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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Political/War Lounge > Texas near bankruptcy, wants more Federal stimulus

Texas near bankruptcy, wants more Federal stimulus
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hyteckit
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Sep 14, 2010, 03:01 AM
 
So Texas deficit is worst than expected. Initially the deficit was projected to be $18 billion. Now it looks more like $21 billion.

The state's budget hole is so deep that there's no chance spending cuts alone or tax increases alone can get us out of it. And there's not enough money in the Rainy Day Fund to bail us out, either.

Simply, the number is too big: $21 billion is the latest floating around Austin. That's the deficit in a two-year budget in which the state supplies about $87 billion. The other $94 billion or so comes largely from federal money.
Maybe Texas should just shut down government, fire all government employees, and stop collecting taxes. That't the conservative thing to do.


Projected state budget shortfall reaches $21 billion | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Editorial: Texas needs three answers to budget problem | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Opinion: Editorials
Bush Tax Cuts == Job Killer
June 2001: 132,047,000 employed
June 2003: 129,839,000 employed
2.21 million jobs were LOST after 2 years of Bush Tax Cuts.
     
ghporter
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Sep 14, 2010, 06:37 AM
 
In fact, it would be a good idea for the Texas Legislature to start actually using the money collected in taxes for the purposes it was earmarked. You know, sporting goods taxes go to state parks, gasoline taxes go to road construction, and so on.

But the big thing your posting about is different from the way you portray it. The state has avoided applying for funds, in a number of areas, because our "beloved governor" seems to think that we're above taking money from the federal government. Something about being worried about "strings attached." For example, the education grant he has only just recently applied for (with some caveats) specifically disallows Texas from using any money from the grant for anything BUT education. Seems the legislature (under this same governor) redirected the last education grant to the general fund and didn't spend an added dime on education. And the US senator that inserted the limit in the grant bill is from Texas...

We already spend less than just about anyone on both education and health care-so if they just decide to send everyone home, who's going to provide essential funding to local schools? Who's going to pay the medical costs for poor kids?

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
finboy
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Sep 14, 2010, 03:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
Who's going to pay the medical costs for poor kids?
Uh, the OTHER patients at Parkland and UTMB, perhaps?

Well, since the Feds are the ones not covering the border, maybe they should be on the hook for all of the Medicaid that these newborn citizens are receiving.

It's going to get worse before it gets better here. Thankfully, we're not California, so there's no STRUCTURAL, LONG-TERM deficiency of BRAINS that led us to this point. It's simply a downturn. It's not like people/businesses have been leaving the state in record numbers in the last few years, just the opposite. And our housing markets are still strong even now.

So the attempt to link this to Cali is just stupid. Cute, but really stupid. California has some real essence of being type questions to answer. And they've got to fix their illegals problem too.

Move along, citizens. Nothing to see.
     
hyteckit  (op)
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Sep 14, 2010, 08:41 PM
 
Originally Posted by finboy View Post
Uh, the OTHER patients at Parkland and UTMB, perhaps?

Well, since the Feds are the ones not covering the border, maybe they should be on the hook for all of the Medicaid that these newborn citizens are receiving.

It's going to get worse before it gets better here. Thankfully, we're not California, so there's no STRUCTURAL, LONG-TERM deficiency of BRAINS that led us to this point. It's simply a downturn. It's not like people/businesses have been leaving the state in record numbers in the last few years, just the opposite. And our housing markets are still strong even now.

So the attempt to link this to Cali is just stupid. Cute, but really stupid. California has some real essence of being type questions to answer. And they've got to fix their illegals problem too.

Move along, citizens. Nothing to see.
I made no attempt to link this to Cali's financial situation in this thread.

I was just making the point that Texas should act more like a conservative state. You know, cutting down the size of government and government spending. Stop asking for Federal stimulus money which they were so publicly against.
Bush Tax Cuts == Job Killer
June 2001: 132,047,000 employed
June 2003: 129,839,000 employed
2.21 million jobs were LOST after 2 years of Bush Tax Cuts.
     
finboy
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Sep 14, 2010, 09:46 PM
 
Originally Posted by hyteckit View Post
I made no attempt to link this to Cali's financial situation in this thread.
None, you're right. So I will. The attempt by others in other threads and news articles to compare Texas to California is stupid. But not in THIS thread, which has nothing whatsoever to do with comparisons with California. OK.

As for "stimulus money," that's Federal tax revenue coming back to the state. If we hadn't sent it (disproportionately) in the first place, it wouldn't be coming back smaller, with a big bite out of it.

The idea that we have to beg and grovel as states to get our Federal tax dollars back is ludicrous, and illustrates the majority of the problem with the Feds.
     
ghporter
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Sep 15, 2010, 07:36 AM
 
Originally Posted by finboy View Post
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
Who's going to pay the medical costs for poor kids?
Uh, the OTHER patients at Parkland and UTMB, perhaps?
Still needs to be someone to TAKE the money from one hand and GIVE it to some other hand. Especially since UTMB happens to be a UT school and thus a state government agency.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
hyteckit  (op)
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Sep 26, 2010, 10:53 PM
 
Bush Tax Cuts == Job Killer
June 2001: 132,047,000 employed
June 2003: 129,839,000 employed
2.21 million jobs were LOST after 2 years of Bush Tax Cuts.
     
OldManMac
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Sep 27, 2010, 08:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by finboy View Post
It's going to get worse before it gets better here. Thankfully, we're not California, so there's no STRUCTURAL, LONG-TERM deficiency of BRAINS that led us to this point.
This just happened, all by itself?


Move along, citizens. Nothing to see.
If it had been a state with a Democrat in the gov's office, there would be something to see, right?
     
olePigeon
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Sep 27, 2010, 11:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by finboy View Post
Thankfully, we're not California, so there's no STRUCTURAL, LONG-TERM deficiency of BRAINS that led us to this point.
Oh, you're well on your way. Texas School Board is about as brain deficient as it gets. Since the unfortunately majority of voting Texans are adept at voting in morons that think magic should be taught in a science classroom, give it a few years, you'll have the same morons in the higher ups.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
ghporter
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Sep 27, 2010, 04:20 PM
 
The real issue with voting is our primary system. Whoever wins the primary for the party in office has a strong advantage, whether they're a "really viable candidate" or dead weight. Look at our recent gubernatorial primary-Either RIck "Good Hair" Perry (whose governance has been unacceptable to most of us) or Bill White (who tried really hard to bankrupt the city of Houston-and was not unsuccessful). What kind of choice is that? The problem isn't voters being dumb, it's primaries not getting the attention they deserve. But most people think of primaries as a formality, and let the rabid partisans vote for the most polar candidates. This happens in every contested election.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
   
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