Welfare State

Vermont does better than any other state when it comes to qualifying for federal money distributed on the basis of census data, a new study has found.
    Freeps

And our guys are waging an aggressive campaign to make sure that everyone gets counted in the census because we really need the money and other people, in other states, can afford to give it to us.

Makes you proud to be a Vermonter, doesn't it?

Comments

[Jerry Coleman]

Well Geoff:
I for one, will not be filling out their census and if they come to my house, I will first tell them Vt. doesn't need any more money from the government to burden taxpayers with all the stupid grants, etc. that Vt. towns and special interest groups apply for.
I will also tell them that I live alone in and over-apprasied house that I can't afford, I'm a U.S. Citizen, born and raised in Vermont and anything else is none of the governments business.!!!

[Tom Licata]

"If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists - to protect them and to promote their common welfare - all else is lost."
- Barack Obama

“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”
— James Madison

[Justin]

Bad link, should be - http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100311/NEWS02/100310037/Vermont-tops-in-landing-federal-money

This leaves out what we as a state pay into the federal govt. If, per capita, we are paying more federal taxes than most, it's not outrageous that we get more than most in return.

Look at this chart - http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/sr139.pdf

(Granted it's 2004), but as a state our ratio of federal tax expenditure to revenue is nearly in the middle, benefiting us only slightly.

It also appears our welfare status dropped even closer to break-even after this, to an outpay --> influx of 1 --> 1.08 in 2005 (latest figures readily available).

Of course it's still ridiculous that taxes across the board are as high as they are, and that this money is being spent on frivolities with the massive federal deficit what it is...

[Bill]

Like I said before, welcome to the Dependent Protectorate of Vermont. Join us on the Gravy Train. There is such a thing as free lunch and free medical care. Just call Bernie Sanders. He'll get you straightened around. What about the cost? No problem. We'll get the rich folks to pay the bill.

[Brattleboro_conservative]

I used to be a proud Vermonter, but I now I cringe when I tell people where I'm from. Vermont has become a state full of fatheads worse than Massachusetts.

No strike that last statement, Massachusetts voted in Scott Brown...

[Steven in VT]

I am not a native Vermonter. I moved here in 1978. I had heard of the independent, free thinking Yankee. I think I met some when I first got here. But, I have not seen or heard about one in a long time. It is really sad. Leahy is the earmark prince, and we seem to love him and Bernie. I just do not get it.