Virginia has an amazing budget surplus

[Anonymous]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/08/virginia_budget_surplus_reache.html

Meanwhile on the other side of the Potomac, MD and DC can't get their acts together. Wonder why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/08/virginia_budget_surplus_reache.html

Meanwhile on the other side of the Potomac, MD and DC can't get their acts together. Wonder why?

We don't have as many on the dole?

[Anonymous]

Great, maybe now they can undo the school budget cuts.

[Anonymous]

Virginia isn't held hostage by the unions the way Maryland is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginia isn't held hostage by the unions the way Maryland is.

What do unions have to do with the state budget? VDOT employees are paid very well as are all other state employees. Unions are good because they protect the rights of those who have no power. Although unions are not particularly good employers.

[Anonymous]

As a Virginia resident, it has nothing to do with what we did right. Virginia did $2.3b in budget cuts for 2010-2012, and almost half was education. $753 million was in elementary education. That basically means that the problem is pushed down to the counties, who can't just chop the schools by the same amount. It's buck passing, really.

Some cuts are gutless, IMO. When the Federal Government cuts services like Medicaid, they know darn well that the states get stuck with the tab. And when the state cuts education funding, they know they are passing the buck to the counties and cities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia isn't held hostage by the unions the way Maryland is.

What do unions have to do with the state budget? VDOT employees are paid very well as are all other state employees. Unions are good because they protect the rights of those who have no power. Although unions are not particularly good employers.

You are kidding with your question, right? Do you understand how unions negotiate pension contracts?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure that comment is relevant here. What salary data I can query suggests that Va is outpaying MD. Do you have some specific information on compensation, or is this an assumption that you are making based on a belief about unions?

[Anonymous]

Maybe it is demographics? Look at the demographics in DC and MD, they are the hands out, welfare type.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it is demographics? Look at the demographics in DC and MD, they are the hands out, welfare type.

Just curious. What are welfare types?