Tuesday, March 03, 2009
How's your recession going?
- I am hearing of more and more people losing their jobs. At the moment my job appears safe, but who knows.
- The statecut 1.6 billion this fiscal year. They expect to cut another 2 or 3 billion next year. Most of the budget cuts are directed toward education, healthcare, and parks. It truly appears that the goal of the fundamentalist Christian Republicans in the state House and Senate is to stop funding public education in this state. One was quoted as saying, "Education does not create jobs."
- The Republicans just cut 250 million in business property taxes. The governor has proposed a special election to raise the state sales tax, thereby targeting poorer people. The average Arizona resident pays 2.5 percent income tax. I would rather pay more income tax to keep people employed, than to pay the current income tax and have the state use it to pay for unemployment.
- Housing prices have dropped enormously. Foreclosures are rising. If you lose your job, the maximum monthly unemployment benefit is $960 a month. I imagine as more jobs are cut, we will see many more foreclosures. Actually getting unemployment if you lose your job is difficult- according to a friend, they don't answer the phones, they don't return emails, and the lines are horrendous.
- Instead of focusing on monetary problems, many of our state legislators are pushing for anti-abortion and anti-contraception laws. Jan Brewer, the new governor, will likely support these.
So yeah, things suck in Arizona right now.
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- I am hearing of more and more people losing their jobs. At the moment my job appears safe, but who knows.
- The statecut 1.6 billion this fiscal year. They expect to cut another 2 or 3 billion next year. Most of the budget cuts are directed toward education, healthcare, and parks. It truly appears that the goal of the fundamentalist Christian Republicans in the state House and Senate is to stop funding public education in this state. One was quoted as saying, "Education does not create jobs."
- The Republicans just cut 250 million in business property taxes. The governor has proposed a special election to raise the state sales tax, thereby targeting poorer people. The average Arizona resident pays 2.5 percent income tax. I would rather pay more income tax to keep people employed, than to pay the current income tax and have the state use it to pay for unemployment.
- Housing prices have dropped enormously. Foreclosures are rising. If you lose your job, the maximum monthly unemployment benefit is $960 a month. I imagine as more jobs are cut, we will see many more foreclosures. Actually getting unemployment if you lose your job is difficult- according to a friend, they don't answer the phones, they don't return emails, and the lines are horrendous.
- Instead of focusing on monetary problems, many of our state legislators are pushing for anti-abortion and anti-contraception laws. Jan Brewer, the new governor, will likely support these.
So yeah, things suck in Arizona right now.
