Except for the 2% non raise for the Teacher's, I have yet to see anywhere where anyone is really making reductions while facing the need for Employees to pay any more for their Medical/ Dental/ Vision programs, yet the appropriate level of Government seems to be picking up more and more of the increases for the Employees? As is noted, when a program does not go up as much as wanted, it is often called a "reduction".
It was noted the other day by a "talking head", that the kids have and are being taught that a four year degree is not only a must, but an entitlement and with ever decreasing costs to each of them. This while they are moving from school back into their parents basements. They are hearing over and over that the jobs in the Vocational Schools are "beneath" them as is getting their hands dirty working on those poor people jobs like Welding, Automotive, HVAC and Electrical as examples. But for those who have pursued those careers, many are realizing where the money really is in this day and age. These folks are not likely to get outsourced any time soon.
Am pleased, very pleased to see where Mr. Trump is finally going after the massive scam being pulled on U.S. workers called the H1B visa program. And to listen to the defenders of the program blame it all on companies that get large numbers of these visas and bring lower paid employees from other Countries to fill them was interesting. Another of the finger pointing at "them" whoever they are rather than to find ways to protect U.S. jobs. I never had the position of having to train my replacement but can imagine the shame, anger and frustration at finding ones' self so lightly valued?
A Mr. Stirewalt, who is a talking head on some shows and a proud West Virginian by birth, pointed out some interesting facts as have been noted also here in the past. The one that struck me the most is his admission that "so many West Virginians are not working". Than he stated and this was the telling part is that "those who are working are working hard and doing well". His comment has a lot of truth in some ways, but I suspect the gentleman has not put in his 20- 25 hours a week at a fast food eatery lately?
I asked a guy at one of our sit and eat places the other day on all the new faces that have suddenly shown up? He noted that with school ending, a lot are being hired and some come to the place thinking it will be a really easy job? Well busing and cleaning out front plus the hot work than can be going on in the food prep areas is usually not a smooth as one may think? So it seems a bit of turnover while the workers find their niche and the kids that should be home are just now getting there.
One of the items that continues to amaze me is where someone sits and does this really neat looking comparative on what we pay versus another State for like goods/ services. What seems to get lost in the translation and maybe rightly so is that many, far too many here do NOT earn what is made in another State. So a lower Tax/ Fee/ Surcharge and so on is not always apple to apple but many times apples and oranges. But in defense, I will admit to put the comparatives in place takes more space and for sure explanation that is allowed.
And there are those who believe somehow that a 3- 3.5% Food Sales Tax would not be enough to push border Counties across the river might be surprised?
One Kim S. Rueben, Senior Fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center in D.C. put it pretty simply " In a State like West Virginia, moving from an income tax to a sales- and in part increasing reliance on the sales tax- expands the sales tax to food, and moves from a progressive to a regressive tax system".
Simply put, hurts the poorest among us and enriches the richer. 'nuff said'.