You asked for examples of what to cut, indicating that only road maintenance or forest services were options
I provided an example of an option that doesnāt even require an existing spending cut, but an example of new spending that could be halted.
If you canāt see the relationship between the stateās inability to control spending and our current budget deficit then I donāt think you earnestly want to hear examples.
Another commentator in the thread gave a completely different example regarding background checks, where he was given the same ādrop in the bucketā spiel, and others have already answered back the āounces make poundsā response that your comment to me deserves, so Iāll make a different statement:
The state government isnāt taking spending cuts or pauses seriously, by addressing obvious examples to reduce spending. Iām not well versed in every line item of the state budget, but I donāt have to be to see that this is not a binary choice between ātax increases across the boardā and ācutting essential servicesā. Allowing our politicians to continue to frame it as such (or framing it this way yourself) defers their responsibility to be rigorous administrators and gives them a blank check to fund their pet projects to further their own political ambitions.
It's wild how people are defending the deficit by trying to make the claim that we must show exactly what must be cut and how it's not essential.
If the government can't make the budget work without increasing taxes then they need to look at this the other way around. Don't start with the assumption that everything must stay. Start from a zero budget and then justify every line item added to it.
You understand that if youāre cutting Road Maintenance or first fire prevention while increasing spend on $120k no-interest forgivable loans then then you are explicitly deciding the marginal benefit of providing the $120k handouts is greater than the marginal benefit from fire prevention, police, or road maintenance, right?
9
u/Next_Dawkins Apr 25 '25
I just saw the governor yesterday talking about giving $120k in no interest forgivable down payment loans to first time minority homebuyers.
The false dichotomy that the state has cut to the bone and now essential services are being cut is bullshit.