Faster horses
Well-known member
March 30, 2011
In Case You Missed It
Helena Independent Record
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Reducing our Debt with Aggressive Cuts and Smart Investments
By Max Baucus
It's time to get serious about our debt. We've cut $10 billion already this year - and we're just getting started. As we continue, we need to be aggressive and smart.
We need to cut spending. But we also need to support investments that reduce our debt by growing our economy.
Last week, I saw firsthand how Montana communities are turning smart investments into big payoffs for Montana jobs.
I visited Miles Community College and learned how tuition assistance is helping train Montana's workforce to land good-paying jobs. MCC has an 89 percent graduation rate - that means nearly all MCC students have jobs right here in Montana when they graduate.
Much of MCC's success is possible because of federal Pell Grants. Ninety percent of MCC students are attending school with federal tuition assistance; nearly half of those are eligible for Pell. One single mother explained to me how a Pell Grant was providing her with the education she needed to get a good-paying job and support her family - ultimately saving taxpayers thousands in food stamps, WIC and other support.
"I agree that program cuts are necessary," she said, "however do these cuts need to be in a place that is helping those that need a hand UP not a hand OUT?"
More folks in Washington need her gift for straight talk and commonsense.
I met with officers at the Laurel Police Department, who have used federal investments to hire officers and keep them safe with bulletproof vests. In the last two years, COPS grants have created 37 police jobs across Montana. That means 37 more paychecks pumping dollars back into our economy and 37 more brave officers helping attract new businesses by keeping our communities safe.
I visited construction at the Livingston Wastewater Treatment Plant. Federal investments helped this project create at least two new jobs and employ nine local contractors with dozens of workers. Last year, similar investments supported 45 projects across Montana, creating jobs and helping Montana attract new businesses with safer, more efficient water infrastructure.
Montana is proud to be one of the few states to remain in the black during this recession. Great credit is due to the Montana businesses and entrepreneurs that drive our economy. We must also remember that nearly half of Montana's budget comes from federal investments.
To keep Montana prosperous, we need to continue smart investments in Montana jobs. But we can't continue business as usual when it comes to federal spending.
Here are 10 ways to reduce the deficit right now:
1. Stop erroneous tax refunds for prisoners
2. Cut aid to Iraq, which is running a budget surplus
3. Cut aid to Pakistan, which hasn't spent last year's aid
4. Limit the number of government employee credit cards
5. Cut unneeded Census funding
6. Carry out the Defense Department's plan to reduce reorganization funding
7. Make NASA deliver on existing projects before funding new programs
8. Cut millions of dollars for rehabilitating lakes in the desert
9. Eliminate the duplicative federal agency that focuses on development for Alaska only
10. Eliminate high-speed rail funding for east coast cities
Times are tough and we hate to make tough choices about spending. There's no doubt it's will take sacrifice.
What we can't do is cut Montana jobs as our economy is recovering. Cutting jobs will shrink our economy and make our debt problem even worse.
So let's work together to tighten the belt on Uncle Sam, before asking working families to stretch their own budgets further than they already have.
------------------
He says Montana is one of the few states to remain in the BLACK?
Wonder where he got that?????????? :?
In Case You Missed It
Helena Independent Record
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Reducing our Debt with Aggressive Cuts and Smart Investments
By Max Baucus
It's time to get serious about our debt. We've cut $10 billion already this year - and we're just getting started. As we continue, we need to be aggressive and smart.
We need to cut spending. But we also need to support investments that reduce our debt by growing our economy.
Last week, I saw firsthand how Montana communities are turning smart investments into big payoffs for Montana jobs.
I visited Miles Community College and learned how tuition assistance is helping train Montana's workforce to land good-paying jobs. MCC has an 89 percent graduation rate - that means nearly all MCC students have jobs right here in Montana when they graduate.
Much of MCC's success is possible because of federal Pell Grants. Ninety percent of MCC students are attending school with federal tuition assistance; nearly half of those are eligible for Pell. One single mother explained to me how a Pell Grant was providing her with the education she needed to get a good-paying job and support her family - ultimately saving taxpayers thousands in food stamps, WIC and other support.
"I agree that program cuts are necessary," she said, "however do these cuts need to be in a place that is helping those that need a hand UP not a hand OUT?"
More folks in Washington need her gift for straight talk and commonsense.
I met with officers at the Laurel Police Department, who have used federal investments to hire officers and keep them safe with bulletproof vests. In the last two years, COPS grants have created 37 police jobs across Montana. That means 37 more paychecks pumping dollars back into our economy and 37 more brave officers helping attract new businesses by keeping our communities safe.
I visited construction at the Livingston Wastewater Treatment Plant. Federal investments helped this project create at least two new jobs and employ nine local contractors with dozens of workers. Last year, similar investments supported 45 projects across Montana, creating jobs and helping Montana attract new businesses with safer, more efficient water infrastructure.
Montana is proud to be one of the few states to remain in the black during this recession. Great credit is due to the Montana businesses and entrepreneurs that drive our economy. We must also remember that nearly half of Montana's budget comes from federal investments.
To keep Montana prosperous, we need to continue smart investments in Montana jobs. But we can't continue business as usual when it comes to federal spending.
Here are 10 ways to reduce the deficit right now:
1. Stop erroneous tax refunds for prisoners
2. Cut aid to Iraq, which is running a budget surplus
3. Cut aid to Pakistan, which hasn't spent last year's aid
4. Limit the number of government employee credit cards
5. Cut unneeded Census funding
6. Carry out the Defense Department's plan to reduce reorganization funding
7. Make NASA deliver on existing projects before funding new programs
8. Cut millions of dollars for rehabilitating lakes in the desert
9. Eliminate the duplicative federal agency that focuses on development for Alaska only
10. Eliminate high-speed rail funding for east coast cities
Times are tough and we hate to make tough choices about spending. There's no doubt it's will take sacrifice.
What we can't do is cut Montana jobs as our economy is recovering. Cutting jobs will shrink our economy and make our debt problem even worse.
So let's work together to tighten the belt on Uncle Sam, before asking working families to stretch their own budgets further than they already have.
------------------
He says Montana is one of the few states to remain in the BLACK?
Wonder where he got that?????????? :?