quote:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy may be creeping toward recovery after the worst slowdown since the Great Depression, but many states see no end in sight to their diving tax revenues.

Tax revenues used to pay teachers and fuel police cars continue to trail even the most pessimistic expectations, despite the cash from the economic stimulus plan pouring into state coffers.

"It's crazy. It's really just unbelievable," said Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers, and called the states' revenue situations "close to unprecedented."

Most states had been pessimistic in forecasting their tax revenues for the 2010 fiscal year, Pattison said. So far, collections have fallen below even those low targets.

Lower tax revenues could lead to higher taxes or another sharp reduction in services if receipts do not show signs of improvement before year-end, as every state but Vermont is required by law to balance their budgets.

That could mean fewer teachers, early prisoner releases and fewer highway repairs as residents battle soaring unemployment.

States are coming off a terrible first quarter, which for most states began on July 1.

quote:

Originally posted by The_Bonesaw:
Want immediate relief? Decriminalize drug use.

quote:

Hey Politicians why don't you try a novel idea.

When less money comes into my home I have to cut back.

It is time for the states to cut back too!

Gee What a novel idea, never would expect a poltician to think of that! That is probably because they never have thought of it!

quote:

Now that Michigan is taking steps to shrink its prison system, the implications, economic and otherwise, are troubling to some.

As political columnist Peter Luke recently noted: "The downside to Michigan's relatively high prison population has been its cost to taxpayers. The upside has been the thousands of jobs it has provided."

Eight prison facilities are slated to close this year. One of them, the Standish Maximum Correctional Facility in Arenac County, is in one of the poorest parts of the state. When it closes, 340 jobs will go with it.

While it's not going to be painless, the need to trim the state budget, particularly in corrections, is clear. Michigan is one of four states that spends more on prisons than higher education. The prison system consumes 26 percent of the state's general fund revenue, a 10 percent jump from a dozen years ago.

Michigan prisoners stay locked up slightly longer than the national average . That's likely to change in the coming months as looming cuts result in faster paroles. That will inevitably include some sex offenders, who make up 68 percent of the prison population and are generally paroled at a much lower rate.

So in addition to the loss of jobs, there are the to-be-expected misgivings associated with releasing prisoners, however much money -- $120 million is the goal -- it ultimately trims from the state budget....
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/06/michigan_prison_closures_raise.html

quote:

Originally posted by Yooper_tj:

quote:

Hey Politicians why don't you try a novel idea.

When less money comes into my home I have to cut back.

It is time for the states to cut back too!

Gee What a novel idea, never would expect a poltician to think of that! That is probably because they never have thought of it!

Michigan just cut 165 dollars per pupil from K-12 spending to help cover a revenue shortfall.

That's good for everyone, right?

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:

They should have had to cut more, everywhere. The education of one's child (children) is the parents not societies.

I strongly object to paying taxes for the education of other children when the money I am spending on their child could be put to better use giving my children a better education.

As it was my children went to private school, because I was not going to have them in the corrupt, liberal, government schools. I could have given them a far better educational experience if I did not have to support Joe Shmos kids down the block.

Frisco

quote:

Originally posted by rcjarrell:

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:

They should have had to cut more, everywhere. The education of one's child (children) is the parents not societies.

I strongly object to paying taxes for the education of other children when the money I am spending on their child could be put to better use giving my children a better education.

As it was my children went to private school, because I was not going to have them in the corrupt, liberal, government schools. I could have given them a far better educational experience if I did not have to support Joe Shmos kids down the block.

Frisco

Yeah!

And I am tired of being taxed to pay for roads I will never drive on.
How do you get around and why Not?
And I am sick of my tax dollars buying books for the public library I will never read.
That explains a lot about your postings.
And since I don't own a boat, I'm tired of being taxed for lighthouses and the Coast Guard rescue services which I'll never need.
Me too, but don't they protect us from terrorists and drug runners? And since I don't fly, I am sick of taxes being spent on navigation aids, GPS satellites, the FAA, and the NTSB.
I haven't tried to fly, normally try to use an airplane. THEN I want those things.
And I am tired of taxes going to firefighting services. I can put out my own fires.
Move out in the sticks like I go, its optional. Fight your own fires or pay when used. Its called Volunteer Fire Fighters.
And although I am using the internet, I resent the fact that tax payer money was involved in its development.

quote:

Originally posted by rcjarrell:

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:

They should have had to cut more, everywhere. The education of one's child (children) is the parents not societies.

I strongly object to paying taxes for the education of other children when the money I am spending on their child could be put to better use giving my children a better education.

As it was my children went to private school, because I was not going to have them in the corrupt, liberal, government schools. I could have given them a far better educational experience if I did not have to support Joe Shmos kids down the block.

Frisco

Yeah!

And I am tired of being taxed to pay for roads I will never drive on.
And I am sick of my tax dollars buying books for the public library I will never read.
And since I don't own a boat, I'm tired of being taxed for lighthouses and the Coast Guard rescue services which I'll never need.
And since I don't fly, I am sick of taxes being spent on navigation aids, GPS satellites, the FAA, and the NTSB.
And I am tired of taxes going to firefighting services. I can put out my own fires.
And although I am using the internet, I resent the fact that tax payer money was involved in its development.

quote:

Originally posted by RogerCollins:

quote:

Originally posted by rcjarrell:

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:

They should have had to cut more, everywhere. The education of one's child (children) is the parents not societies.

I strongly object to paying taxes for the education of other children when the money I am spending on their child could be put to better use giving my children a better education.

As it was my children went to private school, because I was not going to have them in the corrupt, liberal, government schools. I could have given them a far better educational experience if I did not have to support Joe Shmos kids down the block.

Frisco

Yeah!

And I am tired of being taxed to pay for roads I will never drive on.
How do you get around and why Not?
And I am sick of my tax dollars buying books for the public library I will never read.
That explains a lot about your postings.
And since I don't own a boat, I'm tired of being taxed for lighthouses and the Coast Guard rescue services which I'll never need.
Me too, but don't they protect us from terrorists and drug runners? And since I don't fly, I am sick of taxes being spent on navigation aids, GPS satellites, the FAA, and the NTSB.
I haven't tried to fly, normally try to use an airplane. THEN I want those things.
And I am tired of taxes going to firefighting services. I can put out my own fires.
Move out in the sticks like I go, its optional. Fight your own fires or pay when used. Its called Volunteer Fire Fighters.
And although I am using the internet, I resent the fact that tax payer money was involved in its development.

Wasn't it Al Gore that invented the Internet? From what I have observed, we wouldn't miss you on that either.

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:
Hey Politicians why don't you try a novel idea.

When less money comes into my home I have to cut back.

It is time for the states to cut back too!

Gee What a novel idea, never would expect a poltician to think of that! That is probably because they never have thought of it!

Gee I wish I could raise our salaries the way you politicians raise your taxes that way I would not have to cut back either.

You politicians are no better than common thieves! You steal our hard earned money through the overblown tax rates with a gun pointed at our heads. Just like the Armed Robbers you are!

It is time politicians are treated like the thieves they are!

Frisco

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:
My point was in my original post is that when less money is coming into my family we have to cut back. It is time for the governments, local, state, and especially federal to learn that theory. You don't spend more when you have less coming in you cut back.
Frisco

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:
And you just proved my point that our tax money for the government indoctrination centers called public schools would be best spent elsewhere.

My point was in my original post is that when less money is coming into my family we have to cut back. It is time for the governments, local, state, and especially federal to learn that theory. You don't spend more when you have less coming in you cut back.

But I forgot those of the political, ruling class can always put a firearm to our heads and take more from us.

Well, one of these days the serfs may get restless, I am almost so fed up with our government's especially crazy overspending that I believe the sooner the better!

Time for you to read: "Atlas Shrugged".

Go back to school and make it a private school this time you may just learn something!

Frisco

quote:

The battle will always be over The Question:

Spend less on what? Education or Transportation? Big Weapons Projects or Spy Satellites? VA or Medicare?

quote:

Atlas Shrugged

quote:

Originally posted by WepsFP:

quote:

Originally posted by RogerCollins:

quote:

Originally posted by rcjarrell:

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:

They should have had to cut more, everywhere. The education of one's child (children) is the parents not societies.

I strongly object to paying taxes for the education of other children when the money I am spending on their child could be put to better use giving my children a better education.

As it was my children went to private school, because I was not going to have them in the corrupt, liberal, government schools. I could have given them a far better educational experience if I did not have to support Joe Shmos kids down the block.

Frisco

Yeah!

And I am tired of being taxed to pay for roads I will never drive on.
How do you get around and why Not?
And I am sick of my tax dollars buying books for the public library I will never read.
That explains a lot about your postings.
And since I don't own a boat, I'm tired of being taxed for lighthouses and the Coast Guard rescue services which I'll never need.
Me too, but don't they protect us from terrorists and drug runners? And since I don't fly, I am sick of taxes being spent on navigation aids, GPS satellites, the FAA, and the NTSB.
I haven't tried to fly, normally try to use an airplane. THEN I want those things.
And I am tired of taxes going to firefighting services. I can put out my own fires.
Move out in the sticks like I go, its optional. Fight your own fires or pay when used. Its called Volunteer Fire Fighters.
And although I am using the internet, I resent the fact that tax payer money was involved in its development.

Wasn't it Al Gore that invented the Internet? From what I have observed, we wouldn't miss you on that either.

Not very quick are you? Please tell me you are joking and you knew he was being sarcastic.

quote:

Originally posted by floersh:
Remember those hoovervilles (aka tent cities) from the great depression?

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46r4yxttThw

The sick part about all this is that we are spending ourselves (at the national level) into a hole that we'll be taxed heavily to get out of. All to help make the speculators and bankers whole! As taxes begin to rise to pay that debt and they will soon, there will be far more of these cities popping up around the country.

quote:

Originally posted by RogerCollins:

quote:

Originally posted by floersh:
Remember those hoovervilles (aka tent cities) from the great depression?

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46r4yxttThw

The sick part about all this is that we are spending ourselves (at the national level) into a hole that we'll be taxed heavily to get out of. All to help make the speculators and bankers whole! As taxes begin to rise to pay that debt and they will soon, there will be far more of these cities popping up around the country.

Our GDP for a few years has been around $14T. It is now dropping due to the economy tanking. Given that the National Debt clock has our national debt currently at about $12T and rising and the approximately $100T in unfunded mandates, explain how high taxes will get us out of this mess? It would take ten years of 100% GDP to clear the accumulated debt. We are facing decades of problems as it is and there is no stopping Washington. They are on a run.

quote:

Originally posted by crackerjacks61:
A very simple answer to all your statements, concerns and comments.

"www.fairtax.org"

Everyone pays, fairly across the board. The only thing I would change in this is a mandate to stop paying out money for STUPID pet projects that have no value to America as a whole. A Ted Kennedy, W Bush, Dick Nixon or anyone Library does not benefit this nation as a whole. Testing the speed of catsup coming out of a bottle, well I guess that could

quote:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Despite concerted government-led and lender-supported efforts to prevent foreclosures, the number of filings hit a record high in the third quarter, according to a report issued Thursday.

"They were the worst three months of all time," said Rick Sharga, spokesman for RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed homes.

During that time, 937,840 homes received a foreclosure letter -- whether a default notice, auction notice or bank repossession, the RealtyTrac report said. That means one in every 136 U.S. homes were in foreclosure, which is a 5% increase from the second quarter and a 23% jump over the third quarter of 2008.

Nevada continued to be the worst-hit state with one filing for every 23 households. But even tranquil Vermont, where the foreclosure crisis has barely brushed the housing market, saw foreclosure filings jump nearly 170% compared with the third quarter of 2008. Still, that resulted in just one filing for every 5,023 households in the state -- the best record in the country.

quote:

Originally posted by RogerCollins:
Interesting that several of us with significantly different political views agree on the upcoming challenges facing us under the auspices of TAX REVENUE. Politicians will never agree to a fair tax unless it is 90%. Takes away too much of their power. Under normal circumstances, pre-Obama this may have been possible, that train is now gone. Kind of like term limits, why would you vote for a bill that would stop your gravy train. Incumbency rules!
The foreclosures are continuing at a record pace due to nothing has been done to eliminate the situation that created them. Approx. 50% of the refi's to help those with mortgage problem go into default within six months. And the Dems want to expand the DRA. According to the deutsche bank, the worst is yet to come in the residential market. Commercial is on the way.
And we have a VP who thinks the Stimulous effectiveness is exceeding all expectations. Tell that to the unemployed. Gosh, I am in a good mood this morning. Anyone have the Hemlock Society's phone number. Just kidding Crackerjack.