[Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis

[g. crabtree]

I take it the concept of reduced tax revenue due to a downturn in the
economy is completely lost on you.

Please explain the inherent fairness of increasing the tax burden on a 
workman/merchant whose income is already down anywhere from 5 to, in some 
cases, 35% or more so that state employees are spared a 3% cut? Is there any 
problem for which a tax increase wouldn't be you first solution?


Leaping to the silly conclusion that I hate state employees for political 
reasons is quite an illogical leap even by your previously established 
reactionary standards. Aside from a few ivory tower types, statistically 
speaking, most of the employees are likely to be of my own political stripe 
what with this being Idaho and all.


g

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Campbell" <philosopher.joe at gmail.com>
To: "a" <smith at turbonet.com>
Cc: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 10:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial Crisis


> Gary,
>
> The people likely to suffervthe most here are not the ones you hate
> for political reasons but staff, like Roger's wife. The question is:
> who should shoulder the burden of trying to keep as much staff as
> possible? Your answer is, the folks you hate for political reasons
> (who you seem to think are over paid). My answer is all taxpayers.
>
> Joe Campbell
>
> On Apr 28, 2009, at 9:38 AM, "a" <smith at turbonet.com> wrote:
>
>> One obvious problem with this approach would be when it comes to the
>> states independant merchants and tradesmen. In a down economy they
>> are, in almost all cases, already taking more than a 3% hit. After
>> all, why do you think Idaho's revenues are down? Throwing an
>> additional tax on people who's income is already reduced to keep
>> government employees living in the manner to which they have become
>> accustomed is unlikely to go over particularly well.
>>
>> g
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Campbell" 
>> <philosopher.joe at gmail.com
>> >
>> To: "Dickow" <dickow at turbonet.com>
>> Cc: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 5:49 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to Financial
>> Crisis
>>
>>
>>> This is a great post. I wonder why no one has responded.
>>>
>>> Joe Campbell
>>>
>>> On Apr 27, 2009, at 12:23 PM, Dickow <dickow at turbonet.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The problem in my book concerning a 3% cut to state employees is
>>>> that it is, in effect, a direct tax on a special segment of the
>>>> state's population. The state would be making up its shortfalls at
>>>> the expense of state employees. I think that the state shouldn't be
>>>> thought of as an entity like a company, which might indeed have to
>>>> trim their employees in some form or other. But in in the case of
>>>> the state, the employees would be making a sacrifice that directly
>>>> benefits other people in the state, not the owners of a somel
>>>> corporation. A more equitable solution to the state's budgetary woes
>>>> would be to impose a tax of some kind on everyone in the state.
>>>> Then, everyone might have to kick back 1/2 percent or something, and
>>>> all would be well. But alas, raising taxes is political NO NO!
>>>> And... by the way, whatever happened to the state's Emergency Fund.
>>>> did they spend that already?
>>>>
>>>> Bob Dickow, troublemaker
>>>>
>>>> -----Original message-----
>>>> From: Joe Campbell philosopher.joe at gmail.com
>>>> Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:37:18 -0700
>>>> To: lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com
>>>> Subject: [Spam] Re: [Vision2020] State Faculty Union Responds to
>>>> Financial Crisis
>>>>
>>>>> I'm sorry to hear about your wife's situation, Roger. Staff is
>>>>> getting
>>>>> the worst of it at WSU, too.
>>>>>
>>>>> But I still think Nick has a point. Here is one way to put it.
>>>>> Would
>>>>> you or anyone else on this list be willing to "cut" your pay by
>>>>> giving
>>>>> 3% more to the state of ID to help prevent folks at UI from being
>>>>> fired? If you and others say "yes," then I'm on board, as well!
>>>>>
>>>>> Joe Campbell
>>>>>
>>>>> On Apr 27, 2009, at 10:03 AM, lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Joe
>>>>>> I do no want you or any one else to lose their job. I think that
>>>>>> pay
>>>>>> cuts are preferable to layoffs.It is inevitably that some programs
>>>>>> will be cut. there are no students or very few for a class it will
>>>>>> be cut. My wife is staff in the PSES department at UI. She runs
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> Soils Pedology Lab. She will receive an award for 40 years of
>>>>>> service today. She puts in 10 to 12 hours a day and does not get
>>>>>> comp. time. She had cancer in 2003. She had surgery, chemo,
>>>>>> radiation and the whole ball  of wax.  She is still suffering from
>>>>>> the after affects. She takes a lot of Ibuprofen and diuretics to
>>>>>> keep on going. She is not yet eligible for full Social Security.
>>>>>> <snip>....
>>>>
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>>
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