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They're flat broke. What do you suggest they do? badtoworse Jul 2012 #1
I suggest they raise taxes - TBF Jul 2012 #2
The mayor proposed that, but the people in Scranton don't want higher taxes,... badtoworse Jul 2012 #6
I don't care if rich people don't want to be taxed - TBF Jul 2012 #7
Most property owners in Scranton are not rich Freddie Stubbs Jul 2012 #10
I'm not going to get in any fights about defining the word "rich" - TBF Jul 2012 #13
Many of these 'well off' property owners are retirees on fixed incomes Freddie Stubbs Jul 2012 #26
Again, will not bite on that. Property owners who expect fire and police TBF Jul 2012 #28
$7.25/hour is not a living wage --do you suggest employees stop living? CreekDog Jul 2012 #21
Oh course not Freddie Stubbs Jul 2012 #32
OK so then the state or federal gov't will have to move some money from limpyhobbler Jul 2012 #38
Sounds easy to me. nt TBF Jul 2012 #45
Have you ever been in Scranton? How many rich people do you think live there? badtoworse Jul 2012 #12
See my post #13 - not biting. nt TBF Jul 2012 #14
I read Post No. 20. $128,000 median home price doesn't sound like a rich neighborhood to me. badtoworse Jul 2012 #27
Again, I'm not playing these republican split the people games TBF Jul 2012 #29
BTW, the mayor and the city council are Democrats badtoworse Jul 2012 #46
I realize that and I'm not surprised that you would point it out. TBF Jul 2012 #49
Yes, raise them anyway nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #9
Sometimes, democracy sucks when people don't vote right! FrodosPet Jul 2012 #36
lolol - don't even start with me TBF Jul 2012 #37
And then what? FrodosPet Jul 2012 #47
Here ya go - TBF Jul 2012 #48
I don't have that kind of money for books now FrodosPet Jul 2012 #50
Here ya go - online and free TBF Jul 2012 #58
That's it exactly. They expect to have a working socialist system......... socialist_n_TN Jul 2012 #71
how much of this can be chalked up to demonization of government workers that has CTyankee Jul 2012 #88
Simple concepts but a lot of money is spent to confuse folks - TBF Jul 2012 #92
I hope we can do that. Perhaps we get a dozen or so George Clooneys together to get our CTyankee Jul 2012 #95
Are you interested in a serious discussion about socialist remedies for the coalition_unwilling Jul 2012 #51
Collective ownership seems to be the core FrodosPet Jul 2012 #53
All good socialists agree that everything needs to be examined and forced coalition_unwilling Jul 2012 #62
Just a quick comparison, but it looks like they do pay something already. jtuck004 Jul 2012 #67
Personally I would look at this from a global perspective TBF Jul 2012 #68
Pay for it out of the federal income tax? n/t jtuck004 Jul 2012 #73
Yes - I would nationalize schools, services, etc... TBF Jul 2012 #78
Can the state not step in and assist? jpbollma Jul 2012 #3
There is no short term. jtuck004 Jul 2012 #74
Good post! Sterling Jul 2012 #117
why are counties states and townships broke? Becasue federal aid has been slashed repeatedly librechik Jul 2012 #4
I agree - in fact I'd go further and nationalize every TBF Jul 2012 #5
I agree 100000% truebrit71 Jul 2012 #30
Grover Norquist needs to be sentenced to life without parole in prison Woody Woodpecker Jul 2012 #33
Grover Nordquist's mother DID have an abortion! yoyossarian Jul 2012 #44
States and municipalities used to be able to proved services without federal assistance Freddie Stubbs Jul 2012 #34
You mean back when there were union jobs and folks could TBF Jul 2012 #35
+100! n/t librechik Jul 2012 #40
...because of the crash & recession, higher unemployment, and other fallout from the bubble (like HiPointDem Jul 2012 #94
What do you suggest? Gman Jul 2012 #11
I don't see any solution to this badtoworse Jul 2012 #19
If I'm the firemen and police I hold a union meeting and immediately strike - TBF Jul 2012 #31
better yet, a general strike, like they do in Europe. Followed by an emergency librechik Jul 2012 #41
Agree - folks have to be thinking in this direction TBF Jul 2012 #42
take our government back--for real librechik Jul 2012 #52
What about people who refuse to participate? FrodosPet Jul 2012 #54
My response to that is help or get out of the way. nt TBF Jul 2012 #55
I suggest the city employees declare his actions a violation of their labor agreements... Chan790 Jul 2012 #128
Then I suggest the city workers start putting in minimum effort krispos42 Jul 2012 #8
Does this include the mayor and the city council's paychecks? Fawke Em Jul 2012 #15
the headline says "workers" Enrique Jul 2012 #18
As I understand it, it's everyone, up to and including the mayor. badtoworse Jul 2012 #22
Do you have a cite for that? TBF Jul 2012 #25
Try these badtoworse Jul 2012 #39
Interesting - wonder about his family background TBF Jul 2012 #43
Yes nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #24
Looks like gross fiscal management from the mayor on down... KansDem Jul 2012 #16
that parking bond deal looks pretty corrupt to me. esp. since the parking authority people HiPointDem Jul 2012 #98
Who doesn't think it can happen to them? NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #17
Yes, I've seen your posts - TBF Jul 2012 #23
Interestingly CNNMoney ranked it as one of the TBF Jul 2012 #20
Out here fly-by-night LLCs are buying up foreclosures at auction and turning them into rentals. Starry Messenger Jul 2012 #60
that *is* interesting. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #99
Common sense says taxes simply shift private spending to government spending. jody Jul 2012 #56
I disagree with your framing - TBF Jul 2012 #59
I said nothing about "privatizing services". Do you have a solution to the problem? nt jody Jul 2012 #63
As I said, I disagree with your interpretation of the "problem". TBF Jul 2012 #69
LOL please start your own thread stating your proposed solution and I'll be delighted to read and jody Jul 2012 #109
lol I already started a thread - TBF Jul 2012 #110
My statement "taxes simply shift private spending to government spending" is based on economic jody Jul 2012 #112
No TBF Jul 2012 #113
"right-wing talking point"! Have you ever read the Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions by Jefferson and jody Jul 2012 #114
How can you call it "freedom" when an owner.......... socialist_n_TN Jul 2012 #111
Understand your anger and hostility but you do have the freedom to start your own company and jody Jul 2012 #115
You can't start companies without capital - TBF Jul 2012 #122
If you prepare a business plan, see link to SBA for help, that has promise, jody Jul 2012 #139
why are you here? i think you want the neoliberal forum. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #135
Why am I here? I'm a Yellow Dog Democrat in the Jefferson/Madison pattern, the founders of my jody Jul 2012 #138
He's here because he's socially liberal and fiscally conservative like Obama - TBF Jul 2012 #140
bullshit. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #134
Police and firefighters will move to another city Blue_In_AK Jul 2012 #57
See "Detroit". Thank you for your comment because it is the reason I took the TBF Jul 2012 #61
since this undoubtedly violates their collective bargaining agreements... mike_c Jul 2012 #64
They're filing law suits but they need to be in the streets - TBF Jul 2012 #70
Don't you know mike, contracts are only for the wealthy......... socialist_n_TN Jul 2012 #72
Did Hizzoner cut his OWN pay to minimum wage? Bake Jul 2012 #65
You bet wrong. former9thward Jul 2012 #66
Well, I'm shocked. Bake Jul 2012 #100
I have been on DU for 2 or 3 years sweetapogee Jul 2012 #75
"Someone please tell me how the pukes in Harrisburg can stop the city of Scranton from filing" Hassin Bin Sober Jul 2012 #76
great response! sweetapogee Jul 2012 #77
Harrisburg got thrown out. They did not have permission from the state. n/t jtuck004 Jul 2012 #84
that sweetapogee Jul 2012 #86
Could they not find something useful to do? That's like 'pubs voting to oust O's insurance plan jtuck004 Jul 2012 #87
I understand and appreciate your frustration. sweetapogee Jul 2012 #89
That will likely get tossed. The BK court will defer to the state. Hassin Bin Sober Jul 2012 #96
not to pick nits, really sweetapogee Jul 2012 #104
Thanks for your comments and I'm not pissed at all - TBF Jul 2012 #79
thanks!!! sweetapogee Jul 2012 #80
Well the current management can be replaced. TBF Jul 2012 #81
Bond Guarantees. New York Times article that explains some more. Not just Scranton but nc4bo Jul 2012 #83
Taibbi had a huge piece on this, too Blue_Tires Jul 2012 #91
the taxpayers weren't given a chance to vote on the bond question -- who made that decision? HiPointDem Jul 2012 #97
So it's either raise taxes to the point where it directly pays for city services jtuck004 Jul 2012 #85
I'm south of Scranton sweetapogee Jul 2012 #90
Well, let me ask you something then sweetapogee NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #101
no argument sweetapogee Jul 2012 #105
Free trade is destroying the tax base of hundreds of cities across America. reformist2 Jul 2012 #82
Yup, that's the way I see it as well - TBF Jul 2012 #93
As a government worker and union member, if my pay was cut to minimum wage because upaloopa Jul 2012 #102
Solidarity brother - TBF Jul 2012 #103
maybe I should just stop now BUT... sweetapogee Jul 2012 #106
What is going on with that general account? nt TBF Jul 2012 #107
again complicated sweetapogee Jul 2012 #108
Good point and that's your right and a governor has the power to activate the unorganized militia to jody Jul 2012 #116
As a government worker I have sworn the same oath to protect and defend. If called I would have to upaloopa Jul 2012 #118
Sorry but you misjudge me, I've been a govt. worker. I simply pointed out the power each governor jody Jul 2012 #119
Sorry about that. What most people don't understand is that we could be ordered to work for free! upaloopa Jul 2012 #121
It sounds like the problem lies with the parking authority. HooptieWagon Jul 2012 #120
No thought whatsoever toward reducing spending? OrgExp Jul 2012 #123
What spending is rampant & unchecked? aintitfunny Jul 2012 #124
Rampant & Unchecked? OrgExp Jul 2012 #126
Defense - rampant and unchecked. Close every overseas base. TBF Jul 2012 #131
Tax breaks for the wealthy nationwide-rampant and unchecked............ socialist_n_TN Jul 2012 #132
Scranton's problems did not originate in Scranton PETRUS Jul 2012 #125
Poor OrgExp Jul 2012 #129
What you said. PETRUS Jul 2012 #130
How about increasing revenue? Yeah, I mean taxes. Many municipalities, and states, cut taxes pinto Jul 2012 #133
the gropenator tried to do this to california state employees shanti Jul 2012 #127
Apparently the parking authority is sitting on a spare million and still asked for a bailout. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #136
Interesting - thank you for the update on this! nt TBF Jul 2012 #137
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