots in Tibet.

Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., the movie studio subsidiary of the Japanese electronics maker, is laying off nearly 250 people and eliminating nearly 100 open positions in an effort to cut costs. According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, about 150 of those jobs will be in the Los Angeles area:

Chief Executive Michael Lynton and studio co-chair Amy Pascal announced job cuts of 3.5 percent of the studio’s staff worldwide in a staff memo sent out Tuesday afternoon. “Our studio remains profitable, but over the past five months, the deepening global financial crisis has begun to impact some of our lines of business, such as television syndication, DVDs and advertising sales,” they said in the memo. These economic effects have, regretfully, made it necessary to take the step we had hoped to avoid, and worked hard to minimize: reducing our headcount.”

Fifty members of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce have taken a business trip to Washington D.C. to protest the “anti-junket” attitudes that have gripped Congress and the public after several incidents of abuses by bailed out financial firms. As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Big business is cutting back on convention travel these days, afraid of being branded as lavish spenders in a down economy. And that’s having a real impact on cities like San Francisco, where conventions and business meetings have a huge impact on our economy. That’s the message a delegation of the city’s civic leaders will deliver to Congress today, specifically asking the Northern California congressional delegation to help tone down the criticism of such business meetings. The San Francisco officials are concerned that businesses that otherwise would send employees to meetings and spend appropriate sums on food and entertainment will increasingly cancel meetings out of fear they will be singled out on Capitol Hill and by the public as overindulgent. “They don’t want to be on the front page of the newspaper or on the 11 o’clock news, seen as frivolously spending money even though it is for legitimate purposes,” said Joe McInerney, the president and chief executive officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, based in Washington. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce-led delegation, consisting of some 50 participants, is in Washington to ask members to keep in mind the economic contribution of travel and tourism while they negotiate proposed restrictions on recipients of federal emergency funds. They do not want legitimate business travel chilled because of extravagant spending by others… “We do not want to support irresponsible extravagance, but we also do not want to discourage business from holding conventions and meetings so they can spend appropriately on entertainment in San Francisco,” said Steve Falk, the chamber president. Among those suffering the consequences of a falloff in business are service employees, he said. “While we understand the need for transparency, we want to make sure that legislation (covering emergency fund recipients) does not have the unintended consequences of impacting negatively on the hospitality workforce,” said Mariann Costello, vice president of Scoma’s restaurant in San Francisco, who is among the chamber delegation.

Online video site YouTube will block most music videos in the United Kingdom because talks with a royalty group there failed and an earlier license between YouTube and the group expired. San Bruno-based YouTube, which is owned by giant Google Inc. said the Performing Rights Society for Music asked for too much money in licensing fees, more than YouTube was willing to pay.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger jointly inaugurated CeBIT, one of the top annual fairs in the technology industry. CeBIT exhibits computers, software and communications products, mainly for corporate and manufacturing buyers. At the event this year, California has been declared ‘partner,’ an honorary status usually awarded to entire nations.  Schwarzenegger, speaking in both English and German to an invited audience, highlighted California’s advanced computer technology.  “Technology is really our great hope for creating extra revenues and stimulating the economy — especially green technology is where the action is,” said Schwarzenegger.  Speaking in English, our Austrian-born governor said environmental-technology companies represent the only sector of California’s economy that is creating jobs.  Schwarzenegger praised Germany’s commitment to renewable energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and attacked economic protectionism. “The world is the marketplace … and the only way we can protect the consumer is if we let the consumer choose from products all over the world no matter where they come from,” he said. The Governor also tried to encourage the executives attending to be more upbeat, “”Losers whine but winners move forward in a strong and powerful way and I know that everyone who is here at the CeBIT is a winner!” In spite of the upbeat speeches, to mood at CeBIT was reported to be gloomy as a result of the worldwide economic slowdown and slump in the computer industry.  This year’s CeBIT has suffered a 25-per-cent slump in exhibitor numbers to 4,300.

The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that a recent agreement between BrightSource Energy – developer of seven large solar plants planned for the California desert, and Southern California Edison may be the “world’s largest solar deal”:

Solar power’s explosive growth in California may have been stunted by the credit crisis and the recession, but the boom isn’t over yet.  In what could be the world’s largest solar deal to date, BrightSource Energy of Oakland announced Wednesday that it will sell Southern California Edison 1,300 megawatts of electricity from seven large solar plants planned for the California desert. That’s enough juice to light 845,000 homes, and it easily eclipses other recent deals signed by utilities here and abroad that are trying to expand their use of renewable power.  “It’s a significant statement by Southern California Edison in their commitment to renewable energy and BrightSource’s technology,” said John Woolard, BrightSource’s chief executive officer. “America and California have long called for clean renewable energy, and we look forward to working with Southern California Edison to meet this need.”  Full story here

The Wall Street Journal ran an article describing how thing might be getting pretty rough here:

As Sacramento squabbles over the state’s $42 billion deficit, Californians are getting a bitter taste of what’s to come after the steep budget cuts that are inevitable when legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger finally hammer out a deal… “Before it gets better, it’s going to get a lot worse,” said Joseph Valentine, director of Contra Costa County’s Department of Employment and Human Services. The department, which administers social services such as food stamps, has cut 12%, or $25 million, of its budget. It has managers answering reception-desk phones, and Mr. Valentine expects another round of cuts… While Sacramento talks, money is drying up in places like Contra Costa County, where 40,000 families have applied for 350 available slots for Section 8 vouchers — a federal subsidy that allows low-income families to rent in the private market. “The level of desperation is just heartbreaking,” said Joseph Villareal, executive director of the Contra Costa Housing Authority.

Forbes has called the Central California city of Stockton, “America’s Most Miserable City” in a ranking of the 150 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S:

Stockton ranks in the bottom seven in four of the nine categories we looked at: commute times, income tax rates, unemployment and violent crime. Only New York City has a higher income tax rate than what Stockton, and all California residents, are forced to pay.  Stockton was ground zero for the housing boom and now the subsequent bust. Home prices more than tripled between 1998 and 2005 and then came crashing down last year. Stockton had the country’s highest foreclosure rate last year at 9.5%, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed property. Things are not looking much brighter in 2009 as housing prices are expected to fall another 36% on the heels of a 39% drop in 2008. Also, unemployment is expected to jump to 13.3% from 10.4%, according to economic research firm Moody’s Economy.com.

Stockton’s Mayor Ann Johnson, however, sounds like she is making a sincere attempt at leadership:

“We are engaging the entire community and encouraging everyone to get involved and help us find solutions that meet the needs of our community,” says Stockton Mayor Ann Johnston. “Volunteerism is encouraged, looking out for your neighbor, and taking personal responsibility where individuals can make a difference. We are partnering with all community organizations–schools, churches, non-profits– to provide support services and help individuals and families get through these difficult times.”

Tesla Motors Inc. said it has not been notified yet whether it will get a $350-million loan from the federal government, but expects word within four to five months.  A newsletter distributed Wednesday by the company caused confusion when CEO Elon Musk wrote, “I am excited to report that the Department of Energy informed Tesla last week that they expect to disburse funds … within four to five months.” Some took that to mean that the loan had been approved but the company said later that this isn’t the case.  Spokesperson Rachel Konrad said the Department of Energy hasn’t given final confirmation to any of the 75 entities that applied for the funds. “No one has gotten final confirmation,” she said. “That said, we’re very confident we’re going to get financing.”  Full story here.

University of California President Mark G. Yudof apparently hasn’t been able to do much to curtail the culture of corruption that has gripped the UC since a series of outrageous scandals during his predecessor’s tenure. It has now been reported that another highly paid executive just left the UC’s Oakland office with a $100,000 severance check, then turned around and got a job down the street at their Berkeley Office for the same $200,400 salary. The executive aid who commands this high salary is Linda Morris Williams.  She had previously been awarded a $44,000 relocation allowance and a low-interest $832,500 home loan by then-UC President Robert Dynes. State Senator Leland Yee condemned the University of California in a opt-ed he wrote on Califoria Progress Report:

Clearly, there is a broken record at the UC. How many more scandals, oversight hearings, and new laws do we need to have before the University will finally clean up their act? It is truly unconscionable that they continue to mislead the taxpayers and students… There is absolutely no justification for these bloated salaries. The UC administration continuously violates the public trust by catering to the University’s elite rather than serving the students, faculty, and workers they are appointed to represent. The public deserves better from the UC administration.

California has the lowest credit rating in the country after Standard & Poor’s cut its general obligation bonds one grade because of a record budget deficit, according to a report in the San Jose Business Journal we are now in worse shape then even hurricane ravaged Louisiana:

New York-based S&P said Tuesday it lowered the state’s $46 billion of full-faith-and-credit debt to A from A plus. The move bumps California down; it was previously tied with Louisiana. Gabriel Petek of S&P’s San Francisco office said the lowered rating “reflects our view of the state’s inability to reach an agreement on a mid-year budget revision and its rapidly eroding cash position.” California has had to delay $3.7 billion in some payments — including income tax refunds — because of the budget impasse.

Wells Fargo & Co., which received $25 billion in taxpayer bailout money, is planning a series of corporate junkets to Las Vegas casinos this month, according to a report by AP and the San Francisco Chronicle. They have justified this by saying it is part of culture”. They won’t tell anyone what they did with our $25 billion, but as far as we know, they are still not using this money to help American companies:

Wells Fargo, once among the nation’s top writers of subprime mortgages, has booked 12 nights at the Wynn Las Vegas and its sister hotel, the Encore Las Vegas beginning Friday, said Wynn spokeswoman Michelle Loosbrock. The hotels will host the annual conference for company’s top mortgage officers.

The conference is a Wells Fargo tradition. Previous years have included all-expense-paid helicopter rides, wine tasting, horseback riding in Puerto Rico and a private Jimmy Buffett concert in the Bahamas for more than 1,000 employees and guests.

“I was amazed with just how lavish it was,” said Debra Rickard, a former Wells Fargo mortgage employee from Colorado who attended the events regularly until she left the company in 2004. “We stayed in top hotels, the entertainment was just unbelievable, and there were awards — you got plaques or trophies.”

While the nation’s recession has led other banks, such as Bank of America, to cancel employee recognition outings, Wells Fargo has not.  “Recognition events are still part of our culture,” spokeswoman Melissa Murray said. “It’s really important that our team members are still valued and recognized.”

Corporate retreats have attracted criticism since the bank bailout last fall. Congress scolded insurance giant American International Group Inc. for spending $440,000 on spa treatments for executives just days after the company took $85 billion from taxpayers.  AIG has since canceled all such outings.

Beginning Feb. 25, Wells Fargo’s insurance division is hosting a 40-person team meeting at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.  Murray did not immediately have details about the size or cost of the events or what was planned….

Rooms at the Wynn and the Encore are consistently among the most expensive in Las Vegas. The $2.3 billion Encore opened in December as sister hotel to the Wynn. Its decor includes a 27-foot Asian dragon made from 90,000 Swarovski crystals and artwork by Colombian artist Fernando Botero. One of the restaurants features Frank Sinatra’s 1953 Oscar.  Both properties have high-end retail stores, including Manolo Blahnik at Wynn and Chanel at Encore.