Comments on: Philadelphia Closes Its Doors

By: Dave Weigel

Dave Weigel — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:43:11 +0000

If this chart http://economyleague.org/budget_challenge/sim/popups/expensepie.html is accurate, then of the $3.9 billion budget:

24% goes to bloated government employee pensions & benefits
15% goes to welfare
14% to police
9% to city administration
6% to prisons
and only 2% to Recreation, Libraries, & Art

Cut the number of unfair laws sending numerous non-criminals like pot smokers to jail and you could cut the prison budget down to 1% of the budget.

Most city offices I’ve been in are not models of efficiency or hard work. Cut the administration costs and make the govt employees actually work.

Police thugs mostly antagonize the citizenry. Cut the number of laws and make the police force “protect and serve” the citizens instead of the overlords and you could cut that 14% down to 7.

Welfare breeds dependency, so that should definitely be cut.

Govt employee benefits are usually twice as generous as in the private sector. Since govt pay is equal or greater than the private sector, cut the benefits to something more normal and you have another 12% in savings.

Personally I don’t see a need for govt funded libraries, but if they can’t find 2% to cut out of this budget, the city officials are a bunch of f’ing idiots.

By: suz

suz — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:37:47 +0000

My 2 cents is…why should we suffer with no library, health clinics closing, rec centers closing, etc just so politicians don’t have to worry about being ‘tarnished’ by voting for higher taxes in Philadelphia? Don’t we elect them so they make the ‘hard’ decsions? Shouldn’t these decisions be based on what is best for the ‘greater good’? As someone who lives (and spends) in Philadelphia I can’t say I LOVE the idea of a tax increase, but for a few pennies a day to have the libraries open…I’m willing…

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:42:24 +0000

But see, that’s exactly where this whole thing falls apart. It DID pass in the House on its own merits. And it likely would have in the Senate (indications were that it had enough support, there was no active opposition). The ONLY reason the sales tax increase is not passing in the Senate now is because the add ons have slowed it – which is exactly my point. If it’s good enough to pass on its own, then pass it. Stop making it a monster bill. This is exactly what’s wrong with Harrisburg and Washington.

Same thing with stimulus plans, federal estate tax, etc. If you look at these bills when they start – and what they look like at the end – it’s atrocious. Add ons are generally not beneficial to anyone except the politician who had something to gain by the add on in the first place.

By: J G

J G — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:28:26 +0000

Because neither one will pass on its own merits. You help me get the Pittsburgh pensions under control and I’ll help you squeeze your own residents for more money even though I think it’s a BAD idea.

Why should any politician outside Philadelphia risk getting tarnished as a tax raiser by voting for higher taxes in Philadelphia (even though it doesn’t affect their constituents). There’s absolutely nothing in it for them. But there is a benefit for all politicians who profess to be for reduced taxes if they can reduce the burden on ALL PA taxpayers by getting the Pittsburgh monster under control.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:34:46 +0000

JG -
But why would those bills be considered together? They are separate issues – which is exactly my point.

By: J G

J G — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:31:12 +0000

Taxgirl said:
“Hey, I like Pittsburgh – but what does their distressed pension system have to do with my Philadelphia sales tax? Exactly. Nothing.”

Well, Taxgirl is Wrong. The grievously underfunded pension in Pittsburgh will be taken over by the state at which time it becomes the problem of ALL taxpayers in PA including those in Philadelphia. We have to make up the difference. Well, I’m tired of making up the difference and if the state is going to take over the underfunded pension I want changes in the pension rules so I don’t have to pay so much, and my children don’t have to pay so much, and my grandchildren don’t have to pay so much.

The Pittsburgh politicians have given away the store and now want us (that would be non-Pittsburghers) to bail them out. We’ve got enough problems of our own to deal with without bailing out profligate politicians and municipal workers.

No pension reforms in Pittsburgh; no sales tax increase for Philadelphia!!

By: Jeff Day

Jeff Day — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:35:22 +0000

Perhaps, they are getting what they really deserve? The Democrats are dependent on the votes of the people that don’t pay taxes, they just receive from the system. The real question, will be will they tax the County completely out of “Business”?

Raise revenue by lowering taxes on those that pay taxes, you don’t raise revenue by raising taxes on those that pay taxes. You don’t really raise revenue by taxing companies. Corporations don’t pay taxes, they collect taxes. By taxing companies, the taxes are just included in the prices, then those that consume those goods pay the taxes.

Is it really so bad, they “bite the bullet” by curtailing some of the services provided by the library closing a cple days a week? Is it really so bad, they “bite the bullet” by not delivering spam mail via the USMail 6 days a week?

Now the damocrats (sic) want to provide even more socialization called the ObamaUnHealthCare. So those that pay taxes can benefit more for those that don’t pay taxes.