Reply to MoCo Question B would be a disaster

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Everybody wants to cut taxes until they learn what needs to be cut to achieve it.[/quote]

Meh, that's how you figure out what's important.  [/quote]

Okay.  So at the federal level, we've learned that massive deficits are what's important.  Counties can't do that.[/quote]

I think that's my point.  Counties can't keep writing blank checks unlike the federal government, so they will have to prioritize and cut the less important stuff.  The federal government doesn't have to do that because they just print more money.  [/quote]

Actually what will happen is that the county won't be able to fund things that are important.  And it will be even harder to put money into the rainy day fund that is saving our a$$ right now (the one the Council prioritized).  There will be more economic downturns in the future, and it's not going to be pretty for us if we limit our revenues like this.  That's why bond-rating agencies don't like these types of limits.

"The strictest tax limitations, like the original implementation of the TABOR rule in Colorado, can prevent states from saving revenues in rainy day funds to cushion against downturns. Randall and Rueben (2017) synthesized decades of research on TELs and other budgetary institutions, concluding that states should reform TELs that prevent them from saving during good times. Rueben, Randall and Boddupalli (2018) found that, during the Great Recession, states with binding revenue limits or a combination of binding revenue and expenditure limits were more responsive to deficit shocks than states with weaker rules."
https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-are-tax-and-expenditure-limits[/quote]

The county just needs to live within its means.  It can do that, it's done that in the past, not sure when everything became so bloated.  I've seen road repairs on roads that don't need any work, while others just keep on growing potholes.  Paying residents' cable TV expenses (internet is essential yes, but cable TV?).  Massive spending on BRTs that are underutilized.  Development moratoriums that shoot our own feet at growing the tax base.  Moco has a state income tax, county income tax, and private property taxes.  Fairfax/Arlington/Loudoun counties don't even have a county income tax, their state income tax rate is similar to MD, and they're all doing much better than Moco.  Moco really needs to examine what it's doing with its money, and they won't do so unless their hand is forced.  From the writing on the wall, Moco's bond rating is already going to get damaged anyway, it's not going to make much of a difference.  Moco needs to study what's going on across the river instead of doubling down on what doesn't work.  [/quote]

Sorry, but the policy you're proposing, Robin, has been shown to be dangerous and ineffective.  It's not conservative, it's stupid.  I'm sorry you don't like how our elected representatives have chosen to spend our tax dollars.  Until you get elected, I'm afraid all you can do is vote, just like the rest of us.[/quote]

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