Vox

Musings, rants, rambling, general nonsense

AZ Prop 100

Posted on | May 17, 2010 | No Comments

I’ve been meaning to get my thoughts on this in writing for weeks, but haven’t taken the time. I guess, since tomorrow is the day, I should finally post this. This post is sticky till the election is over, scroll down for newer posts.

The politicians are doing it again, relying on scare tactics and your goodwill to confiscate more of your money. They do this rather than learn how to manage theirs (well, not theirs, yours – but the portion of your income they already take) Rather than make cuts in budget items they prefer not to touch, they cut things that tug at your heart strings. Surely, rather than see cuts to police and fire services, the taxpayers will fork over more dough. The good people of Arizona certainly don’t want to see cuts in education (though more money hardly assures more quality, particularly in public education).

The problem is – that is not the only option. In fact, there is already a budget ready to go should the voters of this state get wise and vote Prop 100 down.

I’m voting No on 100

* Let’s try an analogy: Say you give your child a set amount every week, with the understanding that it is to cover lunches. Anything leftover can be used for personal spending (or saving) as the child sees fit.

Now let’s say, after a few weeks of spending his money on video games and CDs, that child comes back and says, “I need you to give me more money, I can’t afford food on the amount you give me now” Do you tell them to re-prioritize their spending, or hand over more cash?

Bad analogy, too many parents today would do just that – open their wallets and spare their child any accountability, and any chance to mature.

* How about this for an example: You have an employee with a multi-year contract. She has a more than reasonable salary, which you know she spends on a second home, lavish dinners out and nights on the town, trips to various 5-star resorts and an occasional venture into casinos to test her luck.

One day, she comes to you and begs for a raise, telling you that she can’t afford to feed her family or pay her utility bills. You know that she could, she just chooses to allocate that money elsewhere. She made that choice, it is not your responsibility to save her – even though, being goodhearted, you don’t want her children to starve.
 


 

The state of Arizona needs to better allocate the money they have, not rely on that fact that, being goodhearted, we don’t want the children to starve.

Think back to all the previous tax increases (most also billed as “temporary”) that were sold to you as “for the children” I knew people who voted for both B.O.B. and the light rail saying that, “most of the money will go for education”. If you’ve ever read your property tax statement, you know how much of your money is already allocated “for the children” – even if, like me, your property has no children…or even no residence (I have huge property tax bills for undeveloped acreages in the desert west of Phoenix. No buildings, no neighborhood, no schools)

If the state legislature wants to improve our schools and reduce the financial burden, lets allow for more choice, more private school options – maybe even bring in a for-profit organization to revamp our pathetic, failing system.

Just don’t stick your hands back in my pocket for more good money to throw after the bad.

UPDATE: It appears Dean Martin (AZ State Treasurer and candidate for governor) agrees

UPDATE: Consider all the revenue you are already sending to the schools



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