Massachusetts is bankrupt. Did you know that the state is now $130 billion
in debt? This is never mentioned, but it is a fact. Also think about this: 29%
of the state's revenue is dependent upon the federal government, and the federal
government is $17.5 trillion in debt. This is also a fact. Whatever happened to
the common sense logic that it is extremely unhealthy to spend much more than
you earn and accumulate massive debt? Unfortunately few, if any, business
schools teach this today.
This was revealed in the mind set of Governor Deval Patrick when he
submitted the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget. During a depressed economy he called for
a $34.8 billion budget, a 7% increase that included a $1.9 billion tax hike and
a $400 million withdrawal from the state's (mysterious) reserve fund. (What
reserve when you are $130 billion in debt?). Under Patrick, between FY's
2009-2013 expenditures increased $11.7 billion, a 23.6% increase while the
cumulative rate of inflation during this same period increased only 9.1%. This
clearly shows the pattern outspending both income and inflation as our massive
state debt increases.
Yet in spite of the over spending and massive debt, Patrick continually
plays Santa Claus with taxpayer money. Who doesn't love a guy who gives you
money? Two hundred million dollars here, $50 million there, another $20 million
over there. To those not looking at the severe consequences of such action
Patrick is a hero. But where are we headed?
We also need to face another reality in the State of Massachusetts. First,
let me clearly state that we should always help those in real
need. In fact we have an obligation to do so. Having said that it is well known
that Massachusetts is a sucker state for massive welfare fraud. Nowhere was this
more exemplified than by the Boston Marathon bombers, the Tsarnaev
brothers. They came to this country on the false premise of escaping persecution
in their home country. For 10 years they hardly even worked yet they were
provided places to live, food, cars, membership to clubs, free education,
including college, and essentially all their expenses paid for by taxpayers.
They were even able to take an expensive vacation back home where they were
supposedly being persecuted. Suckers is what we are! Yet they are only one
example, welfare fraud is widespread and massive in the state.
A
Cato Institute White Paper in August of 2013 revealed that Massachusetts
potential welfare benefit packages total $37,346 tax free. Why
work? This is equivalent to an average working person, paying taxes, earning
$50,540. And this welfare benefit package is on the increase. There have been
example after example of potential welfare fraud reported yet the Patrick
administration and the state bureaucracies are very secretive about this and in
some cases refuse to offer information even to state legislators. When Patrick
was asked about how much the Tsarnaev brothers were given to them by the state
he said that he wanted to protect their rights. How about the rights of
taxpayers, paying the bills?
What
is desperately needed is fiscal responsibility by our governor and elected
representatives. Currently there appears to be NO responsibility. It is only a
matter of time before the entire Massachusetts economy comes crashing down. Then
all citizens of the state, irrespective of party, will be severely and
negatively affected. I urge you to look at the facts, not the political
rhetoric. It is all basic arithmetic and it WILL affect you.
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