Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
In Alabama, we are battling over the constant issue of how to fund public schools, roads and services.
Elements of the right-wing are dead set against taxes and are always running the "we don't need new taxes, we need belt tightening and fiscal responsibility" smack. This, to a point, is good advice. You can't just let beauracrats and politicians tax and spend at will, but when it comes to the bare essentials you can go overboard blocking even basic taxes.
In Alabama we have the lowest property tax, for example, in the country and pretty much have had that since 1901 based on the way our constitution was designed. Thing was, at the time the designers were heavily influence by big land owners in the rural Black Belt farming regions. They didn't want high property taxes because that would cut into their cotton profits.
Thus today in Alabama, property tax, which is the way many areas fund public schools, is peanuts. We depend almost totally on sales tax for our local public schools as well as local and state services.
Again, to an extent, I can see the right-wing posting politicians up on every proposed tax increase although I think we need many. What really burns me up, though, is,,,,, ok,,,, we all pretty much agree in Alabama that to even utter a "t" word is political suicide right? ok,, no problemo,,, so then someone says "hey, why don't we legalize the lotto and/or gambling and tax that revenue stream?" :idea:
Great plan right?
No sooner than this idea comes up, right-wing religious elements come out blasting away at a stupid lotto and gaming as "immoral" and detremental to society!!
First of all,,, you work to kill every stinking tax proposal/increase. Then when we come up with a harmless way to raise funds based on people's choice on rather or not to spend money, you work to kill that too?!
My question is, just where da hell do you think the money should come from to fund public schools, local and state services if we don't want taxes OR if we won't even at least legalize a stupid-arse lottery?!!! :redhot:
We got people pouring into MS to spend money at the casinos. We got people going to the GA and FL state line every day to spend money for lotto tickets; what's the matter with at least keeping the lotto ticket money in Alabama and channeling a percentage of the revenue or tax on revenue of that to public schools and services?!!! :bawling: :redhot:
Elements of the right-wing are dead set against taxes and are always running the "we don't need new taxes, we need belt tightening and fiscal responsibility" smack. This, to a point, is good advice. You can't just let beauracrats and politicians tax and spend at will, but when it comes to the bare essentials you can go overboard blocking even basic taxes.
In Alabama we have the lowest property tax, for example, in the country and pretty much have had that since 1901 based on the way our constitution was designed. Thing was, at the time the designers were heavily influence by big land owners in the rural Black Belt farming regions. They didn't want high property taxes because that would cut into their cotton profits.
Thus today in Alabama, property tax, which is the way many areas fund public schools, is peanuts. We depend almost totally on sales tax for our local public schools as well as local and state services.
Again, to an extent, I can see the right-wing posting politicians up on every proposed tax increase although I think we need many. What really burns me up, though, is,,,,, ok,,,, we all pretty much agree in Alabama that to even utter a "t" word is political suicide right? ok,, no problemo,,, so then someone says "hey, why don't we legalize the lotto and/or gambling and tax that revenue stream?" :idea:
Great plan right?
No sooner than this idea comes up, right-wing religious elements come out blasting away at a stupid lotto and gaming as "immoral" and detremental to society!!
First of all,,, you work to kill every stinking tax proposal/increase. Then when we come up with a harmless way to raise funds based on people's choice on rather or not to spend money, you work to kill that too?!
My question is, just where da hell do you think the money should come from to fund public schools, local and state services if we don't want taxes OR if we won't even at least legalize a stupid-arse lottery?!!! :redhot:
We got people pouring into MS to spend money at the casinos. We got people going to the GA and FL state line every day to spend money for lotto tickets; what's the matter with at least keeping the lotto ticket money in Alabama and channeling a percentage of the revenue or tax on revenue of that to public schools and services?!!! :bawling: :redhot: