Shortfalls for U.S. cities could reach $56 billion
"U.S. cities will face a collective budget shortfall of at least $56 billion over the next two years, with the current recession not seen hitting bottom until 2011, according to a report on Wednesday.
The National League of Cities said that because economic recoveries in cities lag national ones by about two years, the pain from the recession that began in 2007 could continue for years to come"
$56 BILLION in the next TWO Years??!!!!!!
And the automatic annual step up in pay and COL and pension increases just keep on rolling along......
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Ninth Annual Year in Ideas - NYTimes.com
The Ninth Annual Year in Ideas - Magazine - NYTimes.com
"And so we hereby present, from A to Z, the most clever, important, silly and just plain weird innovations we carried back from all corners of the thinking world."
"And so we hereby present, from A to Z, the most clever, important, silly and just plain weird innovations we carried back from all corners of the thinking world."
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Illinois Careens Toward Bankruptcy
Illinois Careens Toward Bankruptcy: Report NBC Chicago
"The question is: what can Illinois do about its near-bankrupt status?
Answer: not much."
"The question is: what can Illinois do about its near-bankrupt status?
Answer: not much."
401k/IRA Screw Job Coming? - The Market Ticker
401k/IRA Screw Job Coming? - The Market Ticker
"401k/IRA Screw Job Coming?
Now this is a guaranteed rape job.
In a short conversation this noontime that CNBC apparently has omitted from their archives (Why's that folks?) Rick Santelli was talking about a potential to effectively force money into the Treasury market.
Where would they get this?
From your 401k and IRA accounts!
From Businessweek:
The U.S. Treasury and Labor Departments will ask for public comment as soon as next week on ways to promote the conversion of 401(k) savings and Individual Retirement Accounts into annuities or other steady payment streams, according to Assistant Labor Secretary Phyllis C. Borzi and Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Mark Iwry, who are spearheading the effort.
"401k/IRA Screw Job Coming?
Now this is a guaranteed rape job.
In a short conversation this noontime that CNBC apparently has omitted from their archives (Why's that folks?) Rick Santelli was talking about a potential to effectively force money into the Treasury market.
Where would they get this?
From your 401k and IRA accounts!
From Businessweek:
The U.S. Treasury and Labor Departments will ask for public comment as soon as next week on ways to promote the conversion of 401(k) savings and Individual Retirement Accounts into annuities or other steady payment streams, according to Assistant Labor Secretary Phyllis C. Borzi and Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Mark Iwry, who are spearheading the effort.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
West Michigan Environmental Action Council to provide 5,000 energy-efficient bulbs to Muskegon area residents
West Michigan Environmental Action Council to provide 5,000 energy-efficient bulbs to Muskegon area residents
"Putting 5,000 such light bulbs into use saves $235,000 in energy costs and prevents the release of 3.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of the bulbs, Hood said.
She said each bulb can save $20 to $30 per year in energy costs.
The bulbs will be distributed door-to-door in various neighborhoods and at locations such as churches and food pantries during March and April, said Ann Erhardt, the project coordinator."
OK, we know these "savings" numbers are bogus.
And we know that global warming is bogus.
But we don't know who is paying for all these "free" mercury bulbs......OK...we do..... it's us.
But where specifically is this idiocy coming from?
Maybe a republican running for office could call this scam out for us taxpayers?
"Putting 5,000 such light bulbs into use saves $235,000 in energy costs and prevents the release of 3.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of the bulbs, Hood said.
She said each bulb can save $20 to $30 per year in energy costs.
The bulbs will be distributed door-to-door in various neighborhoods and at locations such as churches and food pantries during March and April, said Ann Erhardt, the project coordinator."
OK, we know these "savings" numbers are bogus.
And we know that global warming is bogus.
But we don't know who is paying for all these "free" mercury bulbs......OK...we do..... it's us.
But where specifically is this idiocy coming from?
Maybe a republican running for office could call this scam out for us taxpayers?
5th Kent County person dies of H1N1 flu
5th Kent County person dies of H1N1 flu
"A woman in her late 60s with underlying health conditions is the fifth person in the county to die of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, since this fall, according to the Kent County Health Department."
Remember waaaay back when the same guys who are now "helping" Haiti (the UN) told us all that the swine flu was a pandemic and without EVERYONE getting a show the world would bla bla?
Given the FACT that we see no comparisons between this flu season and other years, it's a safe bet that we just saw another government led boondoggle.
Will we EVER learn?
"A woman in her late 60s with underlying health conditions is the fifth person in the county to die of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, since this fall, according to the Kent County Health Department."
Remember waaaay back when the same guys who are now "helping" Haiti (the UN) told us all that the swine flu was a pandemic and without EVERYONE getting a show the world would bla bla?
Given the FACT that we see no comparisons between this flu season and other years, it's a safe bet that we just saw another government led boondoggle.
Will we EVER learn?
Saving the euro from a Greek tragedy
Saving the euro from a Greek tragedy
"Keen to keep Greece from crashing the euro, European Union governments pressed the country Tuesday to stick to a painful austerity program that could cut its ballooning debt at the risk of social unrest."
Greece appears to be the "California" of the EU.
bummer dudes....
"Keen to keep Greece from crashing the euro, European Union governments pressed the country Tuesday to stick to a painful austerity program that could cut its ballooning debt at the risk of social unrest."
Greece appears to be the "California" of the EU.
bummer dudes....
Monday, January 25, 2010
Greater accountability needed for county department heads
Greater accountability needed for county department heads
"It would be better to have the county administrator fill those positions, with the consent of county commissioners. Then the administrator could supervise the department leaders and hold them accountable, just like the county board holds the administrator accountable.
With so much happening out of the public eye, it’s a wonder that more small county departments have not experienced the same sort of nightmares as the drain commissioner’s office.
The elected officials who run those departments are not accountable to anyone except voters, and the voters lack the time or inclination to keep them in check.
Let’s take a lesson from Hulka and Hepler and allow the people who know county government to fill these quiet but important posts. That way somebody will be supervising and watching, and future problems may be avoided."
And maybe a little "sunshine" from our local newspaper might help too?
"It would be better to have the county administrator fill those positions, with the consent of county commissioners. Then the administrator could supervise the department leaders and hold them accountable, just like the county board holds the administrator accountable.
With so much happening out of the public eye, it’s a wonder that more small county departments have not experienced the same sort of nightmares as the drain commissioner’s office.
The elected officials who run those departments are not accountable to anyone except voters, and the voters lack the time or inclination to keep them in check.
Let’s take a lesson from Hulka and Hepler and allow the people who know county government to fill these quiet but important posts. That way somebody will be supervising and watching, and future problems may be avoided."
And maybe a little "sunshine" from our local newspaper might help too?
Police prepare for more guns in public
Police prepare for more guns in public
"No one was charged because Michigan law does not prevent people over 18 who do not have a felony record from carrying a gun in the open -- as long as they don't try to enter certain gun-free locations like a church, day care center, bank or court, Saylor said."
Go ahead, make my day!
"No one was charged because Michigan law does not prevent people over 18 who do not have a felony record from carrying a gun in the open -- as long as they don't try to enter certain gun-free locations like a church, day care center, bank or court, Saylor said."
Go ahead, make my day!
Employee Compensation in State and Local Governments
Table 1 shows average compensation per hour worked in state and local governments and the U.S. private sector.
Public sector pay averaged $39.66 per hour in 2009, which was 45 percent higher than the private sector average.
The public sector advantage was 34 percent in wages and 70 percent in benefits.
Read it all.
This disparity between the two Americas may well tear us apart if it continues.
Public sector pay averaged $39.66 per hour in 2009, which was 45 percent higher than the private sector average.
The public sector advantage was 34 percent in wages and 70 percent in benefits.
Read it all.
This disparity between the two Americas may well tear us apart if it continues.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Unions Get Exempt from Cadillac Tax
Unions Get Exempt from Cadillac Tax - WSJ.com
"Democrats seem impervious to embarrassment as they buy votes for ObamaCare, but their latest move makes even Nebraska's Ben Nelson look cheap: The 87% of Americans who don't belong to a union will now foot the bill for a $60 billion giveaway to those who do.
The Senate bill was financed in part by a 40% excise tax on high-cost insurance coverage. The White House backs this 'Cadillac tax' as one of the few remaining cost-control tokens. But Big Labor abhors the tax because union benefits tend to be far more generous than average, and labor leaders and House Democrats have been throwing a political tantrum for weeks.
So emerging from their backrooms, Democrats have agreed to extend a special exemption from the Cadillac tax to any health plan that is part of a collective-bargaining agreement, plus state and local workers, many of whom are unionized.
Everyone else with a higher-end plan will start to be taxed in 2013, but union members will get a free pass until 2018.
Ponder that one for a moment.
Two workers who are identical in every respect—wages, job, health plan—will be treated differently by the tax system, based solely on union membership.
"Democrats seem impervious to embarrassment as they buy votes for ObamaCare, but their latest move makes even Nebraska's Ben Nelson look cheap: The 87% of Americans who don't belong to a union will now foot the bill for a $60 billion giveaway to those who do.
The Senate bill was financed in part by a 40% excise tax on high-cost insurance coverage. The White House backs this 'Cadillac tax' as one of the few remaining cost-control tokens. But Big Labor abhors the tax because union benefits tend to be far more generous than average, and labor leaders and House Democrats have been throwing a political tantrum for weeks.
So emerging from their backrooms, Democrats have agreed to extend a special exemption from the Cadillac tax to any health plan that is part of a collective-bargaining agreement, plus state and local workers, many of whom are unionized.
Everyone else with a higher-end plan will start to be taxed in 2013, but union members will get a free pass until 2018.
Ponder that one for a moment.
Two workers who are identical in every respect—wages, job, health plan—will be treated differently by the tax system, based solely on union membership.
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