here comes the state tax increase

[kalakoa]

I realize it's just me whining, here, because our taxes are too low as it is, and fiscal mismanagement is an acceptable government practice, but here goes...

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/01/0...ideration/
https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/01/state-...re-coming/
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/01/05...es-or-not/

Note the waffling "too soon to tell" and "depends what happens in Georgia", as if the State didn't just hand out raises and delay furloughs while tax revenues fell nearly to zero.

Expect County to raise property taxes after the State "adjusts" revenue sharing.

I hope they get desperate enough to declare amnesty and start handing out as-builts.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Here’s an idea.
If the state raises our taxes, we’re working the same amount for less money (the state takes more out of our paycheck).
Instead, why not let state workers be the ones who work the same amount for less?  Reduce their wages.
And don’t replace state workers who retire for a period of 5 years or so.
Problem solved.

[eightfingers2.0]

Good luck getting that by the UNION.

[terracore]

The nature of bureaucracy is that it grows inefficiencies, which in turn grow more bureaucracy. The bureaucrats are incapable of affecting this situation because it is above their pay grade, only elected officials can change the way government operates. When the elected officials ask bureaucrats to come up with cost saving recommendations they only produce recommendations that negatively affect the taxpayers but don't actually provide any cost savings. An example would be that a person can take 1 level pickup load of trash per day to the transfer station maximum. If the household has 1.5 loads of trash they must make 2 trips, even though the county will be handling the same amount of rubbish regardless. In fact the added wear and tear on country roads from the added trips depletes the infrastructure faster and actually costs the county (and therefore the taxpayers) more.

The only way to cut costs is to cut unnecessary services/requirements. For example, why don't they get rid of the entire vehicle inspection program? The states that don't have them do just fine. In fact empowering the police to pull people over for safety infractions leads to greater drunk driving arrests, etc. Not only would the costs of the program disappear, it would trickle into saving in other departments (like faster DMV lines). This is a problem the legislators came up with and they can make it go away. But they won't, instead they will find some use tax to add to this entirely useless program (WARNING: ADDING A USE TAX GROWS THE BUREAUCRACY) instead of finding and eliminating useless inefficiencies.

The only way to grow the union base is to grow the taxing and spending. It's a one-way road (full of pot holes) because nobody will vote them out.

[eightfingers2.0]

Only way change can happen is when the givers outnumber the takers.

[Kaimana]

The only way to cut costs is to cut unnecessary services/requirements.  For example, why don't they get rid of the entire vehicle inspection program? The states that don't have them do just fine. In fact empowering the police to pull people over for safety infractions leads to greater drunk driving arrests, etc.  Not only would the costs of the program disappear, it would trickle into saving in other departments (like faster DMV lines).  This is a problem the legislators came up with and they can make it go away.  But they won't, instead they will find some use tax to add to this entirely useless program (WARNING:  ADDING A USE TAX GROWS THE BUREAUCRACY) instead of finding and eliminating useless inefficiencies.

The only way to grow the union base is to grow the taxing and spending.  It's a one-way road (full of pot holes) because nobody will vote them out.

Is there any data on how much it costs/generates? It would seem that it would generate more money than it costs, but I can't find any data on it.

[kalakoa]

I've heard that lawyers will go after the most recent safety inspector when seeking to establish fault for accidents that result in an injury, premise being that the accident wouldn't have happened if the vehicle had been properly inspected.

I've also heard (multiple times) that the fees don't cover the costs.

If true, then the vehicle inspection program is actually a drain on the economy.

That's before considering that it's a stupid program. Why can't we just have fix-it tickets like everywhere else?