California drains the potty

Los Angeles Daily News: The victims of the state budget impasse have so far included the elderly, the frail, the poor and children. But now, the budget delay is hitting Californians where it really hurts — the bathroom. The public potty, that is.

The Legislature’s failure to pass a budget means state agencies have no authority to spend money. They can’t pay contractors. They can’t pay vendors. That means seven rest stops along Interstates 15, 40 and 10 in San Bernardino and Riverside counties will close because Caltrans doesn’t have the money to pay contractors to keep them open. No toilets, no water, no relief for drivers until the budget passes.

It gets worse.

State officials have warned some parks may soon be without toilet paper, and some parks have reportedly already closed restrooms because they couldn’t pay the water bill.

The indignity! Imagine what tourists must think of California when, on their drive to Palm Springs, they need to stop at one of our rest stops and discover they’re closed.