Obama's Tax Guru
Seventy-five percent of the candidates for elementary teacher positions in Massachusetts failed mathematics in the entrance exam. Now here is a surprise. The academic establishment (read teachers union) blamed the test. The examination probably asked questions that involved numbers.
It’s difficult to conjure up the mental agility of a college graduate unprepared to teach arithmetic to a grade school pupil. It makes one wonder what they learned in four years. Let’s hope they didn’t go into debt for an education that they obviously didn’t receive.
They won’t qualify for one other government job in Massachusetts. Failing arithmetic pretty much disqualifies them from raking in $75,000 a year as a toll taker. Making change is obviously out of their league. But they shouldn’t be discouraged.
There is plenty of room for the arithmetically challenged in the budget offices of the state and towns. The state legislature automatically increases taxes to cover any revenue shortages, which negates the need to understand annual budgets. Besides, budgets are filled with near endless rows of numbers; so who really cares?
No one can remember if the state or any town in Massachusetts ever actually had a surplus, so the budget bureaucrats only need a rudimentary knowledge of subtraction.
Here is the exam question for the state treasurer. If the state collects $10 and spends $13 how much more revenue is needed to balance the budget? The answer would appear to be that $3 in additional taxes would cover the shortfall (For the recent college graduates: $13 - $10 = $3).
But we are talking about Massachusetts.
The calculation necessitates adding a minimum of 30% for graft and corruption, and at least 10% more for friends and family kickbacks. And then the traditional piling-on begins. For the politicians this is the prime season to sweeten the pot.
A couple of rounds of pay raises are always in order. And they never forget to fatten their retirement programs. And pay increases for teachers, police and firemen protect their careers.
This part of the equation makes taxpayers a bit testy, so the final costs are always underestimated for political reasons. They know that they can come back for more next year. This year the Massachusetts state legislature plans to increase the highway tolls, the state sales tax and taxes on gasoline and beer.
Rumor has it that Mr. Obama asked his good friend, Governor Deval Patrick, not to raise the state income tax as Obama wants these potential revenues reserved for the federal government. As a quid pro quo, Obama promised to start the printing presses to bailout Massachusetts’ extravagant welfare schemes.
Governor Patrick had to accept this deal. Every time Massachusetts increases the taxes on alcohol, gas and the state sales tax, more of its citizens head to New Hampshire to do their shopping. Governor Patrick figured it was about time the residents of New Hampshire started supporting Massachusetts. He is a big advocate of shared responsibility.
In addition, Governor Patrick’s lawsuit to force New Hampshire businesses to collect and forward sales taxes on purchases made by Massachusetts citizens is already winding its way through the courts.
And you were wondering from whom Obama, Barney Frank and Geithner got their tax and spend ideas.
It’s difficult to conjure up the mental agility of a college graduate unprepared to teach arithmetic to a grade school pupil. It makes one wonder what they learned in four years. Let’s hope they didn’t go into debt for an education that they obviously didn’t receive.
They won’t qualify for one other government job in Massachusetts. Failing arithmetic pretty much disqualifies them from raking in $75,000 a year as a toll taker. Making change is obviously out of their league. But they shouldn’t be discouraged.
There is plenty of room for the arithmetically challenged in the budget offices of the state and towns. The state legislature automatically increases taxes to cover any revenue shortages, which negates the need to understand annual budgets. Besides, budgets are filled with near endless rows of numbers; so who really cares?
No one can remember if the state or any town in Massachusetts ever actually had a surplus, so the budget bureaucrats only need a rudimentary knowledge of subtraction.
Here is the exam question for the state treasurer. If the state collects $10 and spends $13 how much more revenue is needed to balance the budget? The answer would appear to be that $3 in additional taxes would cover the shortfall (For the recent college graduates: $13 - $10 = $3).
But we are talking about Massachusetts.
The calculation necessitates adding a minimum of 30% for graft and corruption, and at least 10% more for friends and family kickbacks. And then the traditional piling-on begins. For the politicians this is the prime season to sweeten the pot.
A couple of rounds of pay raises are always in order. And they never forget to fatten their retirement programs. And pay increases for teachers, police and firemen protect their careers.
This part of the equation makes taxpayers a bit testy, so the final costs are always underestimated for political reasons. They know that they can come back for more next year. This year the Massachusetts state legislature plans to increase the highway tolls, the state sales tax and taxes on gasoline and beer.
Rumor has it that Mr. Obama asked his good friend, Governor Deval Patrick, not to raise the state income tax as Obama wants these potential revenues reserved for the federal government. As a quid pro quo, Obama promised to start the printing presses to bailout Massachusetts’ extravagant welfare schemes.
Governor Patrick had to accept this deal. Every time Massachusetts increases the taxes on alcohol, gas and the state sales tax, more of its citizens head to New Hampshire to do their shopping. Governor Patrick figured it was about time the residents of New Hampshire started supporting Massachusetts. He is a big advocate of shared responsibility.
In addition, Governor Patrick’s lawsuit to force New Hampshire businesses to collect and forward sales taxes on purchases made by Massachusetts citizens is already winding its way through the courts.
And you were wondering from whom Obama, Barney Frank and Geithner got their tax and spend ideas.
Labels: Governor Deval Patrick, Obama, taxes
posted by David at
7:24 AM
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