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Playing the Game
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| Joined: | Wed Jan 30th, 2008 |
| Location: | Delaware USA |
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Posted: Wed Mar 25th, 2009 01:51 am |
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| Education and DHSS are the top 2. They have grown exponentially to the rate of inflation and revenue.
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Hartlyboy
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Posted: Wed Mar 25th, 2009 01:21 am |
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| I think it would help the discussion to know what areas in the state budget increased so dramatically in the last 10 years that our budget is now 3x of what it was in 1999. [per the graph in Markell's budget dog and pony show presentration]. Our population has increased but nowhere near tripled. Costs have increased some on fuel and other items but not 3x. Just what caused the rapid climb?
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taxpayertoo
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Posted: Wed Mar 25th, 2009 12:49 am |
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| maybe pay cuts is the wrong idea, how about raises for a change - you can tax them and people will spend the money - which is what the economy needs. Last edited on Wed Mar 25th, 2009 12:49 am by taxpayertoo
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Habanero
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| Joined: | Wed Sep 28th, 2005 |
| Location: | DelMarVA, USA |
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 10:44 pm |
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Fred wrote: As for DNREC....sorry, in a state that has as sorry as an enviornmental record as Delaware has (come here, pollute here) I have no problem with them getting more money. "At least were not as polluted as NJ" is not a great state motto....
There is more than enough superfluous BS at DNREC that has no relation to pollution.
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Lottery Winner
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 09:34 pm |
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The addition to the fund from last year alone is over $68,000,000 ($3.4 billion x 2%). Since 2003 the addition of 2% each year would total $358,000,000. I haven't even added in the previous 19 years. How can the fund only have $186,000,000 if it has been properly funded and maintained since Pete DuPont was in office?
curiousindover wrote:
Delaware's "Rainy Day Fund" was mandated by the financial recovery legislation, passed under the administration of Governor Pete duPont. It requires the State to spend no more than 98% of it's anticipated budget and put the other two percent into the fund. It has not been tapped since it's creation and now has more than $186 million. The law says we can use it for catastrophic needs, but that it must be replaced the next year or as soon a possible. Try to tap it and you'll have every emergency services and economic development group in the state hammering at the doors saying NO !
Last edited on Tue Mar 24th, 2009 09:49 pm by Lottery Winner
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Lottery Winner
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 09:28 pm |
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I would suggest you voluntarily write them a check. Don't balance the budget on the backs of the employees of the largest employer in the state, and don't try to fix 100 years of inattention to the environment in 5years at my expense.
Fred wrote:
You don't think social problems are going to get cut at the same time they are going to be needed by more people?
Do you think there is a bigger expense to the state than salaries for state employees? Your logic is the same as complaining about the federal deficit and the "solution' is to take NEA dollars, not realizing that it is at most a pimple on the butt of the budget.
As for DNREC....sorry, in a state that has as sorry as an enviornmental record as Delaware has (come here, pollute here) I have no problem with them getting more money. "At least were not as polluted as NJ" is not a great state motto....
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slbay
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 07:59 pm |
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| My opinion is no, I don't think the social programs will be cut accordingly, and believe me, I do hope I'm wrong, but in this state I seriously doubt it. The governor says this is to avoid laying people off, and my fear is they do this cut, and a year from now they lay those people off anyway. What I also know is that if the economy turns around in a few years they will not give these employees their normal pay back either. No one, in any way is going to convince me this a good and just plan.
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Fred
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 07:40 pm |
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You don't think social problems are going to get cut at the same time they are going to be needed by more people?
Do you think there is a bigger expense to the state than salaries for state employees? Your logic is the same as complaining about the federal deficit and the "solution' is to take NEA dollars, not realizing that it is at most a pimple on the butt of the budget.
As for DNREC....sorry, in a state that has as sorry as an enviornmental record as Delaware has (come here, pollute here) I have no problem with them getting more money. "At least were not as polluted as NJ" is not a great state motto....
Last edited on Tue Mar 24th, 2009 07:43 pm by Fred
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Habanero
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 04:45 pm |
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Playing the Game wrote: Like social programs, education and transportation. The 3 with the most to give and so far untouched.
You forgot DNREC.
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curiousindover
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 02:58 pm |
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| Delaware's "Rainy Day Fund" was mandated by the financial recovery legislation, passed under the administration of Governor Pete duPont. It requires the State to spend no more than 98% of it's anticipated budget and put the other two percent into the fund. It has not been tapped since it's creation and now has more than $186 million. The law says we can use it for catastrophic needs, but that it must be replaced the next year or as soon a possible. Try to tap it and you'll have every emergency services and economic development group in the state hammering at the doors saying NO !
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Playing the Game
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 01:34 pm |
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Like social programs, education and transportation. The 3 with the most to give and so far untouched.
Fred wrote:
Here is some info on the rainy day fund...
http://www.fixredclay.com/2009/02/current-balance-of-delawares-rainy-day.html
but I am not sure that tapping the rainy day fund for this amount makes sense. It isn't like this is going to be a single year problem.
Markell is making tough decisions; you don't like them, which is your right, but when you've got a lot of money to find, you've got to go after large areas to get it from.
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Two Cents
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 11:53 am |
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Fred -- I looked at your link and it raises as many questions as it answers. For example, according to a response prepared by Albert Shields, David Gregor in the Dept. of Finance told Mr. Shields that the "Budget Reserve Account" had some $186.4 million. I continue to wonder if this represents liquid assets or is it a simple accounting entry similar to the "Reserve for Depreciation" account at the business you work for. As you know, those Reserve for Depreciation accounts don't represent real money, but just recognize an expense on the books that doesn't require cash.
My other question is why the reserve fund would contain only $186.4 million. With a state budget in the neighborhood of $3 billion, it doesn't seem like much of a reserve at all.
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Fred
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 02:35 am |
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Here is some info on the rainy day fund...
http://www.fixredclay.com/2009/02/current-balance-of-delawares-rainy-day.html
but I am not sure that tapping the rainy day fund for this amount makes sense. It isn't like this is going to be a single year problem.
Markell is making tough decisions; you don't like them, which is your right, but when you've got a lot of money to find, you've got to go after large areas to get it from.
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Playing the Game
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Posted: Tue Mar 24th, 2009 01:27 am |
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| Think of it as the Social Security lock box. Delaware Democrat fraud at it's best.
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Two Cents
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Posted: Mon Mar 23rd, 2009 11:53 pm |
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| Somebody posted in a different topic recently alleging that the "rainy day fund" was nothing more than an accounting exercise and not represented by cash at all. Anybody know something different?
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slbay
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Posted: Mon Mar 23rd, 2009 08:43 pm |
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| I couldn't have said it any better, or agree with you more!!!
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Playing the Game
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Posted: Mon Mar 23rd, 2009 08:42 pm |
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| As long as Liberal Democrats run this State, it will never happen.
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slbay
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Posted: Mon Mar 23rd, 2009 05:01 pm |
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| I would just like to say I think it's time someone takes a look at the alleged "rainy day fund" and tells all the taxpayers how much rain we need before this state uses it? It's time to stop making the employees of this state take it on the chin for the mistakes our past and current administration have made! Taking these employees back in essence by ten years with their pay is only going to hurt the overall economic status of this state! Why is it that the people who are not contributing seem to be the only ones not hurt by these plans? I didn't see any social programs losing any income as a result of these cuts! I'm sick and tired of honest, hard-working people in the middle income range bearing the brunt of the cuts in today's society, enough already!!!
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