ESA receives $282,794 reimbursement from California

The ESA, after a series of recent blows, is certainly becoming a more transparent organization -- and adding just a hint of badass to its rep. As a warning to all the other states out there looking to take on the industry with unconstitutional legislation, the ESA has placed an image of California's $282,794 legal fee reimbursement check in its latest press release. That's like the business equivalent of putting your enemy's head on a stick on the front lawn.

The ESA states that "California deserves more" than politicians pursuing "flawed legislation" and lists several places that California would have been better served spending the cash on (listed after the break). Most depressingly for California taxpayers is that this check isn't even the end of the story. The state is currently appealing the judge's injunction on the game law. Meaning, if the courts maintain the same ruling, then the ESA is going to get even more cash from California's piggy bank.

ESA's ideas on where California should focus its efforts:

• California is currently facing a $15-billion budget gap^[1]
• More than 10,000 California state employees were laid off last week in light of the budget crisis^[1]
• Governor Schwarzenegger is seeking to cut wages for nearly 200,000 state employees^[2]
• The state already cut 10 percent to its Medicaid reimbursement rate and deferred payments to vendors^[3]

[1] "Schwarzenegger makes layoffs, orders pay cuts for California state workers" - Los Angeles Times, August 1, 2008
[2] "State agencies affected by Schwarzenegger's order" - Associated Press, August 1, 2008
[3] "California Is Among States Struggling With Budgets" - New York Times, August 3, 2008