proud2BlibKansan (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 02:21 AM
Original message
"I'm asking you to raise my taxes,"
said Megan Greene, representing the Lawrence organization Save Our Neighborhood Schools. "I'm not the only person I know who would be happy to pay more tax if it would support the maintenance of a high standard of public education."
There is a proposal in KS to raise the sales tax by 1%. Of course the anti-tax GOP is adamantly opposed to this idea. However, school districts are in a tough position and can't tolerate any more cuts in their state aid.QuoteArgonia superintendent Julie Dolley presided over budget reductions in the south-central Kansas district that resulted in shortening the school year, trimming the staff, eliminating sports programs, delaying textbook purchases and freezing salaries.
Still on the table, she said, is a contingency plan developed in anticipation of deeper state budget cuts that would reduce after-school tutoring, eliminate field trips, drop school maintenance positions, and lay off mathematics and music teachers.
"We have tried to make cuts up to this point without affecting student achievement," Dolley told members of the House Taxation Committee. "However, it will not be possible to maintain our high levels of student achievement with further budget cuts."
I would hope eliminating sports programs would get their attention. Thank goodness some Kansans understand why taxes are important:QuotePete Roman, representing Kansas Families for Education, said he was among the state's unemployed but still believed lawmakers should increase taxes to provide reasonable investment in the future of Kansans.
"Nobody likes to pay taxes. But I recognize it for what it is, an investment in my community and my state for a prosperous future for me and for my children," he said.
http://cjonline.com/news/legislature/2010-01-21/sales_t...
Why Syzygy (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 02:31 AMThat has always been a lie or at least here in NY.
Response to Original message
1. Didn't state lotteries promise improved schools? nt
proud2BlibKansan (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 02:34 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. In MO, where I teach, the lottery money is less than 1% of the education budget
No, lotteries did not promise improved schools. Lottery money is just a drop in the bucket of funding quality schools.
notesdev (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 02:34 AM
Response to Original message
2. Stupid
If that person wants to pay more taxes, there is absolutely nothing stopping them from writing a check to their state treasury.
What they really want is to force other people to pay more taxes.
This is the freaking Second Great Depression, and most people can barely afford to survive, let alone pay more taxes.
If there's a problem with the government having enough money, they should do what we the people do when money is tight and learn how to spend more wisely, learn what is a true need and what we can live without.
proud2BlibKansan (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 02:39 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. They are talking about raising sales tax by 1%
That means $1.00 on my weekly $100 worth of groceries.
Anyone who claims they can't afford that is not living in reality.
In KS, the sales tax exemptions are enough to meet the deficit twice. So our problem isn't poor budgeting, it's an unfair exemption system.
I also think cutting sports programs is rather extreme belt tightening. Yes, I will pay an extra dollar a week to prevent that.
notesdev (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 02:48 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. Tell me
where does a person with no job get the money to pay more taxes?
It's telling that you spend $100/week on groceries. You may not realize it, but if you can afford that, you are doing a lot better than the average person in this country. It's easy to say other people should pay more when you're not suffering like they are, when you have no worry about where to find the money to spend on those groceries.
These ain't the boom years anymore. More and more people in this country are in the position where they can barely find the money to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies, and they cannot afford to spend more in taxes.
Nor are they willing to spend more when governments at all levels spend like the money grows on trees and doesn't come from the blood sweat and tears of the diminishing pool of people who still have jobs.
proud2BlibKansan (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 03:01 AM"Needed to pay the yearly increase in my teachers salary whether I deserve it by performance or not" is what she should have added.
Response to Reply #5
6. 1% is not going to break anyone
I work with the poor. I would never advocate a huge increase in sales tax, as I understand the impact on our poor. But 1% is affordable.
That means $1.00 on my weekly $100 worth of groceries.
if it would support the maintenance of a high standard of public education
Kansas is already considered a very harsh state for the poor due to the tax on food.
proud2BlibKansan (1000+ posts)
Sat Jan-23-10 02:39 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. They are talking about raising sales tax by 1%
That means $1.00 on my weekly $100 worth of groceries.
Anyone who claims they can't afford that is not living in reality.
In KS, the sales tax exemptions are enough to meet the deficit twice. So our problem isn't poor budgeting, it's an unfair exemption system.
I also think cutting sports programs is rather extreme belt tightening. Yes, I will pay an extra dollar a week to prevent that.
Parkinson, a 1980 WSU graduate, said the state already has cut about $1 billion out of its roughly $6 billion budget. Some of those cuts were needed and didn’t affect services, he said.If these cuts did not affect services, why were they not done years ago? So in other words I have been paying state taxes for services not needed. Money back please!
He said universities had laid off professors
proud2BlibKansan (1000+ posts) Sat Jan-23-10 02:21 AM
Original message
"I'm asking you to raise my taxes,"
* * *
What sort of lazy folderol is that? If you don't think the schools, or whatever, already have enough of your money, then ...DONATE SOME MORE OF IT YOURSELF, YOU LAZY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING TWIT!
... and leave the tax rates for the rest of us alone!
Yeah, right, like the Die alte Sau, the dysmenopausal Kansas school teacher, the #19 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009, is going to do that.She'll probably totally change her mind when she looks into her retirement...
She has it good, with a high tenured salary and a most excellent retirement plan.
The Die alte Sau primitive likes to bash the capitalist system, all the while most conveniently forgetting what's financing her comfortable retirement plan (the Die alte Sau is, by the way, 57 years old, nearing retirement).
Once a pig, always a pig.
KPERS facing bankruptcy if changes are not made, report sayshttp://www.kansasliberty.com/liberty-update-archive/2009/21sep/kpers-in-desperate-need-of-complete-overhaul-report-says/
A report released yesterday by the Center for Applied Economics at the University of Kansas School of Business reveals that unless drastic changes are made to the structure of KPERS, the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, the system will be unable to pay out promised benefits, and the shortfall — as much as $10 billion — will fall onto taxpayers' shoulders.
She'll probably totally change her mind when she looks into her retirement...
http://www.kansasliberty.com/liberty-update-archive/2009/21sep/kpers-in-desperate-need-of-complete-overhaul-report-says/
:evillaugh:
The Die alte Sau lives in Kansas, but teaches in Missouri.I didn't realize that she taught in Missouri. I have no idea what her retirement will be, then.
She lives in one of those really affluent suburbs of Kansas City, on the Kansas side.
The pension fund in Missouri might be more stable; I dunno.
I didn't realize that she taught in Missouri. I have no idea what her retirement will be, then.
"I'm asking you to raise my taxes,"
Wouldn't you have to start paying taxes first?