tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post6638260216043415168..comments2023-10-08T04:12:46.273-05:00Comments on The Political Environment: Low Tax States Preparing Fewer Kids For College WorkJames Rowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-17000735196620283702008-08-17T12:06:00.000-05:002008-08-17T12:06:00.000-05:00Here's the problem brought to us by conservative l...Here's the problem brought to us by conservative legislation over the past twenty years. Concerning public education the revenue caps continue to force massive cuts in education budgets. At the same time property taxes are still high and we are getting less and less for our money. As a stident liberal I have to admit the right has succeeded. I now believe my property taxes are too high for both the eduation and municipal services I receive.Paine from the Lefthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10770163759067345111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-14963769611761748502008-08-17T11:54:00.000-05:002008-08-17T11:54:00.000-05:00I didn't say we spend enough on education. Do not ...I didn't say we spend enough on education. Do not put words in my mouth.<BR/><BR/>I said we spend heavily, unlike the states that Lazich cited as alternatives to our "tax hell."<BR/><BR/>I said I'd spent time in some of those very those states, and though I cannot recall the precise studies, I happened to have been in South Dakota and Montana when data came out showing them at or near the bottom on indicies like teacher salaries, or other measurements that reflected badly on the education processes there.<BR/><BR/>What I said was: you get what your pay for.<BR/><BR/>My point continues to be that the tax hell argument made by the right rhetorically masks its willingness to accept lower-level public services.<BR/><BR/>Conservatives, especially if they have money, do not need or support public services at the same levl that middle-class and poorer residents need or support public services.<BR/><BR/>Schools? <BR/><BR/>Attend private schools.<BR/><BR/>Parks?<BR/><BR/>Stay in your own backyard or go to the club.<BR/><BR/>Libraries?<BR/><BR/>Who needs them when you've got a state-of-the-art home cumputer set-up.<BR/><BR/>Transit? <BR/><BR/>Get in your car (s?)?<BR/><BR/>Public health nurses, or clinics?<BR/><BR/>Private medical care is affordable to higher-income people, and if you really have money, you can pay for it with an HSA and get a tax break, too.<BR/><BR/>And so forth.James Rowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-19482798983436452282008-08-17T11:02:00.000-05:002008-08-17T11:02:00.000-05:00I guess it all depends on where you live, in Milwa...I guess it all depends on where you live, in Milwaukee sure, in Madison, definitely not.<BR/><BR/>I guess then if we wanted to put state education spending to the test, we'd have to compare Madison to Milwaukee.<BR/><BR/>My point was simply if you do not test all students like CO does, it will elate the score. <BR/><BR/>I disagree with you that we are spending enough on education. I also don't think the ACT scores support your case, although I agree the state should spend more on Education, especially in Madison.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-79779920694756468662008-08-17T10:40:00.000-05:002008-08-17T10:40:00.000-05:00To Proletariat: It's hardly accurate to say it's "...To Proletariat: It's hardly accurate to say it's "really deceptive" to include Colorado because I noted that there are differences in the numbers of students tested.<BR/><BR/>It would have been deceptive if I had failed to make mention of the testing difference.<BR/><BR/>Overall, I take your comment less seriously because the rail remark isn't even cute, and is irrelevant. <BR/><BR/>Are you trying to make a point or be a snarkmeister? <BR/><BR/>And exponentially is a big word to throw around when it comes to descriing cuts in education spending in Wisconsin. <BR/><BR/>It's true that state revenues have declined, but Wisconsin still spends heavily on education, and some of the states Lazich cited do not.<BR/><BR/>Which was my point.James Rowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-47944191549977770212008-08-17T08:07:00.000-05:002008-08-17T08:07:00.000-05:00Including CO is really deceptive since 100% take t...Including CO is really deceptive since 100% take the test. <BR/><BR/>With the ACT it is really important when comparing one state to another that they have similar participation rates. Wisconsin and South Dakota seem "somewhat fair" in this sense, but Montana and CO diverge too much.<BR/><BR/>But then I thought CO was one the good guys since they had rail and all.<BR/><BR/>I certainly don't feel we spend heavily on education. State revenue have been decreasing exponentially for the last 20 years. Both the feds and states have abandoned their commitment to special education and put it on local property taxes. Doyle's idea of state aid is loosening revenue controls so local taxes can increase more than they would otherwise. Geeze, with friends like this who needs enemies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com