If you sometimes feel that the news makes you crazy with rage or confusion and youre still at least willing to try to make some sense of whats going on, follow the incentives (mainly money but also power).The whole political mess weve seen this week began with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich who is charged with trying to sell Obamas vacant Senate seat.
That money fiasco and power struggle has turned into a battle over honor Blagojevichs, Burriss, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reids, and the Democrats.Illinois Gov.
Rod Blagojevich stands by as his choice to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S.
We got into our current dire straits because of short-term, myopic money grubbingnot just by politicians and Wall Street, but also by those of us who fall for quick-buck speculation schemes.Because of the demand for quarter-by-quarter (if not month-by-month) unrealistic increases...
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On Wednesday, New Orleans council members announced enhanced sanitation services like mechanical and manual street and sidewalk sweeping in the French Quarter are here for the long haul.
Just one day prior, the Nagin administration ordered the $4 million worth of cleaning services to stop next month.
The news is all the result of a closed-door meeting between Mayor Ray Nagin, Council Budget Chair Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, Council President Jackie Clarkson and Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis.
We will have the street sweepers, we will have the cleaning of the sidewalks and all of those things that make the French Quarter what it is, said Hedge-Morrell.
The enhanced services, the kind the mayor dubbed Disney-like, are said to cost the city about $4 million a year.
Council members say by reducing the frequency of the cleaning, they hope to reduce the cost.
Council members say for the first time Mayor...
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reported that the gap between government spending and available revenue will exceed 8 percent of the overall economy by the end of September, a chasm not seen since the end of World War II., said they have warned Obama to limit the package to temporary measures that will not add to the deficit in future years.The two Democratic budget leaders also cautioned Obama to find ways to pay for any other initiatives he pursues after taking office later this month, including expensive promises to expand access to health care for the uninsured, develop new sources of alternative energy and offer a bevy of new tax cuts to middle-class families.We should be very skeptical about any policy changes that add to the deficit and the debt that are permanent in nature, Conrad said told reporters.
It is a mistake to do things that add to the deficit and debt beyond the period for economic recovery.
In the newly created post, Killefer will be tasked with retooling budget practices and slashing...
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But that’s much better than private insurance quotes that were twice as much, rising after his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease and a major seizure that exacerbated his condition.He said that private premiums were stressing his home budget and put him within months of draining his savings.
The state subsidizes the program from a few sources, mostly a tax on health-insurance premiums and an annual cash withdrawal from the State Health Plan for public-service workers.
It’s starting operations with a $5 million grant from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund.Christopher Estes, 54, of Pfafftown will pay about $615 a month to get coverage under the state’s new plan.
Health Insurance Risk Pool, with a couple hundred approved for coverage beginning Thursday.But the program’s executive director, Michael Keough, said that enrollments have been accelerating.These...
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Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis has said he hopes a $15 million bonding request to expand the Civic Center would be part of any potential bonding bill.At 27.6 percent of the states budget, Health and Human Services is the states second-largest expense, with most dollars going to hospitals and nursing homes for reimbursement of care for low-income and uninsured patients.A health care task force reported to Gov.
Officials pointed out that is $55 million less of an increase than theyd planned to seek.The request assumes a 3 percent tuition increase at state universities and a 2 percent increase at state colleges.Students are still recovering from tuition hikes that reached double-digit percentages throughout most of the decade.Average student tuition and fees at reached $5,719 at St.
Cloud, but Republicans criticized the plan for not putting enough new money into the general K-12 formula.At 9.1 percent of the budget, public and private higher education is the states third-largest expense.The...
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But if we have to get unions to agree, they want something for exchange.Town officials are also doubtful about the potential cost savings.You could save money but that’s a crapshoot too, said Seekonk Town Administrator Michael Carroll.
A major sticking point is that municipal employers must pay between 50 percent and 99 percent of the health premium.
They could overhaul the design of the plan.Mark Fisher, North Attleborough’s town administrator, agrees.We have no guarantee that what we are looking at today is what’s going to be there tomorrow, he said.A new problem surfaced in October when the governor cut $900 million from the state budget, including $32 million from the GIC.
The town of Holbrook would save an estimated $212,000; the town of Millis would see about $300,000 in savings.But few have taken advantage of the state plan.
To help local governments manage the loss, he said he will propose a bill to give municipal officials the authority to...
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Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Lesley Cummings, director of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, which administers the Healthy Families program, have all expressed public support of First 5s funding solution.With this plan, First 5 California and First 5 county commissions continue to advocate for the well-being of our states youngest children by providing immediate relief to those facing a lapse in health coverage, said Kris Perry, executive director of First 5 California.However, First 5 California itself may be in danger in the coming budget year, due to a proposal contained in Gov.
This important collaboration continues to make health coverage affordable and accessible to our most vulnerable children.First 5 Lake approved a contribution of $28,350.78, as part of a $16.7 million joint initiative between First 5 California and First 5 county commissions throughout the state.The funds provide immediate...
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We also closed our community education program, we privatize transportation and food services, and consolidated bus routes so kids are walking farther to the bus stop, to save money on gas, said Superintendent Dan Danosky.
Instead of buying textbooks for each student in all of the history classes, for example, the district buys one set of history books students can check out to read at home and return if they do not have access to a computer.
And in all the districts, these main reasons exist for the money crunch: decreasing enrollment compounded by continued home foreclosures, uncertainty about state funding and increases in energy, health care and retirement costs.
Some of the things we’re looking at range from taking noon time transportation from kindergarten students to reductions in secretarial functions, said Rochester district spokeswoman Deb Hartman.
Pinckney Community Schools has lost about 100 students a year for the past four years.
The bottom line...
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