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The high cost of living is a lot more complicated than you think. To get an idea about the cost of living in Alaska compared to other cities, go to this website (below), and open one of the pdf links shown. http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/commun...RC/Default.htm
Since winter is beginning in Fairbanks, choose the pdf link for "Winter 2014." You will find the cost of living in pages 28-34.
Its really not, the state accountant did a presentation for us and social programs make up about 75% of the states budget. I am all for social programs up to a certian extent but its out of control right now.
As far as the high cost of living, that is also not complicated, I have a bank account, I have money that comes in and money that goes out and I know what its going out for and real estate is THE reason for an individuals high cost of living. Part of that cost is to pay outragious real estate taxes to our corrupt school district.
Its like our govt cant get hard with contractors to save their lives, a contractor is going to try to bleed every cent out of a client that they can, especially if they know its govt (I see it happen in oil and gas every day), I look at the cost of a part and the cost to install and it makes me just pause and wonder wha the heck are they thinking. I suppose when oil was 120 a barrel every 2 seconds you were down was alot of money but now not so much. IF you start telling contractors that, hey either you get your bill rates in check or your not getting anymore work you could lower taxes. They also have no over sight on their own internal wages. No one in the entire school district should be making 6 figures or anywhere close other than the STAR teachers. Everyone else in that system is a functionary and its not like they had to go to MIT and get a degree in rocket sciecne to be an administrator so I dont want to see rocket scientist wages for these people, but thats what happens when you allow them to set their own wages and their buddies wages.
I like walkers idea of getting rid of the dividend to fund govt so we dont get an income tax. An income tax would be the final nail in the coffin. An income tax would demonize the last remaining people up here making a good wage and compel them to leave.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK
The high cost of living is a lot more complicated than you think. To get an idea about the cost of living in Alaska compared to other cities, go to this website (below), and open one of the pdf links shown. http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/commun...RC/Default.htm
Since winter is beginning in Fairbanks, choose the pdf link for "Winter 2014." You will find the cost of living in pages 28-34.
Even if the PDF is taken for government use, it won't be sufficient to run the State. The primary sources of revenue for the State in the private sector are oil and mining, and US government or public sector (US tax payers). There also are fishing, tourism, State investments, etc., but the primary sources have been the same since Alaska became a State. The problem with investments is that all depends on market fluctuations. http://www.alaskabudget.com
If there was a strong industry in Alaska, including agriculture, then the cost of living would be lower, because we would not have to bring-in products from the lower-48 and overseas. So yes, the cost of living is a lot more complicated than one would think.
Was listening to the radio yesterday and a talk show host was explaining how Juneau is planning to change the formula for the PFD payouts, effectively ending it in a few years. I figure if they steal that money slowly, nobody will notice!
Politicians are stealing money to buy votes through one social program after another, and yet still nobody in the states pig trough has been laid off. Right now they need to start cutting money projects they don't have funds for, and people on the public dole are going to have to do with less, that goes for everyone!
This is going to be 1985 on steroids all over again! I lost my business in Anchorage because I didn't pay attention, but as the people that owed me money started to snowball, it was too late and it cost me dearly, to the tune of a few million and cost 27 good people that worked for me their jobs. Could I have done something in retrospect to change what happened, possibly, but the same baloney that the politicians lied about then is ongoing now. They are not doing anything to cut government, just trying to find more ways to keep up the pork.
For starters they should freeze all new hires, which they haven't. Cut all State budgets by at least 20% to start with, but they won't. They will cut road services that you already paid for in gas tax and license fees, which goes into a general fund and not the intended road maintenance. The list is long and all they can talk about is new sources of income streams, which is from your pocket and mine!
Fact is, there is only about 250,000 people that have real jobs, when you figure stay at home parents to raise their kids, kids don't work, and a very large majority of people that just won't work and are on the public dole! So if you take (Steal) all the money from the people that work, it still won't pay the States bloated budget. And then the fact that thousands of really good paying oil jobs are now gone and more cuts are coming, the money they spent went to companies for services that pay your salary. It will take awhile to soak in, but many here will just pack up and go back to where they came from, thus a big traffic jam on the AlCan!
Funny thing about all this is that the donor base for the anti oil lobby groups will dry up and they too will shrivel up and go the way of the dodo!
Was listening to the radio yesterday and a talk show host was explaining how Juneau is planning to change the formula for the PFD payouts, effectively ending it in a few years. I figure if they steal that money slowly, nobody will notice!
Politicians are stealing money to buy votes through one social program after another, and yet still nobody in the states pig trough has been laid off. Right now they need to start cutting money projects they don't have funds for, and people on the public dole are going to have to do with less, that goes for everyone!
This is going to be 1985 on steroids all over again! I lost my business in Anchorage because I didn't pay attention, but as the people that owed me money started to snowball, it was too late and it cost me dearly, to the tune of a few million and cost 27 good people that worked for me their jobs. Could I have done something in retrospect to change what happened, possibly, but the same baloney that the politicians lied about then is ongoing now. They are not doing anything to cut government, just trying to find more ways to keep up the pork.
For starters they should freeze all new hires, which they haven't. Cut all State budgets by at least 20% to start with, but they won't. They will cut road services that you already paid for in gas tax and license fees, which goes into a general fund and not the intended road maintenance. The list is long and all they can talk about is new sources of income streams, which is from your pocket and mine!
Fact is, there is only about 250,000 people that have real jobs, when you figure stay at home parents to raise their kids, kids don't work, and a very large majority of people that just won't work and are on the public dole! So if you take (Steal) all the money from the people that work, it still won't pay the States bloated budget. And then the fact that thousands of really good paying oil jobs are now gone and more cuts are coming, the money they spent went to companies for services that pay your salary. It will take awhile to soak in, but many here will just pack up and go back to where they came from, thus a big traffic jam on the AlCan!
Funny thing about all this is that the donor base for the anti oil lobby groups will dry up and they too will shrivel up and go the way of the dodo!
A great portion of the Alaska workforce is comprised of State, and local governments' (borough, city) workers. School workers, assembly members, and workers in all the State departments fall under PERS. The State pays for the greater portion of the health Insurance, too. If you look at the tables pertaining the workforce in Fairbanks (link I posted above), the number of private sector workers is not really that high. Not only that, buy private sector workers include those in the retail industry, food joints, etc., where the low wages are at.
So do you think its intellectually honest to say that paying a few bucks more for groceries is as leveraging as paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more for a home than you could get that same home for in most other places in the lower 48?
How much would you have to save on groceries and fuel before it added up to the 6 figure over pricing on single family homes here?
I am ok with taking the dividend because then it might drive out some people who are taking up other social services and give people who work for a living a few more years of reprive.
I think an income tax is inevitiable but I dont want it yet, I am trying to save up for an overpriced home because I have to live somewhere and then pay my over priced taxes on that house. I want to set myself up so I can at least attemp to hunker down and minimize the number of people around me with their hands out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK
Even if the PDF is taken for government use, it won't be sufficient to run the State. The primary sources of revenue for the State in the private sector are oil and mining, and US government or public sector (US tax payers). There also are fishing, tourism, State investments, etc., but the primary sources have been the same since Alaska became a State. The problem with investments is that all depends on market fluctuations. Understanding Alaska's Budget Understanding Alaska's Budget - a project of the legislative affairs agency of the alaska state legislature
If there was a strong industry in Alaska, including agriculture, then the cost of living would be lower, because we would not have to bring-in products from the lower-48 and overseas. So yes, the cost of living is a lot more complicated than one would think.
The key is finding a way to enjoy good food and drink while we watch all these dead beats shrivle up and die (metaphorically speaking) as well as the state. The key is to not suffer with them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by starlite9
Was listening to the radio yesterday and a talk show host was explaining how Juneau is planning to change the formula for the PFD payouts, effectively ending it in a few years. I figure if they steal that money slowly, nobody will notice!
Politicians are stealing money to buy votes through one social program after another, and yet still nobody in the states pig trough has been laid off. Right now they need to start cutting money projects they don't have funds for, and people on the public dole are going to have to do with less, that goes for everyone!
This is going to be 1985 on steroids all over again! I lost my business in Anchorage because I didn't pay attention, but as the people that owed me money started to snowball, it was too late and it cost me dearly, to the tune of a few million and cost 27 good people that worked for me their jobs. Could I have done something in retrospect to change what happened, possibly, but the same baloney that the politicians lied about then is ongoing now. They are not doing anything to cut government, just trying to find more ways to keep up the pork.
For starters they should freeze all new hires, which they haven't. Cut all State budgets by at least 20% to start with, but they won't. They will cut road services that you already paid for in gas tax and license fees, which goes into a general fund and not the intended road maintenance. The list is long and all they can talk about is new sources of income streams, which is from your pocket and mine!
Fact is, there is only about 250,000 people that have real jobs, when you figure stay at home parents to raise their kids, kids don't work, and a very large majority of people that just won't work and are on the public dole! So if you take (Steal) all the money from the people that work, it still won't pay the States bloated budget. And then the fact that thousands of really good paying oil jobs are now gone and more cuts are coming, the money they spent went to companies for services that pay your salary. It will take awhile to soak in, but many here will just pack up and go back to where they came from, thus a big traffic jam on the AlCan!
Funny thing about all this is that the donor base for the anti oil lobby groups will dry up and they too will shrivel up and go the way of the dodo!
So do you think its intellectually honest to say that paying a few bucks more for groceries is as leveraging as paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more for a home than you could get that same home for in most other places in the lower 48?
How much would you have to save on groceries and fuel before it added up to the 6 figure over pricing on single family homes here?
I am ok with taking the dividend because then it might drive out some people who are taking up other social services and give people who work for a living a few more years of reprive.
I think an income tax is inevitiable but I dont want it yet, I am trying to save up for an overpriced home because I have to live somewhere and then pay my over priced taxes on that house. I want to set myself up so I can at least attemp to hunker down and minimize the number of people around me with their hands out.
The cost of living is not only about homes, but about every product you buy, or pay for on a lease, healthcare, dental, and so on. Look at the different costs for Alaska or any of the other cities listed, add all the costs except for housing, and then compare the total of all the other costs to the cost of housing: 7 most expensive states to live in the U.S.
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Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A great portion of the Alaska workforce is comprised of State, and local governments' (borough, city) workers. School workers, assembly members, and workers in all the State departments fall under PERS. The State pays for the greater portion of the health Insurance, too. If you look at the tables pertaining the workforce in Fairbanks (link I posted above), the number of private sector workers is not really that high. Not only that, buy private sector workers include those in the retail industry, food joints, etc., where the low wages are at.
