tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post3858306711461323020..comments2023-11-03T07:05:57.432-04:00Comments on Campaign Tracker: How would YOU solve N.C.'s budget problem?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-34367195340178950152011-03-03T15:31:26.563-05:002011-03-03T15:31:26.563-05:00why do state employess have to be the ones that ta...why do state employess have to be the ones that take salary cuts. make it fair to all. there are other people that work in nc that are not state workers. where are the pay cuts for these people. Unlike most people think, state employees do not make a lot of money so if cuts are to be made cut a percentage from everyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-49597836901000273492009-07-03T12:34:28.316-04:002009-07-03T12:34:28.316-04:00If they would cut welfare programs just .50 % It w...If they would cut welfare programs just .50 % It would balance the budget for two years. Every time that an election is on going the first thing out of each persons mouth is how they support the children. That means education. What has happened. We are going back ward instead for forward in education , the lowest paying job. Everyone else gets over time in their jobs and the teachers do not. They still work hard to provide for the children they teach. Everyone takes this for granted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-13791434511754952802009-06-12T10:51:29.194-04:002009-06-12T10:51:29.194-04:00Anon 5:07, it's not that simple. The state ha...Anon 5:07, it's not that simple. The state has no legal grounds to tax any business not based in the state. All in-state businesses conducting business within that state (i..e shipping to the state they are based) ARE taxed.MichaelProctonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00972495288043186813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-85029913874466121402009-06-11T15:33:44.585-04:002009-06-11T15:33:44.585-04:00Tax newpapers 50%.Tax newpapers 50%.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-45273124661057551302009-06-11T15:32:54.169-04:002009-06-11T15:32:54.169-04:00Increase taxes on pet owners. Tax dogs and cats. ...Increase taxes on pet owners. Tax dogs and cats. Impose fines on people who let their dog take a dump on other people's property.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-32663264543679691352009-06-11T14:14:55.719-04:002009-06-11T14:14:55.719-04:00Charge to park in the parking deck at the legislat...Charge to park in the parking deck at the legislative building, no more giving yourself a raise for lawmakers, quit giving gas mileage for the lawmakers, no personal use of the private jet, no more free lunches in the legislature cafeteria, I don't care who you are, cut out perks for lawmakers, no more trips on taxpayers money, welfare and medicaid recipiants should be made to work if they can, if they can't work they should have to show how they spend their welfare checks, welfare for one child only, cut out benefits for illegals, no more court appointed attorneys. Taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for people that get themselves in trouble. Get rid of the rich lawmakers and put in the middle class. Things would change then. We can definitely balance a budget. The rich don't have to pinch pennies, and they love to waste other people's money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-52131010471409851862009-06-11T09:27:57.789-04:002009-06-11T09:27:57.789-04:00Tear down DPI and rebuild from the ground up. Move...Tear down DPI and rebuild from the ground up. Move schools to a 4 day week. Increase sales tax 2%. Raise alcohol/tobacco taxes by however much you want to. (Gov. Easley was RIGHT about this. If you can't afford 3 cents on a can of beer, you're probably drinking too much)Cut income tax by 50%. Eliminate state paying for national boards for teachers and raise the supplement from 12% to 15%. and LEGALIZE CASINO GAMBLING.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-70916362272558714022009-06-11T01:09:52.632-04:002009-06-11T01:09:52.632-04:00increase tax on cigarettes and alcohol, impose gen...increase tax on cigarettes and alcohol, impose generic restrictions on medicaid drugs (for heavens sake that seems to me to be a given), get rid of ineffective middle managers in all departments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-79803784032302293192009-06-10T22:48:09.569-04:002009-06-10T22:48:09.569-04:00Reduce spending, but also reduce taxes. We don...Reduce spending, but also reduce taxes. We don't need a nanny state!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-48680676397393795072009-06-10T21:51:56.998-04:002009-06-10T21:51:56.998-04:00Every year that the State faces a budget crisis th...Every year that the State faces a budget crisis the first people to be penalized are the state employees. Being an employee of the state I realize that the residents of North Carolina think that we are making a bundle of cash each payday. The truth is that most state employees are some of the lowest paid residents of the state. To balance the budget we must curb the welfare system. If the recipents are not willing to be drug tested at random times then their free check is stopped. There are many deserving recipents of the foodstamp program,SSI ect but the marjority are people to lazy to work. Make the parents start supporting their children and after the 2nd illegimate child you receive no additional funds. In my agency we have one man who has 5 children by different women. He has never paid his support. Sterilization comes to mind. Yes the state government can cut many programs but don't penalize the state workers who get up and go to work each morning just as you do and also have to deal with the deadbeats I listed above. Cutting the welfare and free programs that support these deadbeats who got us into the problem in the first place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-86814285822267112732009-06-10T21:47:32.187-04:002009-06-10T21:47:32.187-04:00First end the federal reserve. Secondly enact the...First end the federal reserve. Secondly enact the gold standard. Thirdly respect the consitution.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-58005957012662147602009-06-10T20:36:14.793-04:002009-06-10T20:36:14.793-04:00First adding two kids per classroom is a good idea...First adding two kids per classroom is a good idea.<br /><br />end the golden leaf foundation<br /><br />end all corp. welfare<br /><br />end smart start, end more at fourAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-82355109587316933132009-06-10T20:19:46.868-04:002009-06-10T20:19:46.868-04:00TAXATION IS THEFT!!!TAXATION IS THEFT!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-63731911317637145912009-06-10T20:19:07.973-04:002009-06-10T20:19:07.973-04:00To the anonymous who says those at the top of the ...To the anonymous who says those at the top of the pay scale should pay more needs to understand that this rolls down to everyone. They are the employers, and this affects all workers in the form of lower pay raises (or cuts) and job loses. The money comes from SOMEWHERE. I am not naive enough to believe they will simply cancel a vacation to pay for this. Corporations, in the same way, simply pass these tax increases on to customers in the form of higher consumer prices. That's economics 101 (in case you were absent that day).Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16813109843914290321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-15764601479413667202009-06-10T20:15:46.984-04:002009-06-10T20:15:46.984-04:00Anon 7:53 that doesn't make any sense. On the...Anon 7:53 that doesn't make any sense. On the contrary 5% pay 70% of all taxes. What we need to do is lower taxes for all. Eliminate the income tax. Forget this nonsense of taxing the rich just lower taxes for EVERYBODY!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-69330423615588436032009-06-10T19:53:54.900-04:002009-06-10T19:53:54.900-04:00The source of the problem is that our government, ...The source of the problem is that our government, on local and national levels, is designed to protect the rich from the poor. THAT must change. THAT is the reason why there is no more money in the kitty. THAT is the reason why they have to keep raising taxes to generate new inflows. When 5% of the people own 95% of the wealth in this country-- SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THAT. <br /><br />Doing anything to "fix" the budget will only perpetuate most of the money flowing into people (whether by direct flow or ludicrous salaries and benefits) who are already beyond the wealthy dreams of 95% of Americans.<br /><br />So say we all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-71952760713191162462009-06-10T19:31:18.216-04:002009-06-10T19:31:18.216-04:00I wonder why we never talk about the comprehensive...I wonder why we never talk about the comprehensive annual financial ( reportshttp://www.ncosc.net/financial/ )? Clearly with the 40 or 50 billion in net assets invested in various investments should be yielding enough to pay some bills. I understand markets are down, but many of those assets are fixed. Several states run with no state income tax at all, I believe Texas, Florida, and I know Alaska.<br />Sure, they have oil and tourists and all the alike, but I think if someone really looked at the books, I mean the balance sheet, they would find more than enough money there. Cash flow statements are usually the best place to look, and or the "budget", but when you have billions of dollars of assets that aren't being considered, we need to take another look! Also, why is the treasury department now investing up to 10 percent of the states budget in commodities, options, and speculative things? Sure, I know they want the yield, and we know where the money goes when they win, back into the big ole fund. But, where does it come from when they lose? Oh yes, another budget short fall...John Stanley Techhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08318725526352017506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-71597460538635361042009-06-10T19:27:09.861-04:002009-06-10T19:27:09.861-04:00I can solve budget problems for every single state...I can solve budget problems for every single state and our federal government. It is SUPREMELY easy to find all the waste out there now, and I'm not talking about pork barrel stuff (though it STILL does exist). <br /><br />Overnight, I bet I can balance the budget just by applying simple common sense tactics that the majority of "middle class" Americans have to do: go without that which is not essential.<br /><br />Our governments WASTE BILLIONS of dollars on very stupid things. The proof is out there and easily found. Each representative gets between 2-5 million each year for "discretionary" spending. WTF!!!! On a similar scale, our state and local governments waste just the same. <br /><br />Our government is run by baboons. Taxing to generate new revenue-- without cutting out all the STUPID spending-- is, well, STUPID. Eliminate welfare if you have a brain and can work, and I don't care if that means pushing a broom somewhere 40 hours a week (maybe you'll not be so fat then too).<br /><br />The only acceptable tax raises should be those whose incomes are in the stratosphere down to 200,000 a year. I'm sorry, I don't care how creative and special you are, you don't need millions of dollars and 3 jaguars in your garage.<br /><br />This country is heading for a major civil war, and the creation of a new 3rd party-- I bet it's going to be interesting in the next few years. The only way this will be avoided is if the apathetic masses are able to go back into wal-mart to purchase more LCD tv's. Otherwise the waste will continue and things will get worse until we're all going WITHOUT ANYTHING.<br /><br />CUT THE FREAKING WASTE, MR/MRS POLITICIAN!!!! YOU DON'T REPRESENT THE COMMON AMERICAN ANYMORE!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-43835041309467936672009-06-10T19:08:57.145-04:002009-06-10T19:08:57.145-04:00Impeach Bev Perdue. Lower Taxes!!!Impeach Bev Perdue. Lower Taxes!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-11913911385011035142009-06-10T18:21:33.760-04:002009-06-10T18:21:33.760-04:00"How would YOU solve N.C.'s budget proble..."How would YOU solve N.C.'s budget problem?" By being good business oriented people and non-political. Currently there are "Family Values" and "Minority/Underprivileged" and "Religious" sieves that all ideas/money matters/easily accumulated taxes/etc. - have to be strained through. What's left over is an unsustainable tax base that simply will not support the infrastructure of all those "Political" stands by government.<br />The question is who can afford to give more in taxes and who can afford to be cut from the tax base.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-22082586890216594862009-06-10T17:14:03.127-04:002009-06-10T17:14:03.127-04:00Here are some simple solutions:
When the state bi...Here are some simple solutions:<br /><br />When the state bids out a contract, THAT IS THE FINAL PRICE! No more of this increases as we go, if the company can't budget for future price increases in steel of copper, then they should not be doing work for the state. If a project is low bid for $25 million, that's the final price, none of this $50 million final price.<br /><br />Pass a constitutional amendment that forces the state to use special taxes for the specified purpose, i.e. gas tax for roads, lottery for education, alcohol tax for mental health, cigarette tax for healthcare, fishing & hunting licenses for wildlife services. No more dumping all funds in the general budget for Democrats to spend on their pet projects.<br /><br />Go to a zero dollar funding in the next budget, every director of every service or faction that gets state money must, in writing, justify every dollar thet get. If they can't, or if functions are duplicated, drop the funding. Then remaining funding needs to be concentrated in the 3 areas the state must fund: Education, Criminal Justice, and Roads, in that order. Everything else is a luxury we can do without.Ghoulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-23577100213068351302009-06-10T17:07:00.577-04:002009-06-10T17:07:00.577-04:00state tax on internet sales. I have ordered major...state tax on internet sales. I have ordered major electronics this year from retailers and not paid taxes!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-23099383878425246062009-06-10T17:01:55.706-04:002009-06-10T17:01:55.706-04:00Education cut 5% - 524,760,833.10 I send my childr...Education cut 5% - 524,760,833.10 I send my children to private school to get a better education and CMS still spends more per child than my two combined. $13 million alone on drop out prevention. I had dropout prevention - it's called PARENTS!<br />Judicial - Indigent Defense cut 5% 5,526,972.5 Don't break the law - period.<br />Governor cut 5% - 304,995.45 Belt tightening needs to start at the top.<br /><br />That is 530,592,801.05 without even trying. Tough cuts, sure. I have to make those cuts in my household due to gasoline, utility and food price increases without any raises for 3+ years. I do not get to raise my salary when I have a shortage. Go through the budget line by line and eliminate ALL projects that can be put off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-44070695464875679402009-06-10T16:55:10.649-04:002009-06-10T16:55:10.649-04:00Taking teachers out of the classroom is not the an...Taking teachers out of the classroom is not the answer to our budget concerns. Is there waste in education? Yes. Are classroom teachers the waste? No! We are eliminating the most vital link to future generations. We as a country will be paying in taxes many times over down the road on the students that will be affected by the cutting of teachers. I know everybody wants education wants to be run like a business, but you can't run it that way. If that was the case, then we would kick out all of the students who struggled in school. I invite some of you to come and visit our schools and see the many challenges we face.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36710497.post-90269804705019403012009-06-10T16:16:49.436-04:002009-06-10T16:16:49.436-04:00How about this for the people who want to raise ta...How about this for the people who want to raise taxes; YOU go ahead and implement the tax increase on yourself. And just a quick note to the people who are opposed to tax breaks for large companies as incentives to move here. They do create jobs, and pay employees, who in turn buy things, which gets taxed and people make a living...The math is easy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com