We need to raise taxes NOW – and by a lot!
First read this…
DOVER, Del- A new report released Wednesday shows Delaware’s 65 and over population will more than double over the next 25 years. The report shows more than 120,000 elderly will flock to Delaware over the next quarter century.
According to State Treasurer Jack Markell, “Because our property taxes are so low we have a lot of retirees coming in from other states in the region and across the country.”
John Green moved to Delaware in 2005 in search of a better life.
“Tax wise, yeah they’ are a lot cheaper. I don’t like paying a sales tax, who does?” Green said. “Property taxes are a lot less expensive. In the overall picture, it’s pretty good for someone who’s retired like myself.”
Now think about it, if we continue to have much lower property taxes than New Jersey and PA not only are more of these cheap old bastards going to move here – they are going to move here and and be 60 years old, vote down every school bond issue that comes up, and (not being able to drive themselves to the doctors office) will be clamoring for public transit services that don’t exisit .
We need high taxes to keep the old ass New Jersians OUT!!!
Delaware ends up like Florida without the tourist trade to pay for all the services that are being demanded. It’s going to take some very creative thinking to keep the future from becoming pretty bleak.
A start would be to reassess all the property in the state. A little fairness would be nice.
It’s nice to see you guys admit your pessimism to go with lack of ideas and solutions for the state. Very refreshing.
“OH NO, THE GREY PEOPLE AND THE BROWN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DESTROY US! LET’S GIVE UP AND RAISE TAXES!!!”
You MAKE the future bright with vision and principles, not with a broken bureaucracy and tax hikes from the creatures of Dover.
Sincerely,
The Party of Ideas
Hey Party of Ideas –
Your comment did not contain any ideas. (???) My “tax wall” is an idea – let’s hear yours…
Oh and this is funny, You MAKE the future bright with vision and principles, (…not an idea by the way)
You mean vision and principles like George Bush vision and principles?
The ideas are coming.
You know how I am about dramatic rollouts.
Patience, grasshopper.
A hint: Hiking taxes to keep people out will not be making an appearance.
What’s up with including “Brown People” in your rhetoric, Dave?
I think you clearly have some underlying issues in regard to race, Dave, if you just had to underhandedly attempt to paint any one of us over here as bigoted…the term in psycho-speak is called: PROJECTION.
Asshole.
Jason,
there is that Republican website, betterdealfordelaware that has 50 ideas for Delaware. That’s probably what Dave is talking about.
Von Crackhead:
Did you read the report?
Of course you didn’t, or else you’d know what you were talking about.
Which would be a first.
there is that Republican website, betterdealfordelaware that has 50 ideas for Delaware. That’s probably what Dave is talking about.
OMG…how twisted would it be if Dave’s mystery plan X-11 had a lot in common w/ the 50 ideas. Instead of a lawyer Dave would need a bodyguard.
I’m referring to your comment:
““OH NO, THE GREY PEOPLE AND THE BROWN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DESTROY US! LET’S GIVE UP AND RAISE TAXES!!!”
Is this in the report you’re talking about? Or was it just a poor attempt of reflecting the inherent shame that resides within the GOP due to its homogeneous make-up?
How high do we have to raise property taxes to get Gerry Fulcher to move back to NYC???
You will have to forgive Jason, Dave. He can’t help himself. With liberals like him, “raise taxes” is a pure reflex. No matter what the problem, just throw more tax payer money at it and it will go away. The problem is, the issue doesn’t go away, only our money does.
If you are looking for REAL ideas Jason, lets start with zoning. There are zoning laws that could be passed to discourage the 55 and older communities that are spring up everywhere. The biggest deterrent to retired folks is often young children. More kids playing outside and around the neighborhood, the noisier it gets. That will discourage it too. A little money into community playsets will take care of that.
That’s just two without even “researching” the issue. Given a little more time and we could come up with dozens of workable ideas, WITHOUT raising taxes.
Hey…you do know that raising taxes will hurt your “average joe” too, don’t you? Yes. Liberals. The Champions of the Little Guy. The need us. We Know. Because we tax them until they do!
Von Crackhead — I’m not going to read the report for you. You have to read it for yourself.
The first three African-American US Senators were Republicans. The Republican Party was founded to defeat slavery, and it did. The Republican Party has a long history of standing up for civil rights and being the impetus for the passage of every Civil Rights Amendment since 1860.
Not that you give a crap about the truth or those silly little things called facts.
Chris,
The way I picture it we tax moving vans from NJ and PA about $25,000 each for the privilege of moving some dopes crap into Delaware from those stink holes to the north. That should keep the lowlife dregs out.
Trust me. It already happens. I moved from one of the sticking liberal failures (NJ) into another (DE). The tax I paid was HUGE….and will no doubt be wasted on some worthless liberal feel good failure.
I moved from one of the sticking liberal failures (NJ) into another (DE)
He likes us… He really likes us!!
So, Dave, the deeds of the father (really the great-great-great grandfather) reflects wholly on the party today? That’s an argument I’d expect to hear from someone who knows their position is flawed or just plain wrong. The Right harbors the bigots/racists now, and has for a while. EVERYBORY KNOWS THAT! You can’t argue that the Dixiecrats left the Democrats in droves during the 50s and 60s….
In microcosm, from wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond
“He later represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to April 1956 and November 1956 to 1964 as a Democrat and from 1964 to 2003 as a Republican.”
Strom knew where his true base was….
150 years ago Lincoln freed the slaves – and because of this, you today, use that to excuse your true, xenophobic base? Good one. My Great-uncle won a Silver Star in WWII, so I guess that makes me a war hero!
If you’re a leader within the DE GOP, then I feel pretty good about the progressive future of this State. You are a misleading crackpot, living well outside of the mainstream of this state, country, let alone the world of reality.
BTW – there’s no link to said report. And you didn’t even answer my original question: Was your statement above, about “Brown People”, actually in that report or did you just make it up to slight liberals and progressives?
My bet is that you’re just like all the other GOP charlatans….lying liars, who make shit up solely for personal gain.
I’m still not going to read the report for you, lazy ass. Do your own research before you cast stones. You’re embarrassing yourself.
“The Right harbors the bigots/racists now, and has for a while. EVERYBORY KNOWS THAT! You can’t argue that the Dixiecrats left the Democrats in droves during the 50s and 60s….
In microcosm, from wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond”
Oh VC. Must we go through this again. I think YOU are projecting again.
Anyway Strom was a Democrat during the heyday of his racism, and Sen. Byrd is still one today…and serving. Could you imagine the outcry is a serving Republican had been a past Exalted Cyclops of the KKK?
From Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd#Participation_in_the_Ku_Klux_Klan
“In 1942, 24-year-old Byrd joined the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), whose parades in Matoaka, West Virginia, he had witnessed in his childhood. He was unanimously elected Exalted Cyclops, or leader, of his local chapter.[5]
Byrd, in his autobiography, attributed the beginnings of his political career to this incident, although he lamented that they involved the Klan. According to Byrd’s recollection, Klan official Joel L. Baskin told him “You have a talent for leadership, Bob … The country needs young men like you in the leadership of the nation.” Byrd recalls that “suddenly lights flashed in my mind! Someone important had recognized my abilities. I was only 23 or 24, and the thought of a political career had never struck me. But strike me that night, it did.”[5] He participated in the KKK during World War II, holding the titles Kleagle (recruiter) and Exalted Cyclops. He did not serve in the military during the war, working instead as a welder in a Baltimore, Maryland shipyard, where he helped build warships.[citation needed]
Byrd commented on the 1945 controversy about racially integrating the military. Byrd, when he was 28 years old, wrote to segregationist Senator Theodore Bilbo, of Mississippi, vowing never to serve in such a military:
“Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.[6]
He had earlier written Bilbo “I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side”.[7][8]
Dave, how can I read the report if there’s no link to it? And I don’t know where else to find it. You keep ignoring my query, knowing that I don’t have access to the report! Now, wouldn’t the feeble attempt to dance around my question, trying to deflect the criticism of your outrageous statement appear embarrassing to the outside observer?
So again, did the quote you made in your original post come from that report or did you just make it up? And if you made it up, what was the purpose of including the phrase “Brown People”, since the post was solely referring to retirees (“Grey People”) moving to DE to avoid taxes?
And Chris, if you’re gonna pick and choose to make your point, you better involve the entire context. You conveniently stopped your cut&paste right before this:
“In 1997, he told an interviewer he would encourage young people to become involved in politics, but to “Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don’t get that albatross around your neck. Once you’ve made that mistake, you inhibit your operations in the political arena.”[10] In his latest autobiography, Byrd explained that he was a member because he “was sorely afflicted with tunnel vision—a jejune and immature outlook—seeing only what I wanted to see because I thought the Klan could provide an outlet for my talents and ambitions.”[11] Byrd also said, in 2005, “I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized a thousand times … and I don’t mind apologizing over and over again. I can’t erase what happened.”[5]”
Fine, you win, Crackie.
“Delaware’s population will steadily grow more racially and ethnically diverse,
with a higher proportion of Hispanics and African Americans. This racial and
cultural diversity is to be celebrated, and will require additional investments
in education, workforce development and training, health care, and other
public services.”
link
All I wanted was some context. Thanks, Dave.
But you took Jason’s post, which was only pertaining to Retirees, and interjected a racial component. I’m still trying to figure out why you had to include the minority aspect…. Anyway, thanks again for acquiescing!
VC
Evidently, repubs need a knee jerk response to “cover” themselves on the race issue everyplace since they clearly can’t have anyone know that the most racist elements of contemporary American society claim to play for their team.
Of course, the only people buying their revisionist history are those they can count on to never read any real history — the repub base.
Word!
VC — I was commenting on the report itself.
The fact is that Markell cited an increase in diversity as an economic problem; that people of color need more education, job training, etc. than whites do. I find that to be elitist and defeatist at the same time.
Instead of a drain, why don’t we look down the road in 25 years and see the African American and Latino communities as one of the great assets that saved Delaware?!
Fix the education system and restart the economic engine that Minner-Carney has let atrophy and those Delawareans of color be a part of the bright future.
Understood.
Being once involved with some of the DE school districts a few years back, I certainly agree that the education system need a complete overhaul. How to do it… i.e – neighborhood based, not relying on only property taxes, and so forth, is the question…..and a very difficult one at that.
It’s all about paradigms, VC.
You have to look at the minority population and see the opportunities, both for them and for the state. To look at them and see them as a future financial burden is elitist and defeatist.
Dave, you state you want “fix the education system and restart the economic engine that Minner-Carney has let atrophy and those Delawareans of color be a part of the bright future.
How, and I am serious, do you propose to do so without raising taxes, your other “Pet” concern?
Why does “improving the situation” always equal “spending more money?”
We spend 10,000 per student. That’s plenty.
Economic development requires elbow grease and creative ideas and fashioning incentive packages for companies that bring more into the state than they cost the state. Rocket science it ain’t.
“fashioning incentive packages for companies”
My Burris to English translator is broken. Does this mean “tax cuts” ?
If DE schools paid recent college grads more, like 50k, I’m sure the quality of educator, and subsequently, the quality of students will increase…
In 2002, a first year teacher’s (with a Masters) salary was only mid-30k, and it was certainly less with only a BA or BS. Compare that to PA and NJ, DE was (and probably still is) lagging and the best teachers-to-be are bypassing education and going into other fields of work…
Well, back in the 80s it meant “repeal the usury laws.”
Now it could mean anything:
“allow more gambling” or
“sweetheart rezoning” or
“we’ll tear down the last bit of woods to build a highway to your company’s door.”
Oh, and tax cuts too.
It means you actually TRY to lure and retain companies. It may mean tax breaks. It may mean other incentives. Whatever it is, however, it should benefit the state overall.
The Levin plan sounds like a weak continuation of the Minner/Carney approach to bending over for every fortune 500 company that comes along.
This State ranks last in new business devlopment. That is shamefull.
Markell is all over this. I am not worried about our approach to economic development will be more of the same.
What Levin plan?
“Markell is all over this. I am not worried about our approach to economic development will be more of the same.”
Since when? He’s been there for ten years while the small business economy stagnates. Why wait until he’s seeking higher office to care?
What Levin plan?
Sorry. I thought you were a spokesman for Levin. My bad.
“If you are looking for REAL ideas Jason, lets start with zoning. There are zoning laws that could be passed to discourage the 55 and older communities that are spring up everywhere.”
LOL! Yea, try making zoning laws that are designed to exclude the elderly and see how fast it lasts in a court that’s heard of the constitutional principle of equal treatment under the law.
“The fact is that Markell cited an increase in diversity as an economic problem; that people of color need more education, job training, etc. than whites do. I find that to be elitist and defeatist at the same time.”
Dave, I was w/ you on your debate w/ Von Cracker (I knew you referring to the report itself)until you made that comment. It’s an EMPIRICAL FACT that minorities in the USA require services that cost taxpayers money. You can’t just simply wish those facts to disappear by mouthing wishful comments like these w/o SPECIFIC policy & program proposals:
“You have to look at the minority population and see the opportunities, both for them and for the state. To look at them and see them as a future financial burden is elitist and defeatist.”
“Why does “improving the situation” always equal “spending more money?”
Actually, I think the question should be for Republicans “Why does it NEVER require an increase in taxes and always, absurdly, require tax cuts as well as redirecting tax money away from programs designed to help populations that need assistance and sending it toward programs that can only be called ‘corporate welfare’.”
Damn, I should have read your entire post. There it is. Corporate welfare:
“Economic development requires elbow grease and creative ideas and fashioning incentive packages for companies that bring more into the state than they cost the state.”
It worked well w/ MBNA.
“It means you actually TRY to lure and retain companies. It may mean tax breaks. It may mean other incentives. Whatever it is, however, it should benefit the state overall.”
Can you tell exactly how tax cuts for corporations and selling them large tracts of land for a buck helps non-English speaking preform better in school? Unless you are using a faith-based approach to educational and corporate economic policy, you are missing some essential connective tissue.
“Since when? He’s been there for ten years while the small business economy stagnates. Why wait until he’s seeking higher office to care?”
The man who writes checks for the state according to the dictates of the legislative & executive branches of govt has a statutory function in DE to create policies to help small businesses? Can you show us where in the DE Code he has this kind of authority?
Our esteemed host wrote:
Judging from the time that I lived in Hockessin, you don’t need Pennsylvanians or Jerseyans to do that. Delaware has the highest rate of private school attendance in the nation (35%, last time I checked), and most of that is due to New Castle County, where sending your kids to public school is tantamount to child abuse. Everyone in New Castle County who could in any way afford to send their kids to private school did so, and thus the school tax bond and tax increase measures never passed; not only did the people who didn’t have kids not want to pay higher taxes, but a third of the parents with school-aged children had no interest in paying higher taxes for the public schools.
“Can you show us where in the DE Code he has this kind of authority?”
Can you show me in the DE Code where he has the authority to do anything he touts as an accomplishment?
“It worked well w/ MBNA.”
Your goddamned right it did.
So, Dana, you want no jobs to come to Delaware? Cause if you do, you have to incentivize companies to come here.
You can also incent companies to come here by investing in schools (at all levels) in Math and Science, as well as infrastructure….
It so funny that conservatives bitch about welfare for the poor, but when it comes to companies, they forget all about their welfare position. (you know, since Corps are people too!, in the eyes of the SCOTUS)
Choose a side and stick with it. please.
You can also incent companies by implementing single-payer health care.
“You can also incent companies to come here by investing in schools (at all levels) in Math and Science, as well as infrastructure….”
You’re absolutely right.
Incentivize teachers to teach math and science, for instance.
But it doesn’t necessarily mean spending more money. It means spending money BETTER.
“You can also incent companies by implementing single-payer health care.”
And who do you think pays for that?
No, you could be wrong too. Sometimes money is needed to be spent.
And yes sometimes we can re-allocate funds. Why don’t we start with all the wasted funds given to abstinence programs and faith-based groups? Our government would be better served by not offering cash/kickbacks to those proselytizing religious groups – they have no business touching our money. You know, the whole separation of church and state thing…
Or, more appropriately, we could trim the education bureaucracy by about 1/3 and put the dollars in the classroom, pay math and science teachers more, and open more charter schools.
I somewhat agree with that. But to get our best and brightest to work in Education, starting salaries for teachers must increase.
To the healthcare issue, if most Americans want a single-payer system and vote for politicians to implement their wants, then such a result cannot make our political system no less of a democracy than it is now. Many on the right consider universal healthcare as being tantamount to socialism – which makes no sense since gov’t workers and the military are staying healthy on our dime. And morally, to capitalize, monetarily, on someone’s health problems is just plain wrong. I may not be a practicing Christian, but I do remember something about a moral duty to take care of the infirmed, and I do know this is an axiom throughout most world cultures – so more appropriately – this would be a humanistic view. And very similar to state-sponsored education, UHC is an investment…in us.