The strong "forecast", eh? Yeah, we remember the last time California forecasted a strong showing in their budget, only to fall short because of accounting gimmicks and errors.
Perhaps the situation will, someday, turn out badly instead (as the article admits) and you'll be able to "bask" in your victory. : )
LOL Recent estimates show that accounts dedicated to teacher pensions and retiree healthcare for public employees are underfunded by $135 billion. When the current fiscal year ends next June, the state could have a surplus of $2.2 billion, more than twice the size of earlier projections. Ignore the 135 billion debt and you "might" have a 2.2 billion surplus. Only a west coast idiot would have the courage to actually say that in public. I am sure the analysts have a strong buy on Stockton and Detroit munis.
Don't you think taking the pensions away from all those greedy public employees is a good thing, though?
Absolutely would be. But it's not going to happen - or did you have another article somewhere detailing how CalPERs is going to allow a pension cut? If not, then we're back to "California is broke".
Of course none of those pension obligations could be paid anyway if the state's budgetary news wasn't improving, which it is.