• Listen to this segment

As California’s financial crisis worsens, lawmakers are still polarized on the state’s budget. The treasury has been depleted, and the state’s controller has begun withholding payments and, instead, is issuing IOUs, which are leaving many Californians in dire circumstances. Some 2.7 million Californians won’t receive their income tax refunds this month. College aid has also been placed on hold. In the next wave, state workers may be forced to take furloughs and pay cuts, which may mean the closing down of some state offices. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers are being accused of holding the state hostage until it rolls back environmental laws.

GUEST: Jean Ross, Executive Director of the nonprofit California Budget Project.

Visit the California Budget Project online at www.cbp.org/