[Winona Online Democracy]
Paul, Your example only works if the local government had budgeted $600,000 in salary increases that will be offset by the governor's pay freeze. If the amount budgeted for local pay increases was only $100,000 the remaining $500,000 will come out of the operating budget -- cops, fire, snow plowing and what not. The amount frozen and the amount cut are not linked in any way in the governor's proposal. Jerome Christenson -----Original Message----- From: Paul Double [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 7:40 AM To: Online Democracy Subject: FW: [Winona] Media Reporting Local Facts Budget [Winona Online Democracy] Dwayne and Others Help me on this one-- The state cuts LGA by $600,000 at the same time freezes a local budget expense at last years level saving $600,000 taxpayers save $600,000. The $600,000 the state had budgeted is not needed to fund the LGA payment. The $600,000 the city budgeted to pay out is not needed. Paul Double [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Winona Online Democracy] Hello Paul and Others, I only have time to reply to one of Paul's misconceptions. Here is a quote from his message: ----- >What we read between the lines is the reductions in LGA formula will be >offset by a state wide wage freeze which indicates nothing "should" change >for taxpayers except the new rain tax. ----- The proposed state wide wage freeze on public employees would do NOTHING to reduce the current budget deficit. If offets no drop in LGA aid. The advantage in the wage freeze is to hold down future costs. Again, why tax cuts for the super wealthy and wage freezes for a big part of the middle class? Furthermore, the Governor does not have the authority to make the wage freeze happen at all levels. He can only recommend it. I too would like the media to do long and detailed stories on the real impacts of the budget cuts. Here are my real rough estimates so please do not hold me to them but I think the County is looking at reductions of roughly 1.4 million over two years, the City loses around 2 million per year, and the local colleges are even worst off. I would like the media to do more stories and some myth debunking. Most Minnesotans still believe that these cuts can be made without seeing a quality of life reduction. That is Republican propoganda that won them the elections. Maybe if you're wealthy and you live in a nice suburb in the Metro area and your children do not have to worry about the cost of their tuition. Let's see how it works in the real world. I look forward to the media and others turning these abstract numbers and percentages into concrete examples that affect real people in real ways. Short term savings will be sought by knee jerk cuts in state and local public programs. These cuts will cost us money, human health problems, and pollution in the long run. All government is not all bad. Government does good things and it saves us money. Can anyone say Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover? I hope I'm wrong. :-< Dwayne Voegeli ------------ Dwayne Voegeli Winona County Commissioner, District #2 (507) 453-9012 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 870 44th Ave. Winona, MN 55987 ------------ _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
