Thank You for Voting Democrat

I doubt they would have been addressed by increasing taxes on citizens, maybe they would have dropped funding for stupid feel good pet projects like teapot museums.

I also want to speak of the lottery as this is a subject that I have addressed numerous times. A lottery is nothing more than a voluntary tax, and one geared at poor folks no less. Where does the money go?

http://www.nc-educationlottery.org/about_where-the-money-goes.aspx



Golly gee, wouldn't this have still helped the schools since the lottery proceeds were supposed to be in addition to the current alottment for schools? Yeah, except one of the first things Mike Easley did was to reallocate half of the earmarked funds for schools and basically replaced them with the lottery proceeds. So, there was no increase. He borrowed from Peter to pay Paul, and Peter does not even have a steady income.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1091447/


Thanks Democrats!!!

 

I doubt this was a surprise to you however.

 

When I face a "budget short fall" at the house, I have to cut back. The dining out is first to go, then maybe cable TV next. Then, I start buying off-brand toilet paper, etc. State (and federal for that fact) governments are not in the habit of cutting expenses. By cutting expenses, I'm not referring to simply telling agencies to cut 2-5%. You have to cut programs and prune some of the dead branches from the tree. More at 4 is nice, but we can't afford it. Giving out teacher bonuses and special raises is great when you have extra money to do it. When times are tough, you have to cut out a lot of "nice" stuff. I won't even go into all the waste/abuses the Easleys have cost the state. Pat McCrory had a great campaign slogan about changing the culture of state government....too bad the people of the state didn't want real change.

 

Nope, just par for the course.

 

I'll wager that the Democrats did so well because it's much easier for the first time voters to fill in the bubble that votes across the board because they haven't a clue who is on there or what the issues are. And they claim to want "change" but apparently that only means with the President and not the state level. The only thing they gave a rip about was their Obama vote.

 

Given the LINKS were to possible tax increases to offset the budget shortfall, not new budget items, that is the topic of the first post and the thread.

I believe the amount of the shortfall would mean more than just removing "unnecessary" programs, unless you think all programs may be unecessary.

http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1265383.html

RALEIGH - The first crisis to face the next governor is already here.
Even as the inauguration parties wind down, the new governor will have to confront a sobering reality: The state budget will have a hole in it that could be as wide as $2 billion.

That's 10 percent of the state's current $21.4 billion budget.

<snip>

Gov. Mike Easley, a Democrat, has already ordered state agencies to hold back 2 percent of their spending. Easley said he doesn't want the next governor to inherit a budget shortfall as he did.

Crawford said declining revenue tells only half the story. He said he believes tax revenue will be down a billion dollars or more. But the state will also see an additional billion in expenses such as bonuses promised for teachers whose students excel on the state's testing and accountability program, and the cost of more new students enrolling in the state's schools. The costs for Medicaid, the government's health insurance program for the poor, is always more expensive than the year before.



http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081106/nc_state_budget_shortfall.html?.v=1

LEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Preparing for a revenue shortfall that number crunchers said Thursday could reach $1.6 billion, outgoing North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley's administration has ordered more cuts and savings to keep the state government budget balanced.

Several state departments have now been ordered to make do with 5 percent less than originally budgeted by the Legislature this year, up from the 2 percent trim ordered by Easley last month, state budget director Charlie Perusse told lawmakers.

 

It seems there must be a lot of those projects is ~10% of the budget can be recovered by not funding those projects.

 

And when you have to cut back on the mortgage payment and car payments there are no problems?

Assuming, of course, there are enough savings to me made from unrequired programs.

Sure, maybe some of those teachers will go to another state to teach and we will save even more money.

.

 

Ya gotta start somewhere.

 

You could always sell your house. I know it is something I am considering.

 

Yes, basic NEEDS have to be taken care of. But, if you're struggling with paying the bills, you should not be driving a beamer or mercedes.

Again, there may not be enough savings there, but cutting redundant or non-essential services and programs should come BEFORE raising taxes. Museums, state parks, trips overseas for the governor, etc are wonderful things, but when times are tough, you have to take tough steps. It goes back to the cable TV. Everyone wants cable TV, but it is not a NEED.

I was a teacher. I didn't leave because of money. I left because of the beaurocracy that required everything from teachers and nothing from students and their parents. I have no problem giving bonuses and raises to teachers. They are hard working professionals. When we have the money to give raises and bonuses, they should get them. When there is a budget shortfall, there can be no raises or bonuses. Why shouldn't government have to operate the same way as private businesses?

This mentality of government has to provide everything to everybody is a pipe dream. Government can only do so much while allowing us to maintain a democratic, capitalistic society. This is the reason we don't provide "free" health care and college tuition...those are good things, but someone has to pay for it.

 

I don't believe anyone would say they enjoy paying higher taxes, but we need to get back on course, and I am personally not willing to wait for a bridge to fall out from under me before we decide to do something about it.

 

And, so, how is my post off topic?

 

Can you say 1929?

 

:iagree:

 

What does 1929 have in common with 2008?

Herbert Clark Hoover
31st President of the United States
( March 4, 1929 to March 3, 1933 - 1 Term )
Republican

George Walker Bush
43rd President of the United States
(2001-present 2 terms)
Republican