The only way the government can pay a worker is to take money from someone else. Private companies pay their workers with private money. The government pays people with tax money taken from the working population.

Katherine Private companies pay their workers with money takenform someone else they just take it in a different way. Private money just does not appear they take the cost of an item add a huge price increase then sell it to you where they take your money. The Government is providing a service and that costs money sometimes more then what you are paying for it but what they don't do is make huge profits.

When you give a private company your money you get a product in return. You get to decide weather or not you want that product or a different one. You pay your money and you get something in return. When you give your money to the government there is no choice about how it is spent. Yes, you do receive services, but you also receive waste and fraud. Just try driving on the wonderful rhode island roads. Your tax dollars at work. The government does not make anything. Private business does. I am long gone from rhode island in both time and distance. I just like to check in with the patch now and then to remind myself why I left.

@Maxin; the private sector was gutted out because of government overbearing regulations, taxes and high labor rates. You are forgeting that this is free enterprise and those people who have started small businesses and manage to enlarge them with prudent investment, a quality product and service will succeed. All government will do is try to regulate it, which is exactly why these businesses have chosen to close down and move overseas. Labor rates are cheaper and government regulations are far less. The far east is taking many jobs away from this country and this state because of these regulations and high taxes. There are over 1,600 state regulations that small business has to deal with. There are also unknown numbers of federal regulations to deal with as well. These regulations did not exist twenty or thirty years ago. This country is approaching a cross-road - whether it proceeds as a capitalist free economy or join europe as a socialist country. We are rapidly heading down that road and may be soon known as the United Socialist States of America. We are rapidly heading down the road to ruin because of over taxation and excessive spending. We are 16+Trillion dollars in debt nationally and over 15.5 Billion in debt in RI. How do you expect to pay for all of this debt? Without a vibrante economy, it just isn't going to happen.

So, how does a private sector job "keep up with the costs of living"? The argument makes no sense to me. A private company should just dish out extra money to employees because general costs of living go up? How about the company creates values and an environment to be competitive and successful then when they have more market share - because their product or service is better than the rest - they can afford to pass some more along to the people who busted their *sses to be better.

You have a big assumption in there... that everyone is entitled to more money... correction: everyone is entitled to work hard and do teh best they can for themselves... granted in some cases people need help to do that or to get on their feet. But, I firmly believe that many people just aren't living to their full potential... look at what matters to most people in our country today: entertainment, overeating, over indulgence in sex/drugs/etc.

We've lost our ethic, our drive, and our passion to be the best... well... not all of us... but feels like the minority these days.

Hi Rags, You're right that they don't run out and hire people but taxes do figure into the long term economic strategy of the state. If I told you to setup your our new New England branch would you do it in RI, with a tax rate of 9%, CT with a rate of 7.5%, or MA with a rate of 8%. It's just common sense not to start a big business in RI when you can go a few miles north or west and save yourself a lot of money in the long run. Unless of course you are big enough to play the politics game and get a special deal that they can brag about cause it created jobs.

RI just isn't as competitive as it's neighbors in New England. That's who we are really competing against for jobs.

We've ranked dead last two years in a row for business friendliness. Why would anyone want to start a business here if they had a choice? http://www.cnbc.com/id/46413845/

That said, we keep electing the same people that have gotten us here. The last time the Democrats didn't control at least one chamber, Hitler was still ruling Germany (39-40). The last time they didn't control both was in 1958. They've had plenty of time to implement their vision of RI and this is what it is. 44 years of control, who else can you really blame when you have that much control for so long?

Just to add Ted. There are also over 30 other taxes a Company that sells and manufactures a product has to deal with in this State.

The permits and legal hoops and of course pay off cost are enormous. There is a good reasonwe are last and it would take pages to list them. By the way it has been 78 years of single party control in this State. Governors Don't count as tey have mostly figure head power and the R.I. Constitution gives the GA more power than the Governor. These are well known facts for the nay sayers.

9% of the GA currently is the other party. Think about that people. Those who critize the current stagnation in Washington should look to RI when it is all one party.

I would not come back for anything. It is fun to watch you all stew in your own mess though:)

I'd like to agree with some of that. Government is a paid-for service. It's paid for by all people who work and pay taxes PLUS all of the business and property owners regardless what the business is. Now to the 47%..well government isn't anything but an ATM and cheese machine to take take take. I'm retired military and I've paid state and federal tax all my life except for the 4yrs on and off deployed overseas. The state still taxes my military retirement as if it was just another job. There are maybe 3 or 4 states that will steal your money a second time around like RI does. The rest of the states either don't tax military retirements (because they've already collected off them for 30 years) or pro-rate a type of tax break with a cap. This is all in, as much as I hate to type it, M S N.com not the thug cable news msnbc. I don't do any one elses homework for them. On my way out of the corrupt little state in the union, but not there yet and not for lack of trying.

Leaveri...I encourage you to get out. Nothing will change there because the people keep voting for the same people no matter how bad it gets. Don't even bother with staying anywhere in new England. I won't say where I am, but it is a dark red state where people have some common sense. The unemployment rate is very low and even the gravel roads here are better than the paved roads in rhode island. If you can, get out before it really hits the fan. You will never regret it.

katherine thanks. It's not for any other reason I'm not gone other than my wifes job offer is still pending...and it's in Texas..I'm not afraid to say that..there was an offer for me to teach military in SC, however, I already work outside of RI and that would just make too many moving parts and frankly more of a pain than a gain..enjoy

State revenue increased last year.

Joe Sousa...Sounds just like chicken little " The sky is falling, the sky is falling. Get a life dude!

I have done some research on this budget mess and in looking back ten years, the state budget has increased 85%. Not once, in that time interval has there been a cut in spending! In 2008, they moved all the department figures into 2009. No cutting. This budget went up 6% to a record breaking $8.1 Billion dollars. Where is the economy to support this kind of budget load? It will come crashing down in the end.

RI had a hundred million dollar surplus last year. Revenue exceeded expectations. What are you talking about Joe? Does this have anything to do with the 12 teachers?

@Joe: The federal courts will never see RI into bankruptcy because it is a sovereign state. Municipalities can go into bankruptcy but the states have to dig themselves out, either through higher taxation or less spending. It's that simple.

Cite your sources, if you can.

This sounds like a bold, baseless claim.
Again.

http://www.dor.ri.gov/Reports/RI%20Revenue%20Changes%202011%20Session%20with%20Table.pdf

Increased Business taxes by $794,250 in FY12. Page 4.
New tax on Insurance Proeeds, $776,903. Page 6
New tax on Computer Software, $6,668,600. Page 6
New tax on OTC Drugs, $7,765,808. Page 7
New tax on Sightseeing tours, $1,050,000 Page 8.
Business Regulation License Fees went up, $1,193,440, Page 9
Beach Parking Fees went up, $1468,978, Page 10

I could go on but you get the picture. Taxes and fees are up. See Page 17. Total General Revenue Tax Changes are up $21,586,058 for FY 2012. Fees are up even more! $148,143,141 for FY12.

That said I couldn't find anything that Personal income tax revenue went down. The newest numbers I could find were FY11 vs FY12. Personal Income Tax revenue increased 1.4% or $14,654,533. Corporate Income tax did fall 6.4%.

http://www.dor.ri.gov/Revenue%20Briefs/FYE%202012%20Revenue%20Assessments/CORRECTED%20FY%202012%20Special%20Report%20on%20Preliminary%20Revenues%20June%202.pdf

Jim, with all the driving your doing, you should watch out for drunk drivers. Statistically you more likely to get into an accident when you drive as much as you do.

Lorraine,
Please cite some statistics for your claim or "lots and lots of affordable housing right now in RI". Last time I checked, Portsmouth needed another 500 units to meet ferderal requirements for Affordable housing.

OldTownie

Glad you asked! From what I've read in the blogs which appear to have credible citations, the issue of the feds counting homes has to do with funding of projects, not statutory compliance to affordable housing laws here in RI.

The way things are counted is that RI housing will only count homes with affordable deed restrictions. Blogger John Harker gave a great explanation on this in:

http://barrington.patch.com/articles/affordable-housing-meeting-cancelled#comments

Here is an example. One house is selling for $250,000 and another for $150,000 in the same town. Which one is affordable? Let me add, the one for $150,000 does not have an affordable deed restriction so it won't count, where as the one for $250,000 does and will count.

Hense the numbers are being rigged to promote government involvement and oversight, not because there is an actual shortage of affordable homes.

While this may be a fine public policy when money is freely flowing, it is insanity when times are lean.

You may actually find that Portsmouth has lots of actual homes that are affordable, but are simply not being counted by Big Government as being affordable in order to promote expanded government oversight of a phantom problem.

That is my point. You don't leave at 5pm every day on your job when you know layoffs are coming, and you don't enforce rigged public policy when you are borrowing to run government year after year.
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Sponsored by Schlitz!

Why didn't you attend the the No Tolls meeting that was held last Thursday evening at the Tiverton Town Hall. I guess your handler(David Nelson) wouldn't let you attend?

I vote we call it the Coulter Expressway to free garbage disposal at work.

Remember the slogan: pay as you through unless your a coulter.

Perhaps it's about you, Fake Jim. Perhaps you can finagle away around the tolls too and let us "little people" foot the bill.

Hi Fake Jim L. I think we all know why you were offended because I wanted to use the name Coulter. The real Jim L. wanted to call it the American Way Bridge, I want to call it the Coulter Expressway. Wink wink!

You post above gets nothing on the burp o meter because you are the fake Jim L.

Might I suggest the PCC/TCC Patriot's TOLL-FREE Bridge to Freedom and Prosperity?

Did you guys even understand that post at all? I was so confused.

You spelled it wrong, and I'm not easily intimidated. Nice try though.

How is that okay, but I get in trouble or waving my my finger. Very frustrating.

The editor of the SK/Narragansett Patch seems to have a different opinion than the Tiverton Patch:

Stephen Greenwell
4:38 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
We don't allow Carlin's seven, but everything else is usually fine. It's not the Sunday comics page.

I just found this to be interesting.

wait..grammar police..I already know sauna is the correct spelling..it was a line from a commercial I spelled phonetically to make the point