[hartford_renter]

Originally Posted by Henry10

Looking at drivers of budget busts for CT:

1- Unfunded liabilities. Unlike CT, TN does not coerce public employees to join a union. CT does that, which of course through collusion with Democrat politicians has created this huge burden on everybody else.

2- Taxation. In CT, left-wing politicians keep up the class warfare -- "Sales tax is regressive" Instead in CT we penalize earners via heavier taxation than most, and we still don't have "enough" revenue. Gee I wonder why?!

CT and TN have made opposite choices when it comes to biggest drivers of deficits. Even when we all can see the results, some people try to explain it away and detract, though the truth is right in front of our eyes.

This is a great post!

[ayoskillz]

Originally Posted by Henry10

CT has some of the best roads in the region. However, I toured some areas of TN a a couple of months ago, and TN roads are no worse than CT's. In some ways they seemed better kept.

I was wondering -- I am sure TN spends a lot less than CT on roads -- how do they manage?

I'll speculate -- TN gets better bang for the buck from public spending.

If this premise were true, then since CT is smarter, better educated, and healthier than TN, shouldn't CT have figured out how to be better than TN is public spending?

This is funny but very true

[hunterseat]

I remember, not so long ago, TN was broke. Some funding for the guard base was 25% state and 75% federal. The state couldn't pay so lots of federal money went elsewhere. That was the same time CA was broke, too, and now i hear they're back on top. i don't get it. Eta: I was in the Memphis area where schools were horrible, crime is some of the worst in the country, politicians and the police force were corrupt as anything, property taxes got paid twice, to the county and to the city. Glad to be gone. (I sent my kids to private schools)

[MrGompers]

Today I saw a CT license plate with the words "Constitution State" covered by a decal or sticker that said "Communist State" must be someone on this forum.

[Henry10]

Originally Posted by hunterseat

I remember, not so long ago, TN was broke. Some funding for the guard base was 25% state and 75% federal. The state couldn't pay so lots of federal money went elsewhere. That was the same time CA was broke, too, and now i hear they're back on top. i don't get it. Eta: I was in the Memphis area where schools were horrible, crime is some of the worst in the country, politicians and the police force were corrupt as anything, property taxes got paid twice, to the county and to the city. Glad to be gone. (I sent my kids to private schools)

I am sure TN is not all unicorns and rainbows. There were things in TN that I would never trade for. I can list probably 10 things that I would take CT over TN every time and twice on Sunday.

I brought up TN simply in terms of economic comparison to CT, and how CT can turn around its economy. This forum is about CT after all.

[Henry10]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

Today I saw a CT license plate with the words "Constitution State" covered by a decal or sticker that said "Communist State" must be someone on this forum.

Why do people have stigma about "Communist" or "Socialist" or "Marxist?" These words seem to psychologically scar some people. If one actually studied these philosophies in depth and for many years these words are not as terrifying as some mental ouhlalas think.

Things make a lot more sense if you are actually not afraid to study these economic-political viewpoints; you will learn a lot about CT's economy actually.

And no, I don't have that sticker.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by Henry10

Looking at drivers of budget busts for CT:

1- Unfunded liabilities. Unlike CT, TN does not coerce public employees to join a union. CT does that, which of course through collusion with Democrat politicians has created this huge burden on everybody else.

2- Taxation. In CT, left-wing politicians keep up the class warfare -- "Sales tax is regressive" Instead in CT we penalize earners via heavier taxation than most, and we still don't have "enough" revenue. Gee I wonder why?!

CT and TN have made opposite choices when it comes to biggest drivers of deficits. Even when we all can see the results, some people try to explain it away and detract, though the truth is right in front of our eyes.

By state law in Tn, one thing I loved at least as late as a few years back, revaluation does not increase taxes. By law, mill rate must be reset to be revenue neutral, and if town wants more, they must go through all the hoops to raise it which were huge in most towns. I saw one actual increase in a decade, and it was under 5%. Our mayor was angry at his management team over that.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by Henry10

Why do people have stigma about "Communist" or "Socialist" or "Marxist?" These words seem to psychologically scar some people. If one actually studied these philosophies in depth and for many years these words are not as terrifying as some mental ouhlalas think.

Things make a lot more sense if you are actually not afraid to study these economic-political viewpoints; you will learn a lot about CT's economy actually.

And no, I don't have that sticker.

Say CT is more a Plutocracy.

[Henry10]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Say CT is more a Plutocracy.

I can describe a box of bananas as:

1- Box is 12" wide by 24" long and 8" high

2- Box is blue color

3- Box contains bananas

These definitions are very different, yet they are all correct. It just depends on the point of view. You can say plutocracy. Engels and Marx actually came to the same conclusion.

[East of the River]

Originally Posted by Henry10

CT has some of the best roads in the region. However, I toured some areas of TN a a couple of months ago, and TN roads are no worse than CT's. In some ways they seemed better kept.

I was wondering -- I am sure TN spends a lot less than CT on roads -- how do they manage?

I'll speculate -- TN gets better bang for the buck from public spending.

If this premise were true, then since CT is smarter, better educated, and healthier than TN, shouldn't CT have figured out how to be better than TN is public spending?

Of course one of the reasons we are healthier and better educating is directly related to public spending.

Also while I agree cutting employee benefits is required at some point we are going to have an issue filling those positions. I know a fair number of state workers, all of whom only stay at their positions do to the benefits (all the ones I know have degrees and could find other work easily). Colorado, New Mexico and a few other state have been experiencing teacher shortages lately do to budgets that cut raises and benefits for teachers.