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And I have heard the endless complaints from people who want their cake and eat it too. People want good schools but don’t want to pay for it. They want quality healthcare but don’t want to pay for it. They want strong police and fire protection but don’t want to pay for it. They want good parks but don’t want to pay for it. They want good highways but don’t want to pay for it. They want mass transit but again, don’t want to pay for it. All of these things cost money and it’s not cheap. We have all of these so guess what, you have to pay for it. Nothing is free, despite what people think.
2007 was 12 years ago. Aren’t people complaining about how we have not had any growth since then? That’s good. We are saving what little open space we have left while saving our character and charm. Jay
There is an important distinction here between town and state, at least for me. I happily pay my property taxes as I have confidence that my town government is fiscally responsible and accountable. Pensions are funded, schools are great, roads are decent. Sadly the same cannot be said for the state government in Hartford.
What neighboring states have the same amenities we have for less? New York? Massachusetts? Sorry but taxes in those states aren’t really significantly lower than here. Rhode Island? Services aren’t the same and taxes aren’t lower.
Well, let's see, Massachusetts has a lower flat income tax, they do not tax any clothing item below $175, in most municipalities where I have been exploring moving to I see notably lower property taxes, they were one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana and this will benefit them financially. I guess it depends on what one's definition of "significantly" lower taxes means, but this state appears to be in significantly better shape than we are.
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Originally Posted by JayCT
So what exactly should we be doing differently? Do we stop our pension obligations? Sorry but the courts will certainly side with the retirees and require our state to pay no matter what. Do we cut transportation spending? We haven’t raised the gas tax in more than 20 years. Do we end social programs? That doesn’t work since the state will still be obligated to provide some services so cuts will be minor at best. Do we cut our legal services? With crime down it has been lowered a lot already. Do you want less state police? Less DMV workers? It’s easy to say we need to cut, the hard part is figuring out where. Jay
Considering the fact that everyone at the DMV has a rotten attitude, if there is a way to automate positions there, it would be a good start. As someone who once worked in customer service and knows all too well about putting up with rude and obnoxious clients (for less money, I might add), I have gone way out of my way to be respectful to the staff there, and nearly all of them have been rude little pigs. And putting up with rude customers every day is not a justification.
And after speaking with a Republican town council member seeking election, he commented on what our state's current budget is for DCF. Do you have any idea what that is? Currently $1 billion. While this deserves to be well-funded, that is undeniably high. And as many of us have already said, crime is not down across the board -- many of the juvenile perpetrators of crime simply do not have a record and thus their crimes are not recorded. More police will not solve this -- holding them accountable and maintaining a strict sense of law and order, will. If I were a criminal living out of state, I would happily come here to commit my crimes because the punishment doled out would be the bare minimum.
Well, let's see, Massachusetts has a lower flat income tax, they do not tax any clothing item below $175, in most municipalities where I have been exploring moving to I see notably lower property taxes, they were one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana and this will benefit them financially. I guess it depends on what one's definition of "significantly" lower taxes means, but this state appears to be in significantly better shape than we are.
It depends on what you make. The Massachusetts 5.05% flat tax is lower if you're over ~$75K filing single or ~$125K filing married. Property tax rates are lower than Connecticut but they vary significantly from town to town. Longmeadow tends to bump up against the Proposition 2 1/2 $25 per thousand mill rate. Prop 2 1/2 also makes the automobile excise tax decline quickly as the car gets older. On a 5 year old car, the tax is much higher in Connecticut.
Well, let's see, Massachusetts has a lower flat income tax, they do not tax any clothing item below $175, in most municipalities where I have been exploring moving to I see notably lower property taxes, they were one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana and this will benefit them financially. I guess it depends on what one's definition of "significantly" lower taxes means, but this state appears to be in significantly better shape than we are.
Considering the fact that everyone at the DMV has a rotten attitude, if there is a way to automate positions there, it would be a good start. As someone who once worked in customer service and knows all too well about putting up with rude and obnoxious clients (for less money, I might add), I have gone way out of my way to be respectful to the staff there, and nearly all of them have been rude little pigs. And putting up with rude customers every day is not a justification.
And after speaking with a Republican town council member seeking election, he commented on what our state's current budget is for DCF. Do you have any idea what that is? Currently $1 billion. While this deserves to be well-funded, that is undeniably high. And as many of us have already said, crime is not down across the board -- many of the juvenile perpetrators of crime simply do not have a record and thus their crimes are not recorded. More police will not solve this -- holding them accountable and maintaining a strict sense of law and order, will. If I were a criminal living out of state, I would happily come here to commit my crimes because the punishment doled out would be the bare minimum.
I am sorry but I have posted numerous comparisons of taxes on comparable homes in comparable communities in Connecticut and Massachusetts and found there is LITTLE difference. In a couple cases Massachusetts was higher.
As GeoffD pointed out there are very slight differences in income and car taxes with Massachusetts at times being higher.
As also has been pointed out here in the past, a detailed study of Connecticut taxes shows that we get hit in many of these analyses because they are too simple in their analysis. We gat hit harder because many high income earners here pay taxes in New York. This skews these simple analyses higher but our state has no control over that.
Also many of these analyses compare state level taxes but do not take into account that other states have county levels of government that many responsibilities are push off to, lowering their state tax burden. Because Connecticut does not have counties, those responsibilities must be taken on by the state or towns pushing both taxes a little higher.
And yes I am aware that DCF takes up a significant portion of our budget but that is true in many states that care about children and families. Are you saying we should do less to help them? I know an attorney with DCF and the stories she tells are heartbreaking. And I believe her when she talks about how overworked the staff is. Do we cut staff and services to those in dire need? I don’t think so.
Once again, even Republican Senate Leader Len Frasano has admitted the budget has been cut to the bone and to do more will have a significant impact on services. It’s not as easy as a campaigning politician would like you to believe. Jay
And yes I am aware that DCF takes up a significant portion of our budget but that is true in many states that care about children and families. Are you saying we should do less to help them? I know an attorney with DCF and the stories she tells are heartbreaking. And I believe her when she talks about how overworked the staff is. Do we cut staff and services to those in dire need? I don’t think so.
Once again, even Republican Senate Leader Len Frasano has admitted the budget has been cut to the bone and to do more will have a significant impact on services. It’s not as easy as a campaigning politician would like you to believe. Jay
Jay, nobody is saying this is the answer. These are just suggestions. I'm certainly not saying it would be easy.
And I'm not unsympathetic to DCF. Rather, it was just posing the question, is $1 billion in the budget excessive? To me, it is. I am not implying that it should be wiped our privatized (some things should NEVER be privatized, namely hospitals or prisons), but with that much for the budget, it does make me wonder whether or not funds are being used appropriately. You'll have to excuse me for not entrusting our government to spend money wisely. They never do, and this is true of both parties.
Jay, nobody is saying this is the answer. These are just suggestions. I'm certainly not saying it would be easy.
And I'm not unsympathetic to DCF. Rather, it was just posing the question, is $1 billion in the budget excessive? To me, it is. I am not implying that it should be wiped our privatized (some things should NEVER be privatized, namely hospitals or prisons), but with that much for the budget, it does make me wonder whether or not funds are being used appropriately. You'll have to excuse me for not entrusting our government to spend money wisely. They never do, and this is true of both parties.
CT DCF has been under Federal supervision since 1992. They are still failing to meet standards. One of those standards includes reducing case loads which means hiring more employees. DCF also has an issue with staff retention.
There's nothing to cut at DCF so you can give forget about it.
As for the Govt not spending wisely why do you think private industry would spend the money wisely ?
I have seen so much waste at numerous corp jobs its not funny.
And I have heard the endless complaints from people who want their cake and eat it too. People want good schools but don’t want to pay for it. They want quality healthcare but don’t want to pay for it. They want strong police and fire protection but don’t want to pay for it. They want good parks but don’t want to pay for it. They want good highways but don’t want to pay for it. They want mass transit but again, don’t want to pay for it. All of these things cost money and it’s not cheap. We have all of these so guess what, you have to pay for it. Nothing is free, despite what people think.
2007 was 12 years ago. Aren’t people complaining about how we have not had any growth since then? That’s good. We are saving what little open space we have left while saving our character and charm. Jay
I do agree with this. Taxes are a necessary evil but excessive taxes with little spending accountability, in addition to the nickel and diming of hardworking residents, is not necessary and should be questioned.
Jay, nobody is saying this is the answer. These are just suggestions. I'm certainly not saying it would be easy.
And I'm not unsympathetic to DCF. Rather, it was just posing the question, is $1 billion in the budget excessive? To me, it is. I am not implying that it should be wiped our privatized (some things should NEVER be privatized, namely hospitals or prisons), but with that much for the budget, it does make me wonder whether or not funds are being used appropriately. You'll have to excuse me for not entrusting our government to spend money wisely. They never do, and this is true of both parties.
Connecticut is no different from any other affluent left coast/right coast state. More than 50% of the budget goes to prop up the bottom 10% to 20%. What do you do? Sterilize poor people? Let them starve and freeze to death? I don't think "be like Mississippi" where they spend the Federal minimum on poor people is the answer.
Connecticut is no different from any other affluent left coast/right coast state. More than 50% of the budget goes to prop up the bottom 10% to 20%. What do you do? Sterilize poor people? Let them starve and freeze to death? I don't think "be like Mississippi" where they spend the Federal minimum on poor people is the answer.
You’re right, but there is (or should be) a happy medium.
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Jay
