[JGBigGreen]

So, let’s say, a woman seeks a divorce because of abuse, or a man gets a divorce because the wife has been stepping out on him, they should lose their deductions?

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

Now, in order to not add artificial incentives to split families up unnecessarily, I would favor eliminating child deductions from divorced parents.

[JayCT]

Please return to the topic of the OP which is income inequality in the state. JayCT, Moderator

[Stepfordct]

The problem for most is lack of role models. Keep in mind many in the cities etc choose not to get married as there more bennies if single. Too many gaming the system. That is the game. Its learned behaviour. Wrk no more than 25 hours a week. Have kids, get bennies rinse and repeat. They live in the land of instant gratification. No thoughts to the future.....politicians tell them they are victims, not thier fault etc.... elect me im on your side. Rinse and repeat.

[MrGompers]

One thing that article really high lighted - which I think was missed by most - is poor people (even ones with kids) can't walk into the section 8 housing program. That program is closed to new applicants despite what most here think.


It;s also very telling that while this woman was homeless with a kid and grand kid to raise the CT Govt gave 22 million dollars to a profitable hedge fund. 22 million can help a lot of homeless people. That really shows us how much the Govt cares about poor people.


As for the school debate we are never going to see any change unless we educate and help the entire families of poor people. That can involve a number of services that we can discuss - and would be a much better investment than giving away money to hedge funds.


The new school that Lebron James funded in Ohio will be a good test case for this. We should have some stats within a few years to see if that type of community investment helps.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

It;s also very telling that while this woman was homeless with a kid and grand kid to raise the CT Govt gave 22 million dollars to a profitable hedge fund. 22 million can help a lot of homeless people. That really shows us how much the Govt cares about poor people.

.

They did it to get them to stay. If they leave, millions less in state and local taxes are collected, which would leave less money to help her. Our business climate is so horrible, we must pay corps to stay, which is called greenmail. Other states pay states to COME to their state. We have little left for that.

No 22 mill to hedge fund, no hedge fund in Ct, no taxes collected by either the fund or staff.

It is not a hostage. It can and would lave Ct. Did you learn anything rom the GEExit?

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I have questioned the big deal in this before. It is what it is. You have poor people and you have rich. Connecticut has a lot of wealth so the difference is significant. It kind of is simple math. Jay

Here is what they are doing. They are taking into account the entire county. So Bridgeport is about 20-25 miles from lower Fairfield County towns of Greenwich, New Canaan and Darien and that is what is making FFC look so extreme.

But if you take Bridgeport and compare it to it's surrounding towns of Trumbull, Fairfield, Easton Shelton and Stratford it looks very different.

Household Income average of surrounding towns* is about $104,000. Bridgeport's HH income is $42,000. If you take it in that context the disparity of the surrounding towns make about 2-1/2 times more. That is pretty good. And for "poor people" a household income of $42,000 is also pretty good. When you take into context the average HH income in the US is $59,039 so $42,000 ain't too shabby.
https://www.businessinsider.com/us-c...-income-2017-9

Being an artist and musician I have had the opportunity to know many fine people from Bridgeport who are immigrants to this country. Many of them show me the houses they have back in their home countries or down south that they will go to once they retire. And most of the people own condos or houses in Bridgeport now too.

*I used CERC because it was easier to toggle back and forth on their map to get the info.

[PamelaIamela]

Just got back from a nine day visit to Cuba.

Very, very little inequality.

Not a shred of paper or plastic litter... 'cause there's nothing to buy.
No bars on windows - actually no windows either, just shutters - 'cause there's nothing to steal.
No rush hour traffic .. because there is NO traffic.
No traffic cause there's no cars. Just as well cause the gas stations are few and far between.
Lots of dog crap tho. And plenty of equality.

[basehead617]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

I disagree, as prosper is not required. It does require what prior generations had-selflessness, a desire to see the next gen do better, even when theirs had to sacrifice.

Ah yes, the #1 quality associated with Baby Boomers and Gen-X..

Selflessness..

[PamelaIamela]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

:
I would favor NO dependent deduction on taxes annually , but at age 18, the parent gets the full amount back it would have netted taxes down by, plus interest set at avg mortgage rate, ONLY if the kid graduated high school. At kids 23rd bday, parent gets 4 more years of same deduction if kid has a Bachelor's degree.

Ah, so if everyone gets a BA we'll close the income gap and end poverty?
Let's just lower the bar so everyone gets a degree.. maybe even a Masters?
... wait, isn't that what we've done already?

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by PamelaIamela

Ah, so if everyone gets a BA we'll close the income gap and end poverty?
Let's just lower the bar so everyone gets a degree.. maybe even a Masters?
... wait, isn't that what we've done already?

If we raised inner city college grad rates, their kids could compete with suburban kids, in higher numbers.

We have a skills mismatch nationally. Jobs requiring education are not locating sufficient quantities of applicants.