Not much I can say about this article except...
CAN THE LOTTERY!!!
Showing posts with label Taxes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taxes. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Growing Pot
Recently in the news, California State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano has introduced a bill (the Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act [AB 390]) to legalize the production and sale of marijuana. Calls to decriminalize or normalize marijuana use have long existed, and have gained greater support as our prisons become overcrowded and police officers remain overworked. For this reason, Santa Monica is among the cities that have essentially told its police officers to disregard incidents that involve small level possession or usage of marijuana.
This bill, though, is not looking to overturn any cruel and unusual punishments for pot users. It is not striving to undue great injustices. It is nothing more than another desperate effort to increase the state's pocketbook. Be sure, Ammiano cares not about the potential health risks or prison sentences users might face. He just wants to tax them and grow the government's pot.
As I stated from the very first post here, I am not looking to get into moral discussions on the lottery or, in this case, marijuana. Suffice it to say that I've played with both in my time. We've seen quite clearly that adding lottery revenue to the state coffers, supposedly to supplement education spending, has allowed politicians to expand the general budget. This means more government run programs and services that we don't need, or that we do need but are delivered inefficiently and of substandard quality. I've always heard that fish grow to the size of their bowl. While I don't know if that's true, government has proven that it will grow itself to the size of its budget.
In 2006, Prop 86 asked voters to increase the state excise tax on tobacco products by $2.60, with the additional money going to support new or expanded programs for health services, children's health services, and anti-tobacco initiatives. On a personal note, my mother recently passed away from cancer, which I have no doubt was caused by years of cigarette use. So, I am no fan of tobacco companies. However, I voted against Prop 86 (as did a majority of Californians), and I would do so again today for the same reason. In order to sustain those "new or expanded programs", we would need to make sure that a high number of Californians continue to smoke. If they gave up tobacco, thereby no longer paying the $2.60 additional tax, the money would dry up. However, we know that the health services created by this law would not simultaneously go away. The result would be higher taxes on the rest of Californians to continue paying for those programs.
Similarly, despite the argument of some that smoking joints is not as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes, I don't think anyone can make the case that smoking pot is good for you. Under AB 390, the California government would need you to use and marijuana to pay for its debt, just as it pushes the lottery on people regardless of their financial situations.
A believer in smaller government, I support a doctor's right to prescribe medicine that he or she feels will best benefit a paitent, including medical marijuana. I also agree that we need to look at the priorities of our peace officers, courts and prisons, and figure out where marijuana related crimes should fit on that list. However, I refuse to support a government money grab that promotes the use of any narcotic solely to expand its already expansive wallet.
This bill, though, is not looking to overturn any cruel and unusual punishments for pot users. It is not striving to undue great injustices. It is nothing more than another desperate effort to increase the state's pocketbook. Be sure, Ammiano cares not about the potential health risks or prison sentences users might face. He just wants to tax them and grow the government's pot.
As I stated from the very first post here, I am not looking to get into moral discussions on the lottery or, in this case, marijuana. Suffice it to say that I've played with both in my time. We've seen quite clearly that adding lottery revenue to the state coffers, supposedly to supplement education spending, has allowed politicians to expand the general budget. This means more government run programs and services that we don't need, or that we do need but are delivered inefficiently and of substandard quality. I've always heard that fish grow to the size of their bowl. While I don't know if that's true, government has proven that it will grow itself to the size of its budget.
In 2006, Prop 86 asked voters to increase the state excise tax on tobacco products by $2.60, with the additional money going to support new or expanded programs for health services, children's health services, and anti-tobacco initiatives. On a personal note, my mother recently passed away from cancer, which I have no doubt was caused by years of cigarette use. So, I am no fan of tobacco companies. However, I voted against Prop 86 (as did a majority of Californians), and I would do so again today for the same reason. In order to sustain those "new or expanded programs", we would need to make sure that a high number of Californians continue to smoke. If they gave up tobacco, thereby no longer paying the $2.60 additional tax, the money would dry up. However, we know that the health services created by this law would not simultaneously go away. The result would be higher taxes on the rest of Californians to continue paying for those programs.
Similarly, despite the argument of some that smoking joints is not as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes, I don't think anyone can make the case that smoking pot is good for you. Under AB 390, the California government would need you to use and marijuana to pay for its debt, just as it pushes the lottery on people regardless of their financial situations.
A believer in smaller government, I support a doctor's right to prescribe medicine that he or she feels will best benefit a paitent, including medical marijuana. I also agree that we need to look at the priorities of our peace officers, courts and prisons, and figure out where marijuana related crimes should fit on that list. However, I refuse to support a government money grab that promotes the use of any narcotic solely to expand its already expansive wallet.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
He Still Doesn't Get It
In an interview earlier today, Governor Schwarzenegger was asked about fellow governors who planned to turn down portions of the federal stimulus money. His response was telling: "I just hope they give me their funding."
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has been one of the most vocal in rejecting certain stimulus funds for his state. What he understands, that Schwarzenegger doesn't, is that the stimulus money is a one time payment meant to create or expand state programs. In the following years, the stimulus money will go away but those programs won't, leaving the state with a larger deficit.
Just two days ago, Governor Schwarzenegger, together with the California Legislature, passed through one of the largest tax hikes in our state's history. Now he is looking for more money, rather than committing to responsible, accountable spending. After all this, he still doesn't get it.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has been one of the most vocal in rejecting certain stimulus funds for his state. What he understands, that Schwarzenegger doesn't, is that the stimulus money is a one time payment meant to create or expand state programs. In the following years, the stimulus money will go away but those programs won't, leaving the state with a larger deficit.
Just two days ago, Governor Schwarzenegger, together with the California Legislature, passed through one of the largest tax hikes in our state's history. Now he is looking for more money, rather than committing to responsible, accountable spending. After all this, he still doesn't get it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Overpriced Underperformance
In the brief history of this blog and the CAN THE LOTTERY website, we've focused quite a bit of attention on California's public education system. When it comes to state and local governments, I believe there are two duties that stand above all others: provide superb protection for the public's safety and provide superlative education for the state's youth. Regarding the latter, it is not just a moral obligation to California's youth. Sterling education gives the youth the opportunity to become highly functioning members of an increasingly difficult world economy. Along with being a matter of values and civil rights, education is a matter of concern for the economy and public safety. If we do not have an educated population, we can not expect to remain a world power.
So, to get to specifics, where does California rank? According to Morgan Quinto Press's "Education State Rankings", California is 47th in the nation (and, unfortunately for us, that's on a 1-50 scale with 1 being the best and 50 being the worst). The state rankings are based on 21 different points of criteria, listed on their site.
The American Legislative Exchange Council moves California all the way up to 38th...still, of course, in the bottom 1/4 of all states. Part of the reason for the "high" score there is that ALEC takes into account teachers' salaries, for which CA is ranked 3rd in the nation. NOTE: I have absolutely no issue with good teachers receiving high salaries. Indeed, I think it is completely warranted. My problem is with the other figures. For expenditures per pupil, we are ranked 34th. Pupil-teacher ratio, 49th. Eighth grade mathematics, we are ranked 45th, and eighth grade reading we are 47th.
We must all ask ourselves: What is the purpose of the public education system? It certainly should not exist to serve the politicians, lobbyists or special interest groups. It should not exist to serve administrative boards. It should not even exist to serve teachers or parents. It should and must exist to serve the students. Beyond any other measure of success, if students are not learning then our public schools are failures. These studies make it abundantly clear that too many of our students indeed are not learning, and too many schools are failing.
The budget plan passed through yesterday does nothing to address this failure. Not one politician stepped up as a leader to speak out against low reading and math proficiencies. Not one of our elected officials acted as a true representative, promising to take responsibility to right the ship. All they did was demand that the taxpayers fork over more money.
California must change the way it perceives education and redirect the flow of money directly into the classroom to be spent as the local schools, in conjunction with the PTAs, best see fit. If the schools fail the children, then the children must be given an opportunity to attend a school where they have at least a fair shot at gaining a proper education.
We would never keep going to mechanics who continually fail to fix our cars properly. We wouldn't patronize restaurants that consistently bring us the wrong dishes, poorly prepared at that. Yet, we have no problem sending our children to schools with low graduation rates (some under 50%), where they have a less than 25% chance of gaining math and reading skills above proficiency levels.
It is safe to say that our priorities, much like the budget, are completely out of line.
So, to get to specifics, where does California rank? According to Morgan Quinto Press's "Education State Rankings", California is 47th in the nation (and, unfortunately for us, that's on a 1-50 scale with 1 being the best and 50 being the worst). The state rankings are based on 21 different points of criteria, listed on their site.
The American Legislative Exchange Council moves California all the way up to 38th...still, of course, in the bottom 1/4 of all states. Part of the reason for the "high" score there is that ALEC takes into account teachers' salaries, for which CA is ranked 3rd in the nation. NOTE: I have absolutely no issue with good teachers receiving high salaries. Indeed, I think it is completely warranted. My problem is with the other figures. For expenditures per pupil, we are ranked 34th. Pupil-teacher ratio, 49th. Eighth grade mathematics, we are ranked 45th, and eighth grade reading we are 47th.
We must all ask ourselves: What is the purpose of the public education system? It certainly should not exist to serve the politicians, lobbyists or special interest groups. It should not exist to serve administrative boards. It should not even exist to serve teachers or parents. It should and must exist to serve the students. Beyond any other measure of success, if students are not learning then our public schools are failures. These studies make it abundantly clear that too many of our students indeed are not learning, and too many schools are failing.
The budget plan passed through yesterday does nothing to address this failure. Not one politician stepped up as a leader to speak out against low reading and math proficiencies. Not one of our elected officials acted as a true representative, promising to take responsibility to right the ship. All they did was demand that the taxpayers fork over more money.
California must change the way it perceives education and redirect the flow of money directly into the classroom to be spent as the local schools, in conjunction with the PTAs, best see fit. If the schools fail the children, then the children must be given an opportunity to attend a school where they have at least a fair shot at gaining a proper education.
We would never keep going to mechanics who continually fail to fix our cars properly. We wouldn't patronize restaurants that consistently bring us the wrong dishes, poorly prepared at that. Yet, we have no problem sending our children to schools with low graduation rates (some under 50%), where they have a less than 25% chance of gaining math and reading skills above proficiency levels.
It is safe to say that our priorities, much like the budget, are completely out of line.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Time To Can The Lottery
It has been done.
Early this morning, the California state legislature passed the much maligned budget plan. Though the revised plan drops the previously suggested 12cent per gallon gas tax increase, it still includes a .25% across the board income tax increase, a 1cent on the dollar sales tax increase and a doubling of the car tax (along with a reduction in the dependent tax credit). These measures will take more money out of the hands of every California taxpayer [calculate your "share" here] without even pretending to address the underlying issues facing our state.
As Reuters reports, the state faces a $42billion deficit. This faulty plan tries to make up the costs by combining $24.2billion in tax increases and borrowing (including borrowing $5billion from expected future lottery revenues), and with $15billion in "spending cuts." One of the many problems with the plan, though, is that the cuts are not really cuts at all. As Reuters states in the above-referenced article: "They clamped down on spending by putting public works projects on hold, withholding payments to counties for social services and postponing tax refunds." That's the equivalent of you or I saying we will cut down our monthly expenses by stopping payments to our water, electric and credit card bills.
The biggest problem, though, goes beyond the simple act of raising taxes. We live in a state with a graduation rate of only 70% (and just 57% for African Americans), per the Alliance For Excellent Education, who also note that "Dropouts from the class of 2008 will cost California almost $42.1 billion in lost wages over their lifetimes."
We live in a state full of traffic congestion, yet the best our elected officials can offer is nebulous bond measures that lead to more confusion and no less traffic.
We live in a state with struggling or failing public hospitals.
We live in a state ranked with the 17th highest murder rate in America and an illiteracy rate higher than any other state.
Surely, before they increased taxes the politicians must have found ways to address these and numerous other problems, right? Not quite. Truthfully, real government reform was never even addressed.
The battle of the budget centered around spending cuts (favored by Republicans) and tax increases (favored by Democrats). Unfortunately, neither party focused on attaching real accountability to the taxpayers' money, aka the state's budget.
For programs or services to be successful, they need to have power, responsibility and accountability over the funds allocated to them. For example, when I was working my way up towards producing, there came a time when I was given responsibility over production budgets. But, I wasn't given the power to make changes I deemed necessary. I explained that I needed that power - willing, of course, to consult others - in order to fulfill my responsibility. I was given that power, and the projects came in on time, under budget, and creatively successful. I also had accountability. If the projects were over budget, I would likely lose my job.
The days of funding programs and services merely because they received money the year before have to end. Handing out dollars without clear instructions of what is expected in return must no longer occur.
California needed leaders who could reform government and improve our state. Instead, our politicians pushed through a sham of a budget that gives us the same old failures with one exception: THEY COST MORE!
Our elected officials failed, and will continue to fail as long as we keep subsidizing their efforts by sending our money into the state's piggy bank. The time has come to Can The Lottery.
Early this morning, the California state legislature passed the much maligned budget plan. Though the revised plan drops the previously suggested 12cent per gallon gas tax increase, it still includes a .25% across the board income tax increase, a 1cent on the dollar sales tax increase and a doubling of the car tax (along with a reduction in the dependent tax credit). These measures will take more money out of the hands of every California taxpayer [calculate your "share" here] without even pretending to address the underlying issues facing our state.
As Reuters reports, the state faces a $42billion deficit. This faulty plan tries to make up the costs by combining $24.2billion in tax increases and borrowing (including borrowing $5billion from expected future lottery revenues), and with $15billion in "spending cuts." One of the many problems with the plan, though, is that the cuts are not really cuts at all. As Reuters states in the above-referenced article: "They clamped down on spending by putting public works projects on hold, withholding payments to counties for social services and postponing tax refunds." That's the equivalent of you or I saying we will cut down our monthly expenses by stopping payments to our water, electric and credit card bills.
The biggest problem, though, goes beyond the simple act of raising taxes. We live in a state with a graduation rate of only 70% (and just 57% for African Americans), per the Alliance For Excellent Education, who also note that "Dropouts from the class of 2008 will cost California almost $42.1 billion in lost wages over their lifetimes."
We live in a state full of traffic congestion, yet the best our elected officials can offer is nebulous bond measures that lead to more confusion and no less traffic.
We live in a state with struggling or failing public hospitals.
We live in a state ranked with the 17th highest murder rate in America and an illiteracy rate higher than any other state.
Surely, before they increased taxes the politicians must have found ways to address these and numerous other problems, right? Not quite. Truthfully, real government reform was never even addressed.
The battle of the budget centered around spending cuts (favored by Republicans) and tax increases (favored by Democrats). Unfortunately, neither party focused on attaching real accountability to the taxpayers' money, aka the state's budget.
For programs or services to be successful, they need to have power, responsibility and accountability over the funds allocated to them. For example, when I was working my way up towards producing, there came a time when I was given responsibility over production budgets. But, I wasn't given the power to make changes I deemed necessary. I explained that I needed that power - willing, of course, to consult others - in order to fulfill my responsibility. I was given that power, and the projects came in on time, under budget, and creatively successful. I also had accountability. If the projects were over budget, I would likely lose my job.
The days of funding programs and services merely because they received money the year before have to end. Handing out dollars without clear instructions of what is expected in return must no longer occur.
California needed leaders who could reform government and improve our state. Instead, our politicians pushed through a sham of a budget that gives us the same old failures with one exception: THEY COST MORE!
Our elected officials failed, and will continue to fail as long as we keep subsidizing their efforts by sending our money into the state's piggy bank. The time has come to Can The Lottery.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Perils of Procrastination
It just kills me that the legislators in Sacramento are crowing about their weekend sessions and late nights, trying to pass a budget which would would be bad news for the state anyway. Are they expecting our sympathy, gratitude, or both?
Throughout my years, I've worked as a dishwasher, busboy, waiter, bartender, electrical supply warehouse worker, haunted house actor, dog track vendor, hot dog stand vendor, and - mercifully - for the last decade or so as a television producer. The one common thread through all of those professions is this: I COULDN'T LEAVE UNTIL THE JOB WAS DONE! Or, at least if I did leave before the work was finished, my time working there would soon be finished as well.
There are some people savvy enough to hide their lack of work, but eventually it piles up and tips over. For years, California's politicians having been "leaving the office early", worried more about their future campaigns than their state's future. Now, the work has piled up on them. But, they are allowing it to tip over onto us, their constituents, in the form of the massive tax increases proposed in the new budget, which at the time of this writing is being pushed towards passage.
There is a lesson to be learned in this, but it is up to us, the constituents, to administer and define the lesson. If we allow taxes to be raised, excessive spending to continue, and the perpetrators to remain in office, then the lesson will be: Procrastination is good.
If, however, we call our representatives to voice our discontent, cut off their funding by boycotting the lottery (using the money we save for charitable endeavors as outlined by Can The Lottery), and vote the perpetrators out of office, then the lesson will be: Do your job and do it well, or you will face serious consequences.
Which lesson sounds right to you?
Throughout my years, I've worked as a dishwasher, busboy, waiter, bartender, electrical supply warehouse worker, haunted house actor, dog track vendor, hot dog stand vendor, and - mercifully - for the last decade or so as a television producer. The one common thread through all of those professions is this: I COULDN'T LEAVE UNTIL THE JOB WAS DONE! Or, at least if I did leave before the work was finished, my time working there would soon be finished as well.
There are some people savvy enough to hide their lack of work, but eventually it piles up and tips over. For years, California's politicians having been "leaving the office early", worried more about their future campaigns than their state's future. Now, the work has piled up on them. But, they are allowing it to tip over onto us, their constituents, in the form of the massive tax increases proposed in the new budget, which at the time of this writing is being pushed towards passage.
There is a lesson to be learned in this, but it is up to us, the constituents, to administer and define the lesson. If we allow taxes to be raised, excessive spending to continue, and the perpetrators to remain in office, then the lesson will be: Procrastination is good.
If, however, we call our representatives to voice our discontent, cut off their funding by boycotting the lottery (using the money we save for charitable endeavors as outlined by Can The Lottery), and vote the perpetrators out of office, then the lesson will be: Do your job and do it well, or you will face serious consequences.
Which lesson sounds right to you?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Good News, Bad News
First the good news....
The California State legislature did not pass the "compromise" budget as expected this past weekend. That means, for the moment, Californians are spared an increase of $14billion in increased taxes, part of the planned budget.
Now the bad news...
We are also no closer to having a state government that respects its constituents and their tax dollars.
As has been stated here before, this isn't just about money. It is about the job performance of our elected officials and the quality of services provided by the state.
In "Annie Hall", Woody Allen recalls the following joke:
Well, our state politicians are trying to push the same joke on us, but are telling it with a straight face. Too many public schools are failing the students, traffic remains gridlocked in our cities, unemployment is on the rise, etc etc etc. So, what is their solution? Throw more money at everything!
We need leaders - not just politicians, but LEADERS - who will take a hard look at every service provided by the government and decide two things: 1 - Do we need this service or not (or, is this a service that should be provided by government or the private sector)?; 2 - If we do need the service, how can we improve its quality and efficiency?
For example, in regards to education, we need to cut the red tape and mounds of paperwork local schools must deal with just to get access to money. Get the funds directly to the local schools for them to spend as they best see fit (working with PTA's and local school boards). Not only does this provide vitally needed local control, it also cuts time and wasted money.
The same can be done for all government programs that are not cut. Give them power and responsibility over the money, with very clear instructions on what the state expects to receive for that funding. No more spending on vague transportation bills that promise improved infrastructure, yet lack in details on how or where the money will be spent. No more giving funds to failing government programs solely because they received money the year before.
State politicians must stand up for the taxpayers' money, and they should provide us access to what we are getting for our dollars. Every organization that receives state taxpayer funding should have to fill out a three page report (no 50 page reports filled with graphs and pie charts). Page 1 should outline their successes during the past year. Page 2, their failures. Page 3 would state how they plan to build on their successes and rectify their failures over the next year. Then, it would be very clear to elected officials how much (if any) of the tax dollars the organization should receive. Of equal importance, those short reports should be posted on a state website for all Californians to see.
Priorities, responsibilities, accountability and specificity. That is how most of us run our personal and business budgets. It must become how California runs our state budget.
The tax hike may have been staved off for another day, but beast remains alive.
CAN THE LOTTERY...Feed the hungry, Not the Beast!
The California State legislature did not pass the "compromise" budget as expected this past weekend. That means, for the moment, Californians are spared an increase of $14billion in increased taxes, part of the planned budget.
Now the bad news...
We are also no closer to having a state government that respects its constituents and their tax dollars.
As has been stated here before, this isn't just about money. It is about the job performance of our elected officials and the quality of services provided by the state.
In "Annie Hall", Woody Allen recalls the following joke:
Two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of them says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions."
Well, our state politicians are trying to push the same joke on us, but are telling it with a straight face. Too many public schools are failing the students, traffic remains gridlocked in our cities, unemployment is on the rise, etc etc etc. So, what is their solution? Throw more money at everything!
We need leaders - not just politicians, but LEADERS - who will take a hard look at every service provided by the government and decide two things: 1 - Do we need this service or not (or, is this a service that should be provided by government or the private sector)?; 2 - If we do need the service, how can we improve its quality and efficiency?
For example, in regards to education, we need to cut the red tape and mounds of paperwork local schools must deal with just to get access to money. Get the funds directly to the local schools for them to spend as they best see fit (working with PTA's and local school boards). Not only does this provide vitally needed local control, it also cuts time and wasted money.
The same can be done for all government programs that are not cut. Give them power and responsibility over the money, with very clear instructions on what the state expects to receive for that funding. No more spending on vague transportation bills that promise improved infrastructure, yet lack in details on how or where the money will be spent. No more giving funds to failing government programs solely because they received money the year before.
State politicians must stand up for the taxpayers' money, and they should provide us access to what we are getting for our dollars. Every organization that receives state taxpayer funding should have to fill out a three page report (no 50 page reports filled with graphs and pie charts). Page 1 should outline their successes during the past year. Page 2, their failures. Page 3 would state how they plan to build on their successes and rectify their failures over the next year. Then, it would be very clear to elected officials how much (if any) of the tax dollars the organization should receive. Of equal importance, those short reports should be posted on a state website for all Californians to see.
Priorities, responsibilities, accountability and specificity. That is how most of us run our personal and business budgets. It must become how California runs our state budget.
The tax hike may have been staved off for another day, but beast remains alive.
CAN THE LOTTERY...Feed the hungry, Not the Beast!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Can The Lottery, Bottle The Power
"What I do think it represents is a true compromise. I say it's a package that has something for everybody to hate."
You might think that the above quote regarding the California budget compromise comes from a bitter citizen. Maybe from radio hosts such as John and Ken who are standing up for taxpayers.
No....incredibly it comes from State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass!
How many of us have jobs where we can turn in a project that each of our bosses will hate, and we could consider that a success? Therein lies the problem. Our elected officials have forgotten (or never knew in the first place) that the citizens of California are collectively their bosses.
That is why Can The Lottery is so vitally important at this moment. A much as I am against government taking increasing percentages of our hard earned dollars, this is about more than money. It is about power and responsibility.
The politicians believe they can continue to waste money and replenish it by raising taxes, without any fear of consequences. They may as well be poking at the voters, asking "What are you gonna do about it?" We have been bullied by our "representatives" for far too long. It is time that we, the people, regain our confidence and restore our power.
Cut off the politicians' financial pipeline and we end their power trip. Can The Lottery!
You might think that the above quote regarding the California budget compromise comes from a bitter citizen. Maybe from radio hosts such as John and Ken who are standing up for taxpayers.
No....incredibly it comes from State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass!
How many of us have jobs where we can turn in a project that each of our bosses will hate, and we could consider that a success? Therein lies the problem. Our elected officials have forgotten (or never knew in the first place) that the citizens of California are collectively their bosses.
That is why Can The Lottery is so vitally important at this moment. A much as I am against government taking increasing percentages of our hard earned dollars, this is about more than money. It is about power and responsibility.
The politicians believe they can continue to waste money and replenish it by raising taxes, without any fear of consequences. They may as well be poking at the voters, asking "What are you gonna do about it?" We have been bullied by our "representatives" for far too long. It is time that we, the people, regain our confidence and restore our power.
Cut off the politicians' financial pipeline and we end their power trip. Can The Lottery!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
CAN THE LOTTERY...The Plan!!
Enough is enough.
The California state government has apparently reached a compromise on a state budget, and it is not good news (details seen here). After years of excessive spending, done without responsibility or accountability, the state is mired in massive debt. The solution? Take more money from the people.
The budget promises the following:
- 2.5% - 5% across the board Income Tax increase
- 12 cents-per-gallan Gas Tax increase
- 1 cent on the dollar Sales Tax increase
- $210 reduction in the dependent tax credit
All this comes at a time when many Californians are struggling to get by on a daily basis, and when small businesses are fighting to stay alive. Our "representatives" either don't care about their constituents or simply are not listening.
We, the citizens of this state, seem to have a few choices. 1 - Refuse to pay taxes, facing additional fees and jail time. 2 - Refuse to work, keeping food off our families’ tables. 3 - Stop buying local products (to combat the sales tax), hurting local business. None of these seem particularly appealing, so here is the new plan....
CAN THE LOTTERY!
The state lottery was passed by voter initiative in 1984 to provide extra funding for schools. 25 years later, schools are still failing across the state, and lottery revenues allow state politicians to use general fund money for pet projects, failing programs, and skyrocketing state payrolls.
Our plan is simple. If you normally buy 3 lottery tickets in a week, start buying 2, or better yet 1 (or, of course, none). With the money you are saving, buy canned goods from the local store where you would normally purchase the lottery tickets and donate them to a local food kitchen, shelter, faith based organization, or other group you are proud to support. If canned goods aren't your thing, then buy candy and donate it to organizations such as Operation Gratitude (or any of their other needed items, listed at their website here).
If you are looking to save money, then apply those dollars to volunteer work. Buying 1 lotto ticket instead of 3? Then perform 2 volunteer acts, even simple "acts of random kindness".
PLEASE NOTE: This is not about a moral objection to the lottery. This stems from the outrage so many taxpayers have towards elected officials who, after years of reckless spending, are now demanding more of our hard-earned dollars.
For those who worry that these efforts will negatively affect public education funding, I understand that concern. However, I would offer the following:
- As seen here, a small percentage of the revenue from the lottery actually goes to local schools, where the funding is so crucially needed.
- Education should be at the top of the list in terms of necessary funding. We should not have to rely on people buying a lottery ticket in order to give a child a textbook.
- This is the key...Legislators will be forced with a choice: cut education (always unpopular) or cut excessive, inefficient and ineffective government programs. Which will they choose?
As part of these efforts, we are starting a website: http://www.canthelottery.com/, which will be coming soon. In the meantime, we'll post updates, thoughts, ideas and progress on this blog. Please also post YOUR comments here, and let us know your stories at the CAN THE LOTTERY FORUM. Saved on lotto tickets to buy a canned good? Let us know. Let your friends and neighbors know. Of vital importance, let your representatives know.
CAN THE LOTTERY! Feed the hungry, not the beast!!
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