Tax Cuts and the Debt
April 15, 2011 Leave a comment
See a History of House Values: Prices are Falling Again
April 14, 2011 Leave a comment
See this very interesting graph showing the change in the housing price index in the US. You will note that it is still heading down and this should be reflected by further declines in property values and problems for local government that depend on property taxes.
Note: This chart has been liberally copied without identifying either the source or author. If you see this elsewhere on the intertubes, you should recognize that it was created by Steve Barry, and is originally published here at TBP.(http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/04/case-shiller-100-year-chart-2011-update/)
Proposal: Create a COMMUNITY CONVERSATION in the City of Coral Gables
April 14, 2011 1 Comment
This a modest proposal to establis a monthly or bi-monthly meeting of the city of Coral Gables called the COMMUNITY CONVERSATION (or other relevant name). This would be a regular meeting attended alternatively by the mayor, one or more commissioners, the city manager and senior staff.
The purpose of the meetings would be to hear presentations by the city manager, mayor or senior staff on important city issues and to get community feedback in an atmosphere of civility and organized conversation. The agenda could be highly focused or there would be sessions of a general nature. All meetings would be open to individuals and organizations of the community.
This COMMUNITY CONVERSATION would satisfy an urgent need to create an open and ongoing forum where citizens can make informal comments and proposals to the city. This might evolve into a regular place of civil exchange of opinions about the future of the city.
More on the US Budget Deficit and Tax Debate
April 14, 2011 Leave a comment
…the government’s income is different from a households. The government has powers that households do not have, the power to change taxes. An increase in taxes will raise the government’s income and help to solve the problem. The right has tried to convince us with Laffer curve nonsense that this margin cannot be adjusted, i.e. the false claim that tax increases will not increase revenues, and they have also made arguments about employment and economic growth. Or they have simply proclaimed, without justification, that tax increases are off the table.
None of those argument withstand closer scrutiny, but they are an easy sell due to the willingness of households to project their own troubles with balancing their budgets onto the government. Deficits mean spending cuts.
But like or or not, tax increases are going to be part of the solution. Spending cuts alone are not going to be sufficient.
via Economist’s View: Confusing the Size of the Deficit with the Size of Government.
