CAN WE GIVE ‘EM WHAT THEY WANT?
I knew a man who cured his son of the desire to smoke by having him smoke a pack of cigarettes at the kitchen table while he helped by lighting them for him.
Here in California we did something similar. For many years, under both Republican and Democratic Administrations, we have given public sector employees and unions (mostly all good people like you and me) pretty much everything they asked for including early retirements with lifetime incomes and medical care. Now the State of Calfiornia, as well as many Counties and Cities within the State, are finding themselves in a situation where they do not have the money to pay both their current and “retired” employees. In too many cases they are now having to layoff current Police, Firefighters, Teachers and others because the “retired” employees have Contractual and Legal “first dibs” on whatever money is available in Government budgets.
One solution offered by some is to increase the amount of tax revenue available by simply raising taxes on “The Rich” and “Corporations” . Unfortunately, California, as well as New York, Illinois and some other states, is finding out that those same “Rich” and “Corporations” who have the money to pay more in taxes also have the money to move. And, many are moving themselves, their tax money and the jobs they have provided, to other states (and sometimes countries) with lower tax rates.
What is left behind is a higher percentage of those who are too poor, too sick or too lazy to move to greener pastures. They continue to consume whatever tax revenues are left from a smaller and smaller public “bank account”.
How do we fix this?
As a former Girls Softball Coach I learned early on that the way to victory was not by “punishing” those who showed up on time, worked hard, played as a team and won games while at the same time “rewarding” those who did not show up for practice, refused to play as a team, broke the rules and caused us to lose games. The point being that if I punish the hard working players who are winners they will simply move to another team where they can play up to their potential while those who are not hardworking will continue to drag what remains of the team down to the point it can no longer compete and the team will “fade away”.
Something to think about. …………..
Bob Bandy
