[JayCT]

Originally Posted by EUPL

CT gets an F rating - the worst fiscal ranking of any state in the entire nation!

According to Truth in Accounting’s 2021 report, Connecticut taxpayers sit at an overall state debt burden of $62,500 per person!!

We need to cut costs, stop wasting taxpayer money and make CT more affordable for all!!

https://www.truthinaccounting.org/li...oklet-2021.pdf

If you notice this “report” fails to note that Connecticut’s numbers are so high because it doesn’t have a county level of government like other states do. Because of that our state must take on the services and debts that counties in other states have. The numbers could be very different if they accounted for that. Jay

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

If you notice this “report” fails to note that Connecticut’s numbers are so high because it doesn’t have a county level of government like other states do. Because of that our state must take on the services and debts that counties in other states have. The numbers could be very different if they accounted for that. Jay

Maybe I’m just not seeing it - but genuinely interested to know what county level government has to do with overall debt per capita.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Maybe I’m just not seeing it - but genuinely interested to know what county level government has to do with overall debt per capita.

County governments carry their own debt, just like a state government. They borrow money to build county facilities and to meet obligations. This debt is not included in other state’s numbers. Because Connecticut has no county government, there is no county debt. The state still needs to provide services and facilities that counties do so it’s logical that the State of Connecticut would carry more debt to pay for them. Jay

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

County governments carry their own debt, just like a state government. They borrow money to build county facilities and to meet obligations. This debt is not included in other state’s numbers. Because Connecticut has no county government, there is no county debt. The state still needs to provide services and facilities that counties do so it’s logical that the State of Connecticut would carry more debt to pay for them. Jay

But thats assuming both counties carry per capita debt, and if so, that they include both pension and retiree healthcare benefits, amongst other state debts. These are state debts, Jay.

The county obligations in other states are equivalent to city obligations in CT which, if counted for CT, would push CT even further in the red.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

But thats assuming both counties carry per capita debt, and if so, that they include both pension and retiree healthcare benefits, amongst other state debts. These are state debts, Jay.

The county obligations in other states are equivalent to city obligations in CT which, if counted for CT, would push CT even further in the red.

Not really. County roads and transportation services are State Roads and transportation in Connecticut. County parks are likely State Parks in Connecticut. County Courthouses, corrections, District Attorneys and prosecutors are State Courthouses, corrections, District Attorneys and prosecutors in Connecticut. County social services are mostly State run in Connecticut. County Social services are state social services. County community colleges are State Community Colleges in Connecticut.

I will admit that County Clerks and Health Departments are municipal clerks and Health Departments in Connecticut. County planning is handled by state and municipality funded Regional Planning Agencies in Connecticut. Still, as you can see, the bulk of county level services and expenses are handled by the state in Connecticut, not municipalities. Jay

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Not really. County roads and transportation services are State Roads and transportation in Connecticut. County parks are likely State Parks in Connecticut. County Courthouses, corrections, District Attorneys and prosecutors are State Courthouses, corrections, District Attorneys and prosecutors in Connecticut. County social services are mostly State run in Connecticut. County Social services are state social services. County community colleges are State Community Colleges in Connecticut.

I will admit that County Clerks and Health Departments are municipal clerks and Health Departments in Connecticut. County planning is handled by state and municipality funded Regional Planning Agencies in Connecticut. Still, as you can see, the bulk of county level services and expenses are handled by the state in Connecticut, not municipalities. Jay

Eh, I think you’re grossly overestimating county expenses (a significant portion of which is reimbursed by the state) and the potential debt, assuming they too cannot pay their bills. Remember, there are also people that live in unincorporated areas of these counties with a city address but they live outside city limits. They pay taxes directly to the county, so that’s a source of income the county generates that a state like CT does not (since property taxes go right to the city or town).

In my county of 1.5 million people, there are only about 20 county maintained roadways and county run parks that do not require the type of regular maintenance required in states like CT due to weather issues.

As for colleges, in my area, the local community colleges are public colleges that are part of the Florida College System, not county run or maintained.

Social services are county run here, but again, work off of state reimbursements and grants. For example, there is a mobile mental health crisis unit that just received funding from the state to run it. It cost the county nothing. Unemployment pay is through the state, not the county. And these are just two examples of how the state provides resources through social services grants to be provided to the counties.

So assuming this report did not take into account county level of government, much of it is still provided by taxpayers in unincorporated areas, AND taxpayers in city areas (since a large portion of my property tax bill goes right to the county, and not all to the town of Juno Beach), in addition to state funding, so I think it would be unfair to automatically assume counties are running in the red.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Eh, I think you’re grossly overestimating county expenses (a significant portion of which is reimbursed by the state) and the potential debt, assuming they too cannot pay their bills. Remember, there are also people that live in unincorporated areas of these counties with a city address but they live outside city limits. They pay taxes directly to the county, so that’s a source of income the county generates that a state like CT does not (since property taxes go right to the city or town).

In my county of 1.5 million people, there are only about 20 county maintained roadways and county run parks that do not require the type of regular maintenance required in states like CT due to weather issues.

As for colleges, in my area, the local community colleges are public colleges that are part of the Florida College System, not county run or maintained.

Social services are county run here, but again, work off of state reimbursements and grants. For example, there is a mobile mental health crisis unit that just received funding from the state to run it. It cost the county nothing. Unemployment pay is through the state, not the county. And these are just two examples of how the state provides resources through social services grants to be provided to the counties.

So assuming this report did not take into account county level of government, much of it is still provided by taxpayers in unincorporated areas, AND taxpayers in city areas (since a large portion of my property tax bill goes right to the county, and not all to the town of Juno Beach), in addition to state funding, so I think it would be unfair to automatically assume counties are running in the red.

, Tn worked the same way. Much of "county services" were state funded. County jails funding came from the state. County-wide community colleges are state funded, plus State Lottery scholarship funded. Not a penny funded by county. That is why county taxes were miniscule. They did not fund too much. State or cities footed the bills.

It also exists Fed-State level everywhere , btw. My relative worked 31 years Ct DOL -in 20 of them, his salary and benefit costs were reimbursed by feds as he ran programs funded by Federal DOL via Congressional appropriation. Ct was reimbursed for the full program costs.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Eh, I think you’re grossly overestimating county expenses (a significant portion of which is reimbursed by the state) and the potential debt, assuming they too cannot pay their bills. Remember, there are also people that live in unincorporated areas of these counties with a city address but they live outside city limits. They pay taxes directly to the county, so that’s a source of income the county generates that a state like CT does not (since property taxes go right to the city or town).

In my county of 1.5 million people, there are only about 20 county maintained roadways and county run parks that do not require the type of regular maintenance required in states like CT due to weather issues.

As for colleges, in my area, the local community colleges are public colleges that are part of the Florida College System, not county run or maintained.

Social services are county run here, but again, work off of state reimbursements and grants. For example, there is a mobile mental health crisis unit that just received funding from the state to run it. It cost the county nothing. Unemployment pay is through the state, not the county. And these are just two examples of how the state provides resources through social services grants to be provided to the counties.

So assuming this report did not take into account county level of government, much of it is still provided by taxpayers in unincorporated areas, AND taxpayers in city areas (since a large portion of my property tax bill goes right to the county, and not all to the town of Juno Beach), in addition to state funding, so I think it would be unfair to automatically assume counties are running in the red.

I think you are grossly underestimating the costs of a county government. The services I mention I took from Westchester County, New York where Westchester Community College is owned and run by the county. That’s why I listed it. Westchester has just over 1 million people. The County government has an annual budget of $2.1 billion.

Since you brought up your county, let’s look at it. Palm Beach County has a population of about 1.49 million people and a county government budget of $5.425 billion. It offers a lot of the same services as Westchester. It also includes things like housing and libraries as well.

The point is without a county level of government, these services must be provided by someone. In Connecticut, the majority of it is provided by the state. Jay

https://discover.pbcgov.org/ofmb/bud...0FY%202021.pdf

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I think you are grossly underestimating the costs of a county government. The services I mention I took from Westchester County, New York where Westchester Community College is owned and run by the county. That’s why I listed it. Westchester has just over 1 million people. The County government has an annual budget of $2.1 billion.

Since you brought up your county, let’s look at it. Palm Beach County has a population of about 1.49 million people and a county government budget of $5.425 billion. It offers a lot of the same services as Westchester. It also includes things like housing and libraries as well.

The point is without a county level of government, these services must be provided by someone. In Connecticut, the majority of it is provided by the state. Jay

https://discover.pbcgov.org/ofmb/bud...0FY%202021.pdf

You’re not wrong in what you say counties provide, but you’re making the assumption counties are operating in the red in other states when trying to discount the state fiscal health ranking.

I’m not sure about Westchester but it doesn’t appear Palm Beach County is in the red. The county has matching revenue and expenditures, and as one of the most populated counties in FL, this is a big deal.

https://discover.pbcgov.org/ofmb/bud...ct%20Sheet.pdf

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by EUPL

CT gets an F rating - the worst fiscal ranking of any state in the entire nation!

According to Truth in Accounting’s 2021 report, Connecticut taxpayers sit at an overall state debt burden of $62,500 per person!!

We need to cut costs, stop wasting taxpayer money and make CT more affordable for all!!

https://www.truthinaccounting.org/li...oklet-2021.pdf

I have to spread some reputation around, but love your post.