California's long spending spree halted abruptly

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

California's spending boomed in recent years - from $38.9 billion in 1993 to $102.9 billion in 2008 - as lawmakers poured increasing amounts of money into state services.

But a crash in revenue collection that began 19 months ago forced lawmakers in the past two years to make the deepest cuts to the state's discretionary fund in the history of the Golden State.

Today, general fund spending stands at $84.5 billion and the state's per capita spending is $2,301 - down to what the state was spending per person 11 years ago, when adjusted for inflation, a Chronicle analysis of general fund budgets over the past 20 years found.

Spending is likely to continue to plunge in the coming years.

There's more California spending facts in the article.