California state garage sale: Many things must go

Well, the countdown is continuing for the Great California Garage Sale this Friday and Saturday.

The Golden State is in so much financial distress that it lost its lease and everything must go. Not really, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to mark the end of soft news summer days with a sale of surplus, unused or wasteful state property.

To enhance interest and bidding, the ex-movie star even autographed the sun visors of some vehicles for sale.

They'll be selling hundreds of items, including highly used state cars, computers, BlackBerrys, desks and even some CHiPs motorcycles (see photo).

To get the buzz going, the state has listed some stuff on EBay and Craigslist so the online world can have a hand in raising money for the beleaguered state. [Note: An earlier version of this post incorrectly referred to Craigslist as Craiglist.]

Some of the cars are fixed price, some auction. All will be operating with the goal of reducing the state fleet by 15%. The event will take place at a warehouse in Sacramento.

It'll be a great story for television news at week's end.

But perhaps the more interesting untold stories are how in the world the state of California ever came into possession of some of this stuff. The surfboard for sale, no doubt, was used by Gray Davis during one of his wild days.

But what about the diamond and gold rings? Dentist chairs? A fishing boat? Or an antique piano, an Xbox 360 with Halo 3 cover and a racing bicycle?

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Comments

[steve rodriguez]

We have a governor, state and national senators, congressman, mayors and civic leaders in California that we'll sell cheap in our Caliifornia garage sale! Everything must go!!!

[Tone Dagger]

Wonder if they have any golf clubs for cheap.

[Susan Moise]

Wonder if there'll be any Hummers for sale?

[Kevin]

Do they take I.O.U.'s??

[jch]

Why not just stop welfare, food stamps, and SECTION 8 housing? Maybe the parasites will leave the state. Just sayin...............

[B King]

I think this is a wonderful idea. Someone should have thought of it years ago. Too bad you have to be in Sacramento to pick up any purchases.

This can work all over the country. Every municipality, state, county and the U.S. Government should empty their warehouses and closets of obsolete and unwanted confiscations and purchases and raise funds while stimulating the economy. Citizens everywhere could save money on the dollar while buying up government property. Third World countries could use the outdated merchandise laying in boxes on warehouse shelves. The military is the first one to start with!

[Elizabeth]

People like jch are what is wrong with this world. You would rather let people starve and die than give them food stamps or Medicaid?!?! What is wrong with you--calling fellow human beings parasites!!!! So only the rich should survive in your eyes?! LOOK AT THE CURRENT ECONOMY! For your information, people like you are the reason that I am no longer a Republican. There are people with Doctorates who cannot currently find work! I have a double Masters and a Bachelors degree and I am struggling to get work. I have gone 8 months without work and have not been able to get a job anywhere in any state! I have not gone on assistance and now my bank account has 0 dollars. I have been forced to relocate in order to continue looking for work. By the way, I am overqualified for most positions. Referring to people as parasites takes humanity away from them. They have names, thoughts, feelings, families, lives, etc. I suggest you wake up and volunteer at a soup kitchen or The Salvation Army to get a better idea of the HELL these people go through and our economy is going through right now. You never know if you or your family members might be next on the lay off list!