(Community Matters) AAS: Deep cuts in family services proposed for 2012-13: More than 14,000 Texans in programs designed to prevent child abuse, neglect, delinquency would be affected.
This is really scary stuff. It does cost more to take care of the kids who fall through the cracks, and it’s true all across the state we do have to cut services to balance our budget. I am not for tax increases at this time either. Wondering if our state legislators are looking at alternatives to across the board cuts?
update: a friend wrote to ask me why not increase state taxes since ours are among the lowest and services already at bare bones. My answer is because our state tax structure is so regressive and our economic situation so perilous. State is different from national, we can’t really “float” ourselves.
if I wasn’t worried about those families making under $150k – in some ways even under $250k – and the vulnerability of small businesses, I might support an increase in state taxes to support critical services. But, *so* many families are sitting right on the edge – barely covering bills, barely keeping their houses. We know less than 40% even have 6 months of expenses in the bank, ie., 60% basically living paycheck to paycheck. And, so many small businesses are deferring hiring or even letting employees go.
It’s a different topic and I haven’t done adequate due diligence, but think I’m in favor of consumption based tax for individuals and a low, flat tax for corporations (assuming they are assessed costs for current externalities)
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