State budget woes - the knives come out
Submitted by Susan Young on Mon, 03/10/2008 - 18:58.
As state lawmakers struggle to close a $200 million budget gap, the governor and
legislators are considering cutting funding to local schools and social service programs,
and working toward merging state agencies to save money. How would you slice and dice it? What programs get the ax and why?
state budget woes
first eliminate welfare for anyone capable of working,put them on a workfare system(you would still receive support money but you would have to perform some kind of work for the town or county you live in) this will give people useful skills and help them network with potential employers.
put a time limit on how long you can collect assistance.
limit the amount of children you can have that welfare or other programs pay for.some people(not all)just keep having children they can't properly care for because it gets them more money from the state.
remove the sanctuary status of the state, this just invites people to come to maine because they know they'll get a handout or two or three ,etcetera, ect.
how about a luxury home tax for non-residents who buy prime property and then build a Mcmansion that they only use during the tourist season and raises everyone else's property tax year round.
Reductions in State Budget
As long as we are among the highest taxed state in the nation, we cannot continue to support all of the programs for the "poor" of our state. We just can't afford to do this.
Budget Woes
Staff Cutbacks upper level management/ Turn down Heat in State buildings/ Cut number of work days/overtime & milage expenditures for state employees. Why is it than when cuts need to be made it is always education & social services that take a hit? I know these are two major expenditures in the budget but also they are the most crutial in my view.
I have to agree..with the above.
When it comes to cutting we are always hitting social services and especially education. It is getting riduiculous how education is really not education anymore. I am seeing so many programs cut from schools that they no longer have that were detrimental to the students. As my children are going through the school system.
And social services is very crucial. We keep cutting Lynx rideshare programs, and other programs that not only help families of children in need but the elderly in need as well.
I think we need to look at our State's expenses and see where they can be cut back. State employees hours and where they can be cut back. State employees and where they can be cut back.
Before we cut back much more of Social Services and Education and Medical benefits for the people of Maine.
Slicing and dicing the
Slicing and dicing of the budget, I would as noted start cutting the social service programs, I would also cut funding to schools and put more burden on the local towns. Shift the revenue from Income tax to property taxes, the state of Maine consists of many people that are considered Non Residents or part year residents, which cuts down on the revenue generation. By shifting to allowing the local governments more power to increase property taxes it will save money at the state level. I would also reduce the county governement structure, currently there exists a local police department, a county police department and a state. Is all three needed? At the sametime place a halt on all new road construction, why do we continually construct roads when we can't afford to upkeep the ones we already have?
Thank you
Don't just target one department. Make each one make a cut.
What if each department cut a little. That way one department doesnt' get hit so hard. It would be a little easier to swallow the whole way around.