As blue states become more and more irresponsible with their finances, should congress pass legislation not requiring responsible states to bale them

[tyroneweaver]

watch mandani on this sucker

Thought for 32s

Short answer up front — it depends which measure you mean (bond debt only vs. total long-term liabilities including pensions/OPEB). Here are the best, up-to-date figures I can find (with sources and dates):

• California (total state liabilities / “total debt”) — ≈ $497 billion (Reason Foundation’s state-debt ranking; figure reported for the most recent complete fiscal data they used). Reason Foundation
  If you want the state-government bonds / debt-outstanding measure only, Moody’s/BondBuyer reporting shows California had about $100 billion of debt across government activities as of June 30, 2024. bondbuyer.com+1
• New York (total state liabilities / “total debt”) — ≈ $233 billion (Reason Foundation’s ranking for state-level total liabilities in their recent 2025 report). Reason Foundation
  New York State Comptroller materials describe the state’s total debt outstanding as “more than a quarter of a trillion dollars” in recent financial reports (NY Comptroller / Financial Condition materials). That wording reflects the larger, bonds-plus-other obligations picture reported by the Comptroller’s office. Office of the State Comptroller+1

Notes / important context

• Different sources measure “debt” differently: some count only tax-supported bonds and outstanding bond principal, others count long-term liabilities (pensions, retiree health/OPEB, leases, guarantees). That’s why California’s $100B (bonds-only / Moody’s measure) and $497B (total liabilities) are both reported depending on the metric. bondbuyer.com+1
• The Reason Foundation numbers above are the recent comparative “total liabilities” figures cited in their October 2025 materials (they use the most recent complete fiscal-year data available). State treasurer/comptroller PDFs contain the official breakdowns by category (bonds, pensions, OPEB). Reason Foundation+1

If you want, I can:

• Pull one precise metric (for example: “state government bonds outstanding as of June 30, 2024” or “total long-term liabilities including pensions/OPEB”) and show the exact line-item totals and latest dates for each state, with the underlying state PDF figures. Tell me which metric you prefer and I’ll fetch the exact tables.

 

[Dante]

OP does not understand how federalism works.

 

[Foxfyre]

watch mandani on this sucker

Thought for 32s

Short answer up front — it depends which measure you mean (bond debt only vs. total long-term liabilities including pensions/OPEB). Here are the best, up-to-date figures I can find (with sources and dates):

• California (total state liabilities / “total debt”) — ≈ $497 billion (Reason Foundation’s state-debt ranking; figure reported for the most recent complete fiscal data they used). Reason Foundation
  If you want the state-government bonds / debt-outstanding measure only, Moody’s/BondBuyer reporting shows California had about $100 billion of debt across government activities as of June 30, 2024. bondbuyer.com+1
• New York (total state liabilities / “total debt”) — ≈ $233 billion (Reason Foundation’s ranking for state-level total liabilities in their recent 2025 report). Reason Foundation
  New York State Comptroller materials describe the state’s total debt outstanding as “more than a quarter of a trillion dollars” in recent financial reports (NY Comptroller / Financial Condition materials). That wording reflects the larger, bonds-plus-other obligations picture reported by the Comptroller’s office. Office of the State Comptroller+1

Notes / important context

• Different sources measure “debt” differently: some count only tax-supported bonds and outstanding bond principal, others count long-term liabilities (pensions, retiree health/OPEB, leases, guarantees). That’s why California’s $100B (bonds-only / Moody’s measure) and $497B (total liabilities) are both reported depending on the metric. bondbuyer.com+1
• The Reason Foundation numbers above are the recent comparative “total liabilities” figures cited in their October 2025 materials (they use the most recent complete fiscal-year data available). State treasurer/comptroller PDFs contain the official breakdowns by category (bonds, pensions, OPEB). Reason Foundation+1

If you want, I can:

• Pull one precise metric (for example: “state government bonds outstanding as of June 30, 2024” or “total long-term liabilities including pensions/OPEB”) and show the exact line-item totals and latest dates for each state, with the underlying state PDF figures. Tell me which metric you prefer and I’ll fetch the exact tables.

I think the current administration will take the position that each state has full authority to manage its own finances. However, when those policies tread on the unalienable rights of the citizens in those states and/or negatively impact the rest of the county, the federal government should have every right to defund whatever in those states.

All taxpayers should not be on the hook to fund the irresponsible policies/action of say California or New York or wherever.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

I think that we have already bailed out NYC once.

New York City bailout » World history

In 1974 New York City became financially insolvent due to years of budget deficits, a deteriorating middle-class tax base, and union contracts. For decades the city had borrowed money in order to meet its budget needs. Moreover, since 1965, the city’s operating budget had more than tripled. In the

worldhistory.biz

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

No bailout
Fuggem

 

[ColonelAngus]

For starters, there should be no SALT deductions for anyone.

 

[task0778]

As blue states become more and more irresponsible with their finances, should congress pass legislation not requiring responsible states to bale them​

1. Bailouts will never happen while Trump is president.

2. It will also never happen if a democrat assumes the presidency as long as the democrats do not have a 60-vote Senate majority, unless of course they manage to abolish the filibuster. But if they can do that and also control the House, then it's Katy bar the door, they'll bail out every blue city and state that asks for money.

3. The question in the thread title is kinda weird. There is currently no law that requires bailouts to anybody. Should there be a law that allows bailouts? I guess the federal gov't can already do that, since they already did it once. Should there be a law that outlaws bailouts? Wouldn't matter, a future Congress can change or delete that law at their convenience or find a way to get around it.

4. I see this as primarily a democrat problem in blue cities and states. They are not going to change their profligate ways if they get bailed out by Washington.

 

[Dekster]

watch mandani on this sucker

Thought for 32s

Short answer up front — it depends which measure you mean (bond debt only vs. total long-term liabilities including pensions/OPEB). Here are the best, up-to-date figures I can find (with sources and dates):

• California (total state liabilities / “total debt”) — ≈ $497 billion (Reason Foundation’s state-debt ranking; figure reported for the most recent complete fiscal data they used). Reason Foundation
  If you want the state-government bonds / debt-outstanding measure only, Moody’s/BondBuyer reporting shows California had about $100 billion of debt across government activities as of June 30, 2024. bondbuyer.com+1
• New York (total state liabilities / “total debt”) — ≈ $233 billion (Reason Foundation’s ranking for state-level total liabilities in their recent 2025 report). Reason Foundation
  New York State Comptroller materials describe the state’s total debt outstanding as “more than a quarter of a trillion dollars” in recent financial reports (NY Comptroller / Financial Condition materials). That wording reflects the larger, bonds-plus-other obligations picture reported by the Comptroller’s office. Office of the State Comptroller+1

Notes / important context

• Different sources measure “debt” differently: some count only tax-supported bonds and outstanding bond principal, others count long-term liabilities (pensions, retiree health/OPEB, leases, guarantees). That’s why California’s $100B (bonds-only / Moody’s measure) and $497B (total liabilities) are both reported depending on the metric. bondbuyer.com+1
• The Reason Foundation numbers above are the recent comparative “total liabilities” figures cited in their October 2025 materials (they use the most recent complete fiscal-year data available). State treasurer/comptroller PDFs contain the official breakdowns by category (bonds, pensions, OPEB). Reason Foundation+1

If you want, I can:

• Pull one precise metric (for example: “state government bonds outstanding as of June 30, 2024” or “total long-term liabilities including pensions/OPEB”) and show the exact line-item totals and latest dates for each state, with the underlying state PDF figures. Tell me which metric you prefer and I’ll fetch the exact tables.

How does Virginia's debt cost Idaho a single cent?

Anyway, the biggest driver of state debt is infrastructure. States shoulder a lot more of the cost for road construction and maintenance than people realize. It is also why a lot of roads are in such crap condition.

 

[Mac-7]

As blue states become more and more irresponsible with their finances, should congress pass legislation not requiring responsible states to bale them​

Yes