newsobserver.com projects - Republicans pitch $590m in cuts - Comments

To the guy attacking Latino programs

John_Burns — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:05:39 -0400

Please enlighten us as to why you focus on those specific programs.

I have my ideas why you targeted that, but I want to see what you come up with.

Re: They ought to propose 5% pay cut

John_Burns — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:05:08 -0400

That's pretty much what she did. A friend of mine who works high in one department said that each department was told they had 95% of last year's salary budget. Up to them to determine how to spend it.

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

danbesse — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:30:19 -0400

First, let me commend Berger and Stam for coming out of the usual dodge and specifying what they would cut, in numbers sufficient to have some meaning to the overall budget gap.

Second, it's clear that they're both lawyers and not teachers. With even my limited teaching experience, I can tell them that denying the educational benefit of smaller class sizes will get them laughed out of any gathering of teachers (and most gatherings of parents). And contrary to their assertion, there is ample research proof of the effectiveness of smaller class sizes in boosting student learning.

So let's recap: Democratic leaders want to fund education. Republican leaders want to cut education so as to cut taxes. It's about as straightforward as I've ever seen it--and an absolutely fair summary of the difference between Democratic and Republican state leadership today. Thank you, gentlemen!

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

TOPASSISTANT — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:30:02 -0400

How much of our tax dollars will we save if we cut out the position held by Mary Lazo-Chadderton, Special Assistant for Hispanic/Latino Affairs & Constituency Services, working for President Pro Tempore? What about the grants going to Latino groups like El Pueblo and LaRaza, I am told is over a million dollars a year? What about tightening down on tax money going to illegal aliens in the form of educating their children, K-12, free medical care, etc? That amounts to over $1.1 billion in state dollars alone, not counting local and federal dollars.

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

cbrose — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:39:14 -0400

Well for one thing the state needs to get out of subsidizing business period. It's atrocious that a company can basically "bargain" it's tax rates when locating somewhere. If all 50 states would adopt this attitude then it would end this massive "race to the bottom" of every locality willing to subsidize businesses that leave at the next better offer leaving locals with the tax burden and infrastructure payments. Think about this? Do you get to negotiate your property and income taxes when YOU move somewhere based on YOUR potential economic impact?? Also we need to look at athletics in education Why is so much money spent on this? And why are tax payers forced to subsidize privately funded sports businesses (NFL, NBA, NHL, etc)through college athletics, and paying for stadium construction? There is plenty of money out there. As Americans we just need to make certain things a priority and insist our government treat everybody equally and quit picking favorites.

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

AquaMan — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:15:10 -0400

how about a tax increase for the wealthiest North Carolinians and corporations?

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

AquaMan — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:06:57 -0400

Come On Republicans, Didn't Governor Arnold in California end up agreeing to increased revenues?

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

domewatcher — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:54:24 -0400

'''''end the state's $80 million appropriation to the Golden LEAF Foundation.''''''

Why does the state give money to Golden Leaf? I thought Golden Leaf had all that tobacco money and they were in existence to give that money back to the citizens of North Carolina.

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

domewatcher — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:51:19 -0400

"""Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger of Eden and House Republican Leader Paul Stam of Apex said the biggest savings — $300 million a year — would come from increasing class sizes in public schools by two students. That would bring the average class size to 23, they said."""

I do not know if these are realistic figures but saving $300 million just by increasing class sizes by 2 students is phenominal. This sounds almost as good as hitting the lottery.

If we increase class sizes by 4 students would it save $600 million?

They ought to propose 5% pay cut

PoliticalJunkie — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:21:30 -0400

for all state workers making over $25,000 a year.

That way they wouldn't have to lay any of them off.

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

jonoflocke — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:18:56 -0400

They are right about class sizes; in fact, a report from the State Board of Education found no statistical evidence that smaller class sizes raised student achievement.

Re: Republicans BS pitch $590m in cuts

Guitarman51 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:24:02 -0400

I have news for you. I am a professor in the UNC system and I don't make anywhere near 125 thousand dollars, a lot closer to 50 thousand actually. I don't know anybody who makes 125000 dollars at my university except for the football coaches and top administrators.

Republicans BS pitch $590m in cuts

ConMax — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:14:23 -0400

bendal said
Ok, that's half a billion dollars in cuts; where do the Republicans think the remaining $2.5 BILLION dollars will come from to balance the budget?

First of All! The republican leadship hasn't the foggest idea where to cut besides being a puppet of the National Republicans leadership which does not exsist nor trusted by the American voters anymore.

If one wants to balance the budget of North Carolina and it's 3.6 billion grap, One should start by reducing all salaries of Government employees by 50% which should be the State Colleges Profs and the educational leadership of those Universities.

Wow! That means Profs will be making only 50 thousand a year instead of 125 thousand a year!

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

PoliticalJunkie — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:04:03 -0400

Perdue's Two should be the name of the combined program.

I thought they were also for furloughing workers?

Re: Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

bendal — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:57:41 -0400

Ok, that's half a billion dollars in cuts; where do the Republicans think the remaining $2.5 BILLION dollars will come from to balance the budget?

Republicans pitch $590m in cuts

bniolet — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:40:06 -0400

Legislative Republican leaders outlined cuts in spending Tuesday that could send more than $590 million back to the state's coffers.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger of Eden and House Republican Leader Paul Stam of Apex said the biggest savings — $300 million a year — would come from increasing class sizes in public schools by two students. That would bring the average class size to 23, they said.

Stam and Berger said there is no guarantee that smaller classes make for better schools. They repeated skepticism about Gov. Beverly Perdue's proposal to increase spending on education when the state is facing a deficit of more than $3 billion.

"It's an intuitively happy thought that your child is in a smaller class," Stam said. "It's hugely expensive."

Other proposals the leaders highlighted would purchase software to avoid improper Medicaid payments ($100 million in savings), suspend $100 million funding of the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (which Perdue has already proposed) and end the state's $80 million appropriation to the Golden LEAF Foundation.

Stam said that consolidating Gov. Jim Hunt's Smart Start and Gov. Mike Easley's More at Four early education programs could save something on the order of $10 million.

Stam said that Perdue would be welcome to put her name on the new, combined program.

"She can call it the 'Perdue Phenomenal Program,' and we can save some money," Stam said.

That name, of course, doesn't rhyme (although it is alliterative).