How would You fix the problems in Montana? (Missoula: public schools, tax)
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Let those services that are truly needed be funded through voluntary means.
Call me a cynic but I don't believe this would work. Are you proposing that everyone donates to schools, roads, government, and parks and whatever else on both state and municipal levels? How much are YOU willing to voluntarily fund on a yearly basis?
Call me a cynic but I don't believe this would work. Are you proposing that everyone donates to schools, roads, government, and parks and whatever else on both state and municipal levels? How much are YOU willing to voluntarily fund on a yearly basis?
Yes, that's exactly what I am proposing. Or that those things (especially schools) be run as what they are: businesses that provide needed services to their customers.
I will happily pay for anything that I use. I don't need to have a gun pointed at me to do the right thing.
OK, put a tollbooth on every corner so we can only pay for the roads we actually drive on. Same with the sidewalks. Oh, crap, how are we gonna pay for the tollbooths?
I was momentarily interested in the idea of not funding public schools through taxation until I realized that probably 75% of Montana parents couldn't afford tuition. Even if they didn't pay property taxes.
OK, put a tollbooth on every corner so we can only pay for the roads we actually drive on. Same with the sidewalks. Oh, crap, how are we gonna pay for the tollbooths?
I was momentarily interested in the idea of not funding public schools through taxation until I realized that probably 75% of Montana parents couldn't afford tuition. Even if they didn't pay property taxes.
Those avenues of getting things done are already set up. Wouldn't have to change that at all. Could keep the current infrastructure and overhaul it after the smoke cleared. People wound have to worry about the first year. That's when the turmoil would be because the Polititians are so used to Washington.
But, the same time Montana decided to change over, they should pull all resources from being TAKEN from DC. All the Federal taxes. All of the revenue from mines of all sorts are taxed and sent to DC. Once the smoke cleared and the local Goverment realized what they had, and worked to use it productively, Montana would become a very rich state. And funding schools, road repair, etc... would be nothing.
I was momentarily interested in the idea of not funding public schools through taxation until I realized that probably 75% of Montana parents couldn't afford tuition. Even if they didn't pay property taxes.
Then the 25% are being forced to pay for the 75% who were irresponsible and had children they could not afford to raise properly? That sounds "fair" doesn't it?
Several things would happen when schools are taken off the government teat:
1) They WILL become more efficient, and learn to do more with less.
2) Schools (at least in populated areas) will COMPETE for tuition dollars, leading to increasing quality.
3) Parents will have CHOICES about the philosophical underpinnings of their school.
4) The people who currently cry for more tax dollars to be spent on education would have to open then OWN wallets instead of their neighbor's.
5) People who wish to help the poor with their education would have MANY more choices about HOW to help them, and could eliminate ALL the bureacratic middle-men.
5A) You could give directly to the school of your choice. Schools would not only be competing for tuition dollars, but for donations from the community as well. This would be STRONG motivation to NOT SUCK.
5B) You could pay the tuition for the kid down the street directly.
5C) You could start or give to a scholarship fund and base criteria on whatever you like (need, ability, achievement, activities... whatever).
There are ways to accomplish nearly anything, and human beings have the capacity to do them WITHOUT threatening each other with violence. It's barbaric, immoral, and simply unnecessary. The reason everyone still BELIEVES that it is necessary is because "we've always done it that way." And because the parasites who make their living off the stolen money have a vested interest in keeping their loot. And those same parasites have access to your children for 13 of their most impressionable years to pound it into their heads that they are helpless and must conform and obey their masters. That it is impossible for humans to co-exist without someone ruling over them, and impossible for them to cooperate for the public good without someone being empowered to steal from them.
Last edited by ElkHunter; 10-05-2010 at 07:27 AM..
Reason: You got word why that was cut.
Then the 25% are being forced to pay for the 75% who were irresponsible and had children they could not afford to raise properly? That sounds "fair" doesn't it?
Several things would happen when schools are taken off the government teat:
1) They WILL become more efficient, and learn to do more with less.
2) Schools (at least in populated areas) will COMPETE for tuition dollars, leading to increasing quality.
3) Parents will have CHOICES about the philosophical underpinnings of their school.
4) The people who currently cry for more tax dollars to be spent on education would have to open then OWN wallets instead of their neighbor's.
5) People who wish to help the poor with their education would have MANY more choices about HOW to help them, and could eliminate ALL the bureacratic middle-men.
5A) You could give directly to the school of your choice. Schools would not only be competing for tuition dollars, but for donations from the community as well. This would be STRONG motivation to NOT SUCK.
5B) You could pay the tuition for the kid down the street directly.
5C) You could start or give to a scholarship fund and base criteria on whatever you like (need, ability, achievement, activities... whatever).
There are ways to accomplish nearly anything, and human beings have the capacity to do them WITHOUT threatening each other with violence. It's barbaric, immoral, and simply unnecessary. The reason everyone still BELIEVES that it is necessary is because "we've always done it that way." And because the parasites who make their living off the stolen money have a vested interest in keeping their loot. And those same parasites have access to your children for 13 of their most impressionable years to pound it into their heads that they are helpless and must conform and obey their masters. That it is impossible for humans to co-exist without someone ruling over them, and impossible for them to cooperate for the public good without someone being empowered to steal from them.
This would be good except. What happens when a man and woman, both working, save up a nest egg and decide to have a child? And then, one or the other has a nasty accident and has a years worth of medical bills. Their "Good" insurance took care of 80% of the medical bills. Nothing took care of the missed work hours and wages coming in. The nest egg is gone. Only the man is working. On his income, he can't afford $10,000. a year on a school for the child (Average cost of private school where I live).
What do you do with the kid now? Take him out back and shoot him? Can't send him to school. Does that mean, the couple was irrisponsible because they didn't plan well?
No, I think that there is some cause for taxation. You have to level out the funds so that schools are taken care of.
While I understand the premise, I cannot see only providing school to those rich enough to afford it.
School vouchers that can be used for private as well as public schools would be a much better option.
If a public or private school isn't doing it's job, the parents could move their kids to another school.
Case in Point. The Helena school district is currently trying to force the gay rights agenda onto the kids against the wishes of the parents.
Currently, the only option is to pull your kid from public school and either pay for both the public school, (taxes) and private tuition, or home school.
If the parents had vouchers to offset the cost of private school that came from their taxes, and those taxes no longer went to the agenda of the teachers union, how long do you think our substandard public schools could exist to spread the propaganda?
The private schools would expand, the good teachers would have opportunities to actually teach instead of indoctrinate, and the kids would get a better education.
The public already has to pay for schools, and a good education is vital for the next generation, so why not introduce competition?
Maybe it would cut the power of the teachers unions to sue the state for more and more money every year no matter how much is dumped into the black hole of public education with very few returns for investment??
By the way, I am not against teachers, Lots of them in my family, I am against the agenda they are forced to teach, and the far left extreme teachers union.
This would be good except. What happens when a man and woman, both working, save up a nest egg and decide to have a child? And then, one or the other has a nasty accident and has a years worth of medical bills. Their "Good" insurance took care of 80% of the medical bills. Nothing took care of the missed work hours and wages coming in. The nest egg is gone. Only the man is working. On his income, he can't afford $10,000. a year on a school for the child (Average cost of private school where I live).
What do you do with the kid now? Take him out back and shoot him? Can't send him to school. Does that mean, the couple was irrisponsible because they didn't plan well?
No, I think that there is some cause for taxation. You have to level out the funds so that schools are taken care of.
Caring people like YOU and ME would help them.
Oh wait... You already did by stealing from all your neighbors at gunpoint.
What wonderfully caring, moral people you are.
There is always another way other than violence if people have the moral will to look for it.
1) Take all of the liberals and send them packing.
2) Then take all of the conservatives and send them packing the other direction.
3) Finally, exercise my dyslexic 2nd Amendment rights and arm all of the bears, so the liberals and conservatives don't get back into the state.
Kidding aside, I'm not sure if my two biggest gripes about Montana can be fixed:
1) Too much snowy weather
2) Montana excluded from opportunities
To address these issues:
1) Aside from moving the entire state further south, this isn't going to change! It's in the Northern Rockies of the continental U.S., and hey, snow happens. At least it doesn't get freezing rain (that I've ever seen).
2) A large, sparsely populated state, surrounded by other sparsely populated states doesn't scream for businesses, concerts, and other opportunities to flock to Montana. Aside from Montana suddenly gaining 10 million people, this situation isn't likely to improve. But then, a rapid influx of people would probably spoil the state.
1) Repeal the state income tax;
2) No sales tax;
3) Institute a 3% use tax on everything (exc #4);
4) Repeal the ad valorem tax on vehicles and mobile homes - replace it with a 1% flat tax that goes to the county;
5) Lower the state gasoline tax by 50%;
6) $20 license plates for every vehicle sold and renewed tag. Dump the double plates - single is all you need;
7) Encourage businesses to come to the state by cutting the corp tax in half;
8) Put the state prisoners to work - outside on farms. Rehabilitate those that want to learn a trade - before they are put back on the street AND put the molestors in solitary;
9) Encourage businesses to settle along the rail corridors - 25% off the first five years property taxes;
10) Cap property taxes to 2% increase every four years - when the quadrenial assessment is done;
11) Make the DOT workers actually put the plows onto the highway, not 2" above it when plowing the roads and stop using cinders. Spray chemicals work well if applied before the storms arrive. Don't say it won't work - seems many major cities have cut their salt usage in half.
12) Cap state government pay to the COL - if it goes down, their pay does too.....
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