This article brought to mind an old quote about democracy that went something like this: "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."
More and more it seems like Americans are developing champaign taste on a beer budget. How many times in the past year have I heard one group or another classify something as a "must have" that only 10 years ago would have been described as a lavish luxury? Visa and Mastercard may have convinced us that a "buy now, pay later" strategy is workable but sadly it is not.
A $50,000,000 new elementary school may seem like a real bargain for a father with 3 children who is paying $3,000 a year in property taxes…let's see a private elementary school tuition in Maine averages $14,400 a year x 3 children = $43,200 x 8 years = $345,600! And for him it is indeed a bargain. For the 67 year old retired couple living on social security that hasn't seen a realistic cost of living increase in years, as Ms. Chappell rightly points out, a 20% tax increase might well put them out of their home and on the street.
Many years ago I had a friend who would become interested in something (new kayak, bicycle, etc). Within a week or two the desire to make the purchase would begin to intensify and he'd admit to "wanting" the item. Fast forward a few weeks and he "had to have it!" Last I heard from him he'd gone bankrupt.
Thank you for this comprehensive information. Voters should ask if these increases are one-offs or will these agencies have increases like this every year.
This article brought to mind an old quote about democracy that went something like this: "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."
More and more it seems like Americans are developing champaign taste on a beer budget. How many times in the past year have I heard one group or another classify something as a "must have" that only 10 years ago would have been described as a lavish luxury? Visa and Mastercard may have convinced us that a "buy now, pay later" strategy is workable but sadly it is not.
A $50,000,000 new elementary school may seem like a real bargain for a father with 3 children who is paying $3,000 a year in property taxes…let's see a private elementary school tuition in Maine averages $14,400 a year x 3 children = $43,200 x 8 years = $345,600! And for him it is indeed a bargain. For the 67 year old retired couple living on social security that hasn't seen a realistic cost of living increase in years, as Ms. Chappell rightly points out, a 20% tax increase might well put them out of their home and on the street.
Many years ago I had a friend who would become interested in something (new kayak, bicycle, etc). Within a week or two the desire to make the purchase would begin to intensify and he'd admit to "wanting" the item. Fast forward a few weeks and he "had to have it!" Last I heard from him he'd gone bankrupt.
Thank you for this comprehensive information. Voters should ask if these increases are one-offs or will these agencies have increases like this every year.