editor Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 They gave Texas' transportation funding system an "F" in their report, It's About Time: Investing in Transportation to Keep Texas Economically Competitive, saying that road conditions will worsen, as will congestion, if the current funding level continues. The Texas Transportation Commission adopted the report Thursday."The majority of Texas roadways were built more than 40 years ago and are reaching the end of their design life," committee Chairman C. Michael Walton said in a statement.http://texas.construction.com/yb/tx/article.aspx?story_id=157503372 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I think Texas would probably get an "F" on funding of anything if the appropriate "Blue Ribbon" panel looked into it, be it education, transportation, health care... and that is before the coming $23 billion budget slash!You cannot increase funding for the things Texas needs without increasing revenue, particularly with our exploding population. But increasing revenue is out of the question in our conservative political milieu. Oh screw it, let's just cut taxes and see if that will increase revenue... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 You cannot increase funding for the things Texas needs without increasing revenue, particularly with our exploding population. But increasing revenue is out of the question in our conservative political milieu. Oh screw it, let's just cut taxes and see if that will increase revenue...Revenue Growth from Prior Year2010 | +3.6%2009 | -3.1%2008 | +12.7%2007 | +6.6%2006 | +10.0%2005 | +6.0%2004 | +6.5%2003 | +5.6%2002 | +2.6%2001 | +8.0%10-year Revenue Growth2010 Total Net Revenue = $87,357,158,2142010 Inf. Adj. Net Revenue = $68,785,163,9482000 Total Net Revenue = $49,845,829,550Difference = $37,511,328,664 (+75.3%)Inf. Adj. Difference = $18,939,334,398 (+38.0%)10-year Population Growth2010 Total Population = 25,145,5612000 Total Population = 20,851,820Difference = 4,293,741 (+20.6%)Revenue per Capita2010 Total Net Revenue per Capita = $3,4742010 CPI Inf. Adj. Net Revenue per Capita = $2,7352000 Total Net Revenue per Capita = $2,390Difference = $1,084 (+45.4%)Inf. Adj. Difference = $345 (+14.4%)ConclusionRevenue has increased much faster than population growth. Revenue per Capita has increased at a reasonable pace, even when adjusted for inflation.A budget crisis is most likely linked to an unsustainable increase in the level of spending (which was most likely allowed on the basis of unrealistic assumptions used when forecasting revenue, such as that Texas would never ever have a recession or that a recession could never affect energy prices). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 You cannot increase funding for the things Texas needs without increasing revenue, particularly with our exploding population. But increasing revenue is out of the question in our conservative political milieu. Oh screw it, let's just cut taxes and see if that will increase revenue... Your right, let's tax the hell out of the rich, or for that matter, let's raise taxes on everybody. That will increase revenue and it seems like the perfect time to do it. Everyone knows that to increase revenue/spur on the economy you MUST raise taxes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Your right, let's tax the hell out of the rich, or for that matter, let's raise taxes on everybody. That will increase revenue and it seems like the perfect time to do it. Everyone knows that to increase revenue/spur on the economy you MUST raise taxes. I don't see how that was a response to any of my statements, seeing as how you counter arguments I did not make... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfastx Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Not surprising at all. As for the tax the rich argument, giving tax breaks to the rich does not help the economy, because they will SAVE the mony, NOT spend it. That is part of the reason why they are rich in the first place. It would certainly help the budget situation raising taxes back to their pre-Bush levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Not surprising at all. As for the tax the rich argument, giving tax breaks to the rich does not help the economy, because they will SAVE the mony, NOT spend it. That is part of the reason why they are rich in the first place. Yes, because we all know saving and investing never did anything for an economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Is this the thread for complaining about government budget issues? No? Whatever. The government should behave like every other family/business/individual with a budget. Prioritize, and cut things that don't matter. I think they do a poor job and deciding what does and doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfastx Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Yes, because we all know saving and investing never did anything for an economy. Just look at the history thats all I have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Just look at the history thats all I have to say.Yeah, you might actually try to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I don't see how that was a response to any of my statements, seeing as how you counter arguments I did not make...Uhhh, the inuendo is more than obvious with your statement below. "But increasing revenue is out of the question in our conservative political milieu. Oh screw it, let's just cut taxes and see if that will increase revenue..."Am I crazy or are you directly saying that revenue should be had by raising taxes, but that that will never happen because of the conservative agenda of cutting spending? Hard to assume anything else. Please explain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfastx Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 (edited) Yeah, you might actually try to do that.I guess you can spin anything both ways. I just know that this country was doing fine in the 1940s when the top bracket's income taxes were around 90%, so I don't think putting back at pre-Bush levels would do anything bad. We were growing economically in the 1990s so I don't see what the big deal was. Edited April 14, 2011 by mfastx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I guess you can spin anything both ways. I just know that this country was doing fine in the 1940s when the top bracket's income taxes were around 90%, so I don't think putting back at pre-Bush levels would do anything bad. We were growing economically in the 1990s so I don't see what the big deal was.Yes, single-variate regression applies perfectly to this subject matter. We need not think any further than that. It would be inconvenient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHB2 Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Is this the thread for complaining about government budget issues? No? Whatever. The government should behave like every other family/business/individual with a budget. Prioritize, and cut things that don't matter. I think they do a poor job and deciding what does and doesn't matter.I'd say that the eye-opener here is Niche's state govt revenue vs pop. growth statistics, in light of the multi-billion projected 2 yr budget shortfall, in light of absolute "conservative"/Republican Party control of all branches of Tx govt for the last 10 yrs.a decade of empire building w/tax $ and campaign donations by Gov Perry's political machine and his minions in the legislature while claiming the mantle of conservatism put us here. More spending than ever = collapsing public infrastructure: "The Texas Miracle."Perry is the Republican version of George Parr, the "Duke of Duval," but on an even bigger scale.an absolute hoot that the Tea Party would back any incumbent Tx Republican in any election. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Vik Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I guess you can spin anything both ways. I just know that this country was doing fine in the 1940s when the top bracket's income taxes were around 90%, so I don't think putting back at pre-Bush levels would do anything bad. We were growing economically in the 1990s so I don't see what the big deal was.Yes. I heard a story about this recently on NPR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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