Let Me Try This Again
Although I’m in “vacation” mode I still intend to do some blogging. And from some reading I’ve done in the local blogosphere lately, I couldn’t do it to soon.
Some of my Democratic friends are screaming bloody murder over the Governor’s announced $300 million cuts to K-12 education funding. Nevermind the fact that state revenue forecasts (which have a worse track record than the Chicago Cubs last season) showed Indiana coming in with $1.8 billion less over the course of the biennium. Nevermind almost every other area in state government is experiencing budget cuts. Nevermind average people are having to make due with less.
My counterpart at Indy Democrat is demanding to know “where the money went”? The answer is real is it’s going to keep this state running. Some Democrats think this is some grand conspiracy to cut public education, here’s a news flash people, Indiana has managed to hold out a lot better than other place for a lot longer, but it’s not immune to the national economy.
Think of it this way. Your job has been kind of iffy lately, sales are down and your boss starts cutting back hours in various departments. Your department is more efficient than most, but you’re still not immune so you put money in your savings account. You and your wife debate about whether you should tap into it to pay day to day expenses. You say yes, she says no, because things could get worse. Everyday the news gets worse, and you still debate whether to tap into your savings. However one day your boss comes in and says you’re taking a pay cut, ironically, one that’s equal to the amount in your savings account.
That’s “where the surplus went.” It’s going to help this state meet it’s budget obligations for the rest of the budget cycle. Frankly I think some of my Democratic friends should stop talking about the budget. If my memory serves me correctly, had the Governor listened to his critics, he would have tapped into the reserves a long time ago and Indiana would really be up a creek without a paddle.
Luckily no one took them seriously then, seems like good advice to follow now.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:56 am
The forecasts did not stop the R's from lavishly funding college and university boondoggle construction projects wildly in excess of the recommendations of the Commission on Higher Education. This saddles us with union lies for wages and a continuing expense of maintaining buildings for decades. It may be that the R's can slow those dead weights down but they can't pose as friends of the taxpayers given that it was their green light that brought on the problem. They and their projects never did pass the smell test-a test not based on revenue forecasts as if 150 dolts are entitled to raid your wallets for whatever.
December 21st, 2009 at 7:12 am
I don't even know where to start, Pascal, regarding university construction projects, their bonding authority, and the state budget…but, regarding the original post:
I support the governor's cutbacks. There will be mroe, and we need to support those, too.
The money went to ongoing state priorities and the overall budget. There is more fat in that budget, believe it or not. But public education has got to smell the 2010 coffee: live on less, and make it work.
In other words, just like the rest of us.
And here's the challenge to the governor and the legislature: rid us of this ridiculous property tax system that is awash in red ink and inconsistent assessment practices.
And, while you're at it, build a brick wall around yourselves: no one can lobby for five years after leaving the legislature or the governor's administration. And every single dime lobbyists spend must be reported immediately and accurately. And the oversight of same shall be a group of citizens, not a group of legislators.
Hey, I can hope, can't I?
December 21st, 2009 at 7:52 am
Great analysis.
December 21st, 2009 at 7:54 am
When can we cut sports and arts funding locally?
http://diana-vice.blogspot.com/2009/12/tax-doll...
December 21st, 2009 at 9:30 am
WOW! I got you off vacation to blog about something I wrote. Thanks for the shout out Abdul.
December 21st, 2009 at 9:34 am
Hey,
Wait until you see what's going up tomorrow on charter schools! :-)
December 21st, 2009 at 9:57 am
Didn't the Capitol Hill Late Night Show just outlaw savings accounts & the ownership of private property?
December 21st, 2009 at 10:13 am
Melyssa, I have some old wood and metal that I can put together. I must do my home work on how I can lease whatever I put together for $2000 per year with the option to buy for the city of Indianapolis.
I don't know what it will look like but I will call it art and collect the money from you taxpayers.
December 21st, 2009 at 10:27 am
At the request of a reader of this blog I post the following:”For your consideration below is a comparison of MSD Washington Township’s annual cost for family medical insurance compared to a national benchmark courtesy of the 2009 Employer Health Benefits Annual Survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust: http://ehbs.kff.org/
Annual Family Insurance Costs
Total Premium Cost
Employee Cost
Taxpayer Cost
State/Local Gov Benchmark
$13,891
$3,195
$10,696
MSDWT teachers
$20,320
$6,711
$13,609
MSDWT administration
$15,716
$1
$15,715
Based on these data, if MSDWT insurance taxpayer costs were to reflect the Kaiser Family Foundation benchmarks, it could afford the State of Indiana’s cuts without cutting classroom expenditures or laying off a single teacher or teaching assistant.
MSDWT has a school board? What do they historically do, burn money? What is lacking in amatur budget analysis as done by Abdul and others is to look for the “envy factor”, e.g. the super makes more than the Guv, he drives a big car, etc. Simple numbers like these should be gobsmacks to the everyday taxpayer. Should public servants have it better than those who pay the bills? I don't think so, but I've been in the educated minority a long time.
December 21st, 2009 at 11:13 am
When can we stop illegal hiring and dysfunctional parenting locally?
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Being a more generous country than many, I think we should provide medical care for genuine emergencies & educational benefits due any child born in the United States. Beyond only that, unless we're also going to open the doors of the Columbia Club and YMCAs to all regardless of ability to pay, when do we reserve our infrastructure dollars strictly for citizens?
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Being the parent of a child adopted through the state, I dearly hope new birth single mothers & all parents attempting biological reunification after abuse & neglect issues are successful. But, statistics & global customs say that it usually takes a couple or even extended family to raise children. The barter for a check from taxpayers should be 18 months to get it together or find the child real parenting before they're damaged forever.
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I don't believe the typical individual or govermental layer lacks “caring”, but is still limited by our funding ability, with real revenue – not borrowing, IOUs, notes, bonds, and assurances of cuts in other programs (that could have already been done). Call me every name in the book if you like, but “compassion” still is limited by the affluence of the giver. Please point me to the information, the statistics, the proof if you believe my suggestions are outlandish.
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I suggest outlandish is expanding government when you can least afford to, or denying the reality of needing to reduce when it's obvious.
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Now, would you like to start on “non-locally”? Off-shore tax shelters or duplicative military spending for instance?
December 21st, 2009 at 11:28 am
Wow! I don’t believe it! I’m in complete agreement with TA! Here’s another fine example of the camel’s nose under the tent…
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/2009122... (Notre Dame, other nonprofits see property tax bills)
Although, it is fun to watch them start robbing each other.
December 21st, 2009 at 11:53 am
Neal Boortz says that there is $3 trillion U.S. off shore because wealth avoids taxes like Google did last week by avoiding U.K. taxes. Perhaps in the future we'll see that the greatest most desireable countries in the world are the ones with the most transparent and fair taxation.
If we did the Fair Tax, all that off shore money would come home.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:05 pm
only in your fevered dreams, Dave !
December 21st, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Oh Melyssa, honey…you've got to stop listening to Neal. He's a complete crackpot.
But the flat tax/fair tax argument has merit, I must admit. Not enough to do it, but enough to start a genuine give-and-take discussion.
As if the Congress will ever do THAT. The offshore money thing is not as simple as Neal would have you believe. Not even close. Never forget: he's selling himself, and books.
Jackthelad–I promise it doesn't hurt to agree with me. I'm open to new ideas and opinions if you think you can sway me on other issues.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I've been around the arts to know if you aren't one of their insiders and a liberal democrat, it's not likely you'll ever see a dime from those nose in the air arts administrator types in their Prada heels, who by the way, you will never see at local art openings.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:19 pm
The problem is that the governor has repeatedly said we cannot touch the rainy day fund. All of a sudden the money is gone and Daniels has never told us where and when. It may have been for a legitimate reason but tell us where the money went.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Sorry TA….I'm all about the Fair Tax. Read the books, etc. It's better than any other system anyone has proposed.
And it actually has some legs (albeit tiny ones) in Congress and large grass roots nation wide.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:29 pm
FACT CHECKER? You are saying the Rainy Day fund is gone? I thought we still had it. It's not really rained yet. The storms are coming in 2010 and 2011.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Rainy Day Fund is not gone, Melyssa. Not yet.
I've read the Fair Tax stuff. Not very impressive, but I'm open to reading more. Last Gallup poll I could find via Google had support at 5-6% tops. That does not, by itself, mean it's a bad idea.
But NBortz is a nutcase.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Boortz is a nutcase? He seems to employ good common sense to me.
One of the more brilliant things I've heard Boortz suggest is to give amnesty to anyone who brings their off shore wealth back to America. He states there is about $3 trillion that is not in our economy because of our burdoneous tax system. The advantage of having it back home, is that it could be put to work in OUR economy.
Speaking of nutcases…I got this description of real nutcases in the mail today.
“…we're going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it,
passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it,
to be signed by a president that also hasn't read it and who smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes,
all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese,
and financed by a country that's nearly broke.
…What could possibly go wrong?”
December 21st, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Melyssa, that just about sums it up.
December 21st, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Hey – based upon his performance as Bush 43's head of OMB (Clinton's surpluses dissipated into Bush's deficits), I would not trust ANYTHING budgetary from Daniels. Anyone remember Russert pressing him on the deficit, and Daniels finally exploded “I'm not the White House Librarian” ???
December 22nd, 2009 at 5:21 am
LMAO I do remember that exchange between Daniels and Russert, Greg. It was vintage Mitch….he gets zero serious questions from Indy media. Lapdogs all.
December 22nd, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I thought you loved Lapdogs in the media, TA. Hell, without them Barry wouldn't be in our Whitehouse.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:14 am
Don't worry about the Rainy Day Fund. If we spend it we can do like Obama and the democrats are doing up in Washington, Just start borrowing.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Don't worry about the Rainy Day Fund. If we spend it we can do like Obama and the democrats are doing up in Washington, Just start borrowing.