[Vision2020] surplus

[Donovan Arnold]

"I am looking at many options in the areas of corrections, early childhood, corrections, education, healthcare, etc."--Shirley Ringo
   
  My money is on Ringo trying to get the money to go to early childhood and other education programs. The state legislature will vote for the money to go to tax breaks for the wealthy, corrections, themselves, and some poitically motivated project that will not work out. 
   
  But my biggest bet is that the legislature will waste the tax payer money because that is what the government does best. 
   
  Best,
   
  Donovan  

Shirley Ringo <ringoshirl at moscow.com> wrote:
                Visionaries:
   
  This is my response to Tom Ivie.  It is a shortened version.  I am looking at many options in the areas of corrections, early childhood, corrections, education, healthcare, etc.  I am most interested in suggestions.  Thanks to Tom Ivie for raising the question.
   
  Shirley 
   
  Tom:
   
  First, we need to get a handle on the revenue picture – how much of that can be predicted to be ongoing.
   
  State officials have low-balled revenue projections in past years – this makes it very difficult to build programs that can be sustained because we pretend the money isn’t there.
   
  However, Steve Cook (ag econ, U of I) is cautious at this time.  He is concerned that we are approaching a downturn in the economy.
   
  With that in mind, there are opportunities.  I and others are studying them at this time to see what important programs might be sustained.  Early childcare, substance abuse, mental health, etc.  These programs can reduce pressure on growth of corrections expenditures in the future.
   
  I think we need to resist tax give-backs which will tie our hands.  This type of action caused chaos in the form of holdbacks when legislators short-sightedly coupled tax cuts with a downturn in the economy in 2001-2002.
   
  Shirley
   
   


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