Wow, it’s like all the email-sending crazies of BMG et al. got into the Globe’s systems last night and made them pump out crazy Deval-loving moonbattery like this!
DiMasi spoke Tuesday to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, whose members were happy to hear his announcement. Massachusetts faces a $1 billion budget gap next year, and if business doesn’t help provide the money, who else will? The state has committed itself to a level of services set in the mid-1990s, when income was taxed at a rate of 5.95 percent. The rate is now 5.3 percent, sales tax revenues are flat, and there is no way the state can meet its obligations short of extraordinary revenue growth.
Crazy stuff, I know:
1. We’re in a deficit;
2. The money’s gotta come from somewhere;
3. We don’t wanna raise income or sales taxes;
4. The state ain’t rakin’ it in these days;
5. On the other hand, it’s not really raid-the-rainy-day-fund crisis — at least not until the subprime mortgage $#!+ hits the fan.
6. See #2.
Is there an echo in here? Sounds like — moonbats!!
Isn’t that exactly what I said in my commentary about the whole thing? That we shouldn’t dip into the rainy day fund yet because this IS our “good economy” and we’re about to get hit with the declining real estate market and sub-prime crash? And that with business and corporate taxes pretty damn low (Taxachusetts? Hardly!) they should pony up their fair share, since they benefit from our infrastructure (like an educated workforce, transportation and roads, among other services) too.
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Sometimes I feel like I’m out here talking to myself!
And no, Lynne — you’re talking to the Globe. And they’re listening. Or they arrived at the same conclusions on their own, which is even better, in some ways. đŸ™‚
They’re supposed to be smarter than me…that’s why they make the big bucks, eh? Much better for them to come to logical conclusions on their own brain power!
got to be kidding. Educated workforce? Infrastructure? The legislature would much prefer to give handouts for votes rather than spend the millions we need to repair our infrastucture and legislate our schools back to educational institutions rather than social engineering pods. They are fiddling while Rome burns!
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Back in the 1970’s with a degree that actually meant something, you couldn’t get a job pushing a broom and Governor Dukakis saw fit to raise taxes on everyone which drove the final nail in the coffin until Ed King (God bless him) came along and bailed us out.
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Massachusetts has never figured out the learning curve. Until something of a forceful and positive nature is done, folks will continue to leave this state at ever increasing numbers. Then you really have something to wring your hands about.
I’ve seen this scenario over and over during the last forty five years. The state has a few extra bucks coming in and the legislature can’t spend it fast enough.
A subsidy for this and a subsidy for that. Millions here and millions there. Then things cool off and the wailing begins.
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Uncaring, mean spirited, vicious, the children will die, the children are left wanting, working poor targeted, the schools, teachers unappreciated, ad nauseum. Same old tired cliches, same outstretched open hands. Big government spends big money. Over the long haul people will vote with their feet, they’ll go where their tax dollars are guarded jealously. Massachusetts will continue to inexorably slide into a socialist state when eventually there will be no one to pick up the tab and it’s coming sooner rather than later.
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I am well acquainted with two young ladies that married fine young men from foreign countries. I have advised them to pick up and get out of this state and this country while you can afford to.
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I’m not requesting or even asking you to leave… I’m wondering — if things are so bad in your perspective, why haven’t you voted with your feet?
Wife has two more years, then sayonara! Adelaide, Australia beckons.
With its top bracket 45% marginal tax rate….
Why do you trot you taxes and spending when we all know that Massachusetts ranks a the low end in taxes both on income and business?
Tax burden and fees and what you get for it. Look at our educational systems? What was the number for Boston school system that I saw the other day? Perhaps I am in error, but I vaguely remember 700+ million dollars. For what?
Unbelievable drop out rates, illiteracy, assault, pregnancy, murder. The Big Dig. The Mass Turnpike Authority, The grred and graft in Massachusetts government (I realize that it’s prevealent everywhere, but Massachusetts raises it to a new standard), our decaying infrastructure, property values are assessed higher and higher, with belligerent and hostile local employees whining for more and more.It goes back to my original complaints re government. Why do we not have a legislature not unlike New Hampshires? Meets Occasionally, effectively unpaid? Our politicians deem themselves entitled to ever increasing remuneration and perks. They and their families and friends want more and more. They will spend whatever they deem necessary of my tax dollars to ensure their re election, prtotect their stipends, bloat their pensions, just when will it end. When is enough,enough? How much greed and avarice is necessary before the electorate finally rebels, perhaps very frighteningly?
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We’ll see—I believe the axiom re the frog in the heating pot is applicable. The ignorance and lassitude of the electorate knows no bounds. “We have met the enemy and he is us.” I’ve had it. Two years and I’m gone.
systems in the country. MA is rated #2 in the country for public schools. Then your a repeating the same stuff over an over when you know that we are taxed less than most states.
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But don’t let facts stand in the way of a good argument. Maybe you can start referencing some of your information before you post it. Might be better than rattling off things that are only fact in your imagination.
He did mention Boston’s schools, not MA’s, as you did.
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BPS has about 45% to 50% dropout rate. Just 20% of black and Hispanic 4th graders can read proficiently — these are kids who’ve been in school 5 years and sometimes 6.
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In fairness to BPS, it is widely considered one of the better-run urban systems. But that’s damning with faint praise.
Over 70% of those who do graduate the Boston schools go on to some type of college education (one of the highest percentages of any urban school system), though keeping some of the young people in college is a problem, especially given our community college system (now that might be a good place for charters, if anywhere …Watts Community College graduates about 33% of their students compared to Roxbury CC in single digits). Finances also play a role.
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Keeping inner city kids in school has been exacerbated by MCAS and standardized tests in general, IMO. I was at a fascinating exchange in Miami yesterday between mayors and young people from their school system and one said that the Florida version of MCAS was intended to embarrass them and make them feel inferior to their peers from the burbs. Sound familiar? (and this kid was on his way to University of Pittsburgh, so no slouch).
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Anyway, a lot was accomplished under Payzant, now it’s time for the next steps. As a proud graduate of Boston Technical High School, now O’Bryant, I’d particularly like to see an renewed investment there in math and science programs.
I agree about the stultifying effect of “live-or-die” testing. As for renewed investment, why stop at math and science? What about languages, music and visual arts? I think we’d be better off pursuing a more well-rounded, liberal arts curriculum model. After all, most of the accomplished physicists and mathematicians I know are also musicians and wicked good pool players. : )
As noted above, I have a particular interest in the O’Bryant returning to its traditional focus on math and science, but you’re absolutely right. The Boston Arts Academy has provided one such venue. There’s a balance to be had between special emphasis schools which have such focus, and the need to give all kids exposure to music, arts and I would add, civics.
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H.
Let’s make it so only rich people can be legilsators, because they’re the ones who would exclusively be in the leg if they were paid nothing. It’s not as if the salaries we give to our reps (60-80k ish?) and senators (70-100?) is so phenominal.
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I don’t even know why I’m making this reply.
When someone from either side obviously doesn’t have anything constructive or interesting to add, I suggest completely ignoring them.
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In my experience, seriously, they end up going away in the end.
I’ve been railling for many, many years. I’ve have retired from three disparate professions, I have fought in two wars. I have worked three jobs simultaneoulsy while pursuing advanced degrees. Raised a family and provided well. I know what it is to go without, to drive around in vehicular death traps enroute to my second and third job so my kids could attend the best schools possible and enjoy other academic pursuits.
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A troll? I’be been there and done that. I exercise my 1st Amendment right at every opportunity. I attempt to refrain from disparaging others, no matter how vociferously I disagree with them. Everyone has their own frame of reference and speaks accordingly. However, I have lived long enough and experienced life in many ways, that virtually no one else has. I have seen cause and effect, and witnessed the law of unintended consequence.
I’ve seen first hand what paternalism does to individuals, communties and societies. I’ve lived abroad for many years in countries where death and deprivation was as common as
the sun rising each day.
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Call me what you will. I may be a lot of things, but I’m not ignorant.
then picking on the state’s educational system when we finish the highest in the country on math AND english is what?
….in the Speaker to Speakah Show on WRKO earlier this week, diMasi was emphatic that cuts WERE going to be made, and there would BE no raising of taxes.
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And due respect, he’s got more to say about it than Deval.
find that $735 million in “efficiencies”.
that a rep from the North End is making decisions that affect the entire state.
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Doesn’t that strike you as odd?
Before that, it was a Rep. from Mattapan.
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That’s the nature of legislative leadership – it isn’t collaborative. It’s more of a first among equals model.
Sal has a great schtick…..something like
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“My father had 3 brothers. One was priest — he married you and perhaps buried you. One was obstetrician — he delivered your children. One owned a bar — he served you your drink. That’s just my dad’s side — my mom had 10 brothers and sisters. I have 54 cousins. How the hell do you think you get elected in the North End?”
Maybe it’s still all about Bread ($$$) and Butter (Slippery handshakes)?
that a rep from the North End is formulating state-wide policies.
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I am bothered that a rep from the North End is screwing his own city by blockading measures that would allow cities and towns a few crumbs of fiscal autonomy. I guess Sal doesn’t represent Boston anymore – just the Chamber of Commerce. Isn’t that what we have Republicans for?