Monday, November 15, 2010
Upcoming Cuts
Expect cuts in ALL Michigan state Programs, including higher education and K-12. Impossible to solve the existing $1.6 BILLION deficit for next fiscal year without either huge cuts in the state budget or a tax increase? There are NO votes for a tax increase in the new legislature. Only places to cut that will make a dollar difference are higher ed, corrections, community health and K-12. Other areas and cuts would be chump change.
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It is too bad that these cuts in budget seem to be the only option for Michigan to get out of this deep hole. I believe that this is not the answer for Michigan to prevail. We need our schools to be that of virtuous places where the young people in our state can form their own opinions and work towards a common good. If these cuts are to be made, I believe it will only produce that of a lack in participation, and lack of overall effort. I believe making cuts is not the answer, but generating profit for the state is. There are other ways to do so besides tax increase as well. Although morals may factor in to these substitutions to generate profit, if Michigan were to simply lower its drinking age to 19, along with legalizing the use of marijuana and taxing it, I believe that alone would generate enough revenue, with the possibility of billions of dollars, to move away from cutting aspects that we truly need such as education and health care.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Robert Completely. I don't think these are the only things that can be done but it's a start. In my personal opinion the government is being lazy in looking for a solution. They think the only ways to make money are to make cuts or raise taxes. However Robert gave two very simple solutions that would bring in quite a bit of revenue. Marijuana could have a nice tax on it and would help out quite a bit. I agree that these aren't the only things that need to be done, but they're certainly a start. How do we ever expect to fix our countries deficit problems if we aren't educating our future generations. In my opinion education is one of the most important things and should be a last resort cut. If anything we should cut prisons. Way to much money goes into them and some of the offenders in there don't even deserve to be.
ReplyDeleteGood call on cutting prison's Danielle. It makes no sense to pay 30,000 dollars per prisoner especially when most of whom are non-violent, petty drug offenders. Let alone the state also picking up the burden for providing health care for all of them. It is obvious that prisons are over crowded, and far too much money is being spent not only on them, but also the legal system in which they end up there. I would like to note I am not sympathetic towards murderers, rapists, child abusers ect., but I am in complete agreement with the fact that the other group, those who have not hurt anyone but themselves, such as being arrested repetitive times for small amounts of marijuana or cocaine even, is a waste of tax payer dollars.
ReplyDeleteIts really sad that Michigan follows the no child left behind, yet cuts from its schools to save money. I feel we need to better our education system and now always cut from it! I can see cutting from correction facilities we have to many people in jail/prisons anyhow. i feel we should let more people out in the world a lot of people in jail/prison they are not dangerous usually they are only in there for drugs. they are harmless or are in there from the 3 strikes your out act. maybe if we looked at where most of our money is going and cut from them. not from our education. maybe our education take up most of the money but it is going for a good cause!
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