All governments are the same: Massachusetts property taxes rise as values plummet.
While berating and ridiculing waste in the Federal government is a favorite activity of many fiscal conservatives, one has to be reminded that in modern day America profligacy and waste are rampant through all levels of public service. Massachusetts state budget is a monster always deserving of attention sporting a hefty 51+ Billion dollar spending spree as recently as last year, but it would be simply unfair to focus on state spending alone. Especially in a system where every lower form of government becomes subservient to it's master through grants, favors, subsidies and other form of financial witchcraft.
Here in Massachusetts certain town are recipients of state funding, funding that is collected from other towns in a perverse form of distribution that simply encourages mismanaged towns to continue the errors of their ways. Of course this distribution does not necessarily siphon funds from wealthier towns to poorer towns, although that is more often the case, no, instead a general slush fund is created as state politicians cozy up to local governments in exchange for favors, deals and back scratching. How else do you suppose an extremely wealthy and affluent town of Newton pulls off a high school costing more than 200 million? Not any different than Boston's big dig, a project fueled and promised by federal funding at the cost of American taxpayers. So in this glorious circle the American tax payer hands over up to half of his/her income to the Federal government which in turn gives out to states, which in turn give it out to towns so towns can build High Schools costing more money than it would take to feed our entire state's homeless population for 10 years (2000 individuals at $20 a day). So Newton prefers to use plasma TVs as make-shift clocks and elect Barney Frank back into Congress so that he continue wreaking unimaginable havoc on our housing and financial industries? Got it.
If that was of course the only problem. Newton is just an egregious example of sickening waste happening all over this state. Spending in the face of a recession is continuing to mount everywhere as bloated and spoiled public servants continue demanding higher raises, benefits and elaborate projects to satisfy their sense of elitism. Yes, property taxes have gone up in the state as values of homes dropped! In fact, a local initiative to reduce the sales tax from 6.25% to 3% in an effort to bring some badly needed jobs back to Massachusetts is being violently and loudly resisted by, guess who, the teachers! Yes, Massachusetts teachers backed by the power of the national union is feverishly spending money to appeal to the Massachusetts taxpayer and point out that we simply cannot afford to cut the sales tax. Sure, we can afford to build a school in ONE town costing 200 million dollars, but we cannot afford to cut 2.5 billion dollars from the ENTIRE state (out of a massive 50+ billion)? If that is the kind of math the teacher unions believe, then perhaps we do need spend money on education because even a first grader can plainly see how ridiculous the public sector has become.
Americans rely on their home values to shelter them from the ever increasing spending habit of the federal government and it has been for better or worse a great source of equity for many people. Now this equity is being compromised even for those that are still fortunate to have a job and pay their mortgage, yet towns without mercy insist on squeezing more and more out of hard working families. How can towns justify in demanding more money when every single company, family and individual was forced to make painful compromises in the past several years? Despite the infamous Obama stimulus costing almost one trillion dollars (of money we do not have), a stimulus that is hailed for bailing out badly strapped states, which turn are dishing out money to towns. Why is the public sector exempt from rational and logical behavior? How much longer can this continue? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Here in Massachusetts certain town are recipients of state funding, funding that is collected from other towns in a perverse form of distribution that simply encourages mismanaged towns to continue the errors of their ways. Of course this distribution does not necessarily siphon funds from wealthier towns to poorer towns, although that is more often the case, no, instead a general slush fund is created as state politicians cozy up to local governments in exchange for favors, deals and back scratching. How else do you suppose an extremely wealthy and affluent town of Newton pulls off a high school costing more than 200 million? Not any different than Boston's big dig, a project fueled and promised by federal funding at the cost of American taxpayers. So in this glorious circle the American tax payer hands over up to half of his/her income to the Federal government which in turn gives out to states, which in turn give it out to towns so towns can build High Schools costing more money than it would take to feed our entire state's homeless population for 10 years (2000 individuals at $20 a day). So Newton prefers to use plasma TVs as make-shift clocks and elect Barney Frank back into Congress so that he continue wreaking unimaginable havoc on our housing and financial industries? Got it.
If that was of course the only problem. Newton is just an egregious example of sickening waste happening all over this state. Spending in the face of a recession is continuing to mount everywhere as bloated and spoiled public servants continue demanding higher raises, benefits and elaborate projects to satisfy their sense of elitism. Yes, property taxes have gone up in the state as values of homes dropped! In fact, a local initiative to reduce the sales tax from 6.25% to 3% in an effort to bring some badly needed jobs back to Massachusetts is being violently and loudly resisted by, guess who, the teachers! Yes, Massachusetts teachers backed by the power of the national union is feverishly spending money to appeal to the Massachusetts taxpayer and point out that we simply cannot afford to cut the sales tax. Sure, we can afford to build a school in ONE town costing 200 million dollars, but we cannot afford to cut 2.5 billion dollars from the ENTIRE state (out of a massive 50+ billion)? If that is the kind of math the teacher unions believe, then perhaps we do need spend money on education because even a first grader can plainly see how ridiculous the public sector has become.
Americans rely on their home values to shelter them from the ever increasing spending habit of the federal government and it has been for better or worse a great source of equity for many people. Now this equity is being compromised even for those that are still fortunate to have a job and pay their mortgage, yet towns without mercy insist on squeezing more and more out of hard working families. How can towns justify in demanding more money when every single company, family and individual was forced to make painful compromises in the past several years? Despite the infamous Obama stimulus costing almost one trillion dollars (of money we do not have), a stimulus that is hailed for bailing out badly strapped states, which turn are dishing out money to towns. Why is the public sector exempt from rational and logical behavior? How much longer can this continue? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Comments
Post a Comment