sck5,
You might consider a couple of factors in the defense of the average Californian.
While you can certainly blame them for consistently re-electing profligate spenders of the Democrat and liberal Republican variety, there is some question as to the malfeasance of those elected officials throughout the state. Given that government is the largest employer within the state, it's reasonable to expect that Californian legislators of every stripe would take care to represent their largest voting block. The public service and teachers unions are very strong and to say that those employees of the state are highly paid would be an understatement, and of course every one of those employees votes with an eye towards maintaining the status quo. Every one wants police and fire protection as well as excellent teachers, but those are not jobs that one traditionally views as the path to riches. In California those professions pay substantially more than elsewhere in the country and the pensions are equally lucrative.
I think you'll find the following articles interesting, if not shocking.
The $200,000 club | pensions, pension, city, county, public - News - OCRegister.com
George F. Will - Pension Time Bomb - washingtonpost.com
Fat paychecks and pensions spell trouble - Jun. 3, 2008
And it's not just California....
Public-sector pensions already cost twice as much, per retiree, as the average private-sector pension, according to the U.S. Labor Department. This leaves cities and states no easy way out. They should not renege on their commitments, but the other options — raising taxes or cutting services — could prove so severe that bankruptcy would look like a sensible alternative.
Our view on retirement benefits: Public-employee pensions put cities, states in tight squeeze - Opinion - USATODAY.com