We'll See That Five Million ...

and raise you another five.

The leaders in the legislature insist that they cannot possibly find $24 million in budget cuts without hurting Vermont's  most vulnerable citizens. 

This was absolutely predictable.  When the people who run a government are faced with cutting a budget – their budget – they inevitably do it in a way to maximize public outrage.  This is known, among the congnescenti, as "the Washington Monument Ploy."  Faced with a public demand for budget cuts, the political class decides to give the taxpayers what they want ... and give it to them good and hard, as Mencken would say.  

"So here's what we'll do," says one public servant to another, "we'll get right in the faces of those fat tourists from Omaha who drove here with the kids and we'll shut down the Washington Monument."

"Beautiful," says the other.  "Just beautiful.   They want budget cuts.  Well, there is a budget cut.  How do they like that one."

In Montpelier, they are less imaginative and ironic.  Their message to the voters is straight out of Oprahland and includes the following:

• Eliminate pharmacy assistance for low-income elderly: Save $3.7 million.

• Reduce benefits to elderly, blind and disabled: Save $1.2 million

Well, without trying all that hard, Vermont Tiger has so far managed to find a quick $10 million in savings by slowing the acquisition of farmland for conservation trusts and by requiring Amtrak passengers to forgo  subsidies.  Neither of these budget adjustments would force a single orphan to a miss meal.

We'd like to ask concerned Tigers out there to come to the aid of their government in Montpelier and look around for another $10 to $15 million in savings that could be found without tossing children onto the streets.  Consider it an on-line, public-service variant of poker.

The pot currently stands at $10 million.  Pot's light.  Let's see the color of your money.

Comments

[Dennis Lukas]

Start increasing taxes by 25% on properties in the Land Use Program.You would be surprised at the amount of property held by out of state owners, who pay very little for their private estates.This in Land Use also stops development, and keeps the locals happy as they do not have to pay their fair share of taxes, while the poor shmuck living on 1 acre pays 6 times more in taxes.Why are we losing money by not collecting taxes on properties who's owners can afford the tax. Simply put, another way to stop development and make up the tax loss by taxing business and the working class.

[Chris Campion]

This is a capital allocation question, and the legislature is picking and choosing what it likes and dislikes, mostly on the backs of who will or won't elect them again to do the same thing next year. I'm having a hard time understanding why Vermont (courtesy of its legislature) continues to spend money on making *sure* that businesses cannot expand or site here by buying up land, yet they're willing to cut aid to the people who are the neediest in the state as a direct result of the business climate.

Without jobs and job growth, we will continue to spiral down the rabbit hole. When our primary industry is tourism, and we can't keep restrooms open on the interstate, we're on a par with some other countries that are often described as "3rd World".

[Glenn Eno]

Freeze all VSEA wages, (for those whose jobs won't be cut) for a period of 2 years.

Freeze all wage increases for the teachers and administrations for each school district. This will also include all staff at the supervisory union levels. Teacher unions always use the "don't you care for the children?" angle. It's time for them to step up and take one for the team. Teachers do care about the children, don't they?

I'm sorry, I don't have figures to say what this could save.

Paging Mr. Woolf....