PA budget

[SamIam]

Times are tough all over. Colorado has around 8.8% unemployment and the state legislature has been slashing programs left and right (no pun intended). It's a vicious cycle. The economic downturn means that there is less funding for things like food stamps and medical assistance for low income families, etc., etc. This, at the same time that the rise in unemployment has created a greater demand for these services.

Colorado State University has created an eye-opening program called the "Back Seat Budgeter." You can can click on this site and play around raising or lowering different taxes, eliminating programs or restoring their funding, etc. http://www.backseatbudgeter.com/Budg...ult.aspx?tid=1

It's kind of a cool way to mess around with the over all well being of the state. I started out by punching in the numbers for what I consider to be a mildly liberal agenda - restoring heath care funding to previous levels, no cuts to education, etc. I tried paying for this spending by raising taxes by about 2%, hoping my hypothetical Colorado tax payers wouldn't revolt and try to impeach me or something. I ended up $20 mill in the red.

So then I tried getting mean about it. I just kept all education, health care, etc at their 2010 funding - no cuts, no increases. And, ignoring Merc's and UG's screams of "Communist!," I raised Colorado income taxes by 5%, increased taxes on liquor and tobacco by a $1.00/bottle and .50/pack respectively. I increased the state sales tax by 5% and clobbered corporations with a 10% tax increase.

Even after all that, I was still $7 mill in the red and had thrown away the Colorado State constitution.

In the current economic climate there seem to be few viable options for liberals or conservatives.