Ohio's economic issues

If you're within earshot of the state of Ohio, it's impossible to ignore the dismal economic situation we're in. We didn't benefit from that ginormous housing boom that affected many cities/states so we haven't been pummeled by that particular recession, but we still have a number of manufacturing jobs (read: American car companies) and we are in possession of some of the highest state school tuitions in the nation.

So our state legislature and governor, faced with a horrific deficit, have been warring over next year's budget. Emails abound about library cuts, early learning initiative cuts, everything-else-under-the-sun cuts, and they're all bad, Bad, BAD. Everyone is calling for everyone else to email/write/call their state lawmakers and complain.

The problem is - Ohio simply doesn't have enough money. No amount of teeth-gnashing and persuasive pontificating is going to change that fact. So what do we do?

Increase revenue? (Insert ominous music here)

The Republicans who have controlled Ohio's legislature (seeming FOREVER - seriously) are drooling at the prospect of our Democratic governor raising taxes. They're waiting with pens poised over paper to begin the next gubertanorial campaign to oust our well meaning but not aggressive enough (imo) leader. Democrats, meanwhile, are just as guilty, afraid to even utter the word in their sleep for fear of inciting that very wrath.

Yep, our state lawmakers are more concerned about keeping their jobs, and increasing their positions of power than they are about their consituents and future health of the state. Instead of solving the problem (which does not necessarily include raising taxes on the already beleaguered citizens), they're covering their own asses.

I'm so proud.


FYI: There s $7 Billion a year in tax credits, exemptions and deductions in Ohio's tax code that our legislature is completely ignoring.

For example, payday lenders, mortgage brokers and other financial companies pay taxes at a lower effective rate than banks. Erase that relief and the state would collect nearly $10 million PER YEAR.

A few years ago, our forward thinking state decided that if you managed to survive to senior citizenship, then you simply shouldn't have to pay property taxes. Doesn't matter if you're a retired CEO sitting in a $5 million dollar house - no property taxes. If we corrected that little mess, limiting the exemption to something reasonable, we could rake in another $140 million PER YEAR.

Or wait - extend sales tax to entertainment events, lobbying and debt collection (and who doesn't want to tax debt collectors and lobbyists out of existence??) - $90 million annually.

Here's another little nuggest: the state of Ohio caps the amount of sales tax paid by those buying fractions of private jets to $800. WTF? you should be asking. What the hell is so special about people who can afford even a PART of a PRIVATE JET that they should be tax break?! Without this cap, the typical average sales tax on one-eighth of a jet would run in the vicinity of $45,000. Instead, these wealthy individuals are writing checks smaller than the sales tax on the average automobile - $100.

So, if you want to see libraries, early learning initiatives and other such programs continue to exist, insist that our state legislatures get their heads out of their butts and address some of these egregious tax breaks. If they refuse, vote them the hell out of office. Then follow through.

The Office of Budget and Management
Ohio Department of Taxation

Good Music, Good Friends & A Video...

Yeah, that's me in there. Back when NEO actually HAD a music scene. Boo....

Things are Tough All Over

And even worse in certain states, like Ohio (double-digit unemployment, that's us). Based on some conversations I've had recently, I have to wonder, does it justify certain, if not illegal, then unethical behavior?

For example, doctrine of first sale says that if you buy a physical object, it now belongs to you and you are entitled to sell/trade that object. But what if you purchase A, trade it for B, then trade that for C?

Right now there are services that allow this sort of bartering, most usually of books, CDs and DVDs. It's easy to say "Who cares? The studies/record companies/publishers are bazillionaries" but what about the authors/musicians/filmmakers?

The average author's advance is $5000 and the huge majority of authors cannot make a living with their writing. Like the record business, only about 10% of published books make a profit. And those products (authors, bands) that lose money are quickly discarded.

What role do these 'barter/trade' services play in which artists/authors get the opportunity to release a second book or record? (and I don't want to hear any bitching about libraries; it is not an adequate analogy, don't even try)

It begs the question - does a person's precarious financial position justify denying an author/musician their royalty, especially if it's a matter of buying A, but then embarking on a trade chain that results in the use of B, C, D, E, F etc. for free?

Tech folk - would it be okay if someone used a design, script, code, banner, you created without compensation? Worse, if it was utilized multiple times?

Scientists/researchers - is it permissible for someone to use your formula for their personal benefit without paying you?

Is it alright to piggyback on someone's broadband internet connection or cable/satellite television if they just got laid off?

Buying books, CDs, DVDs - these are recreational activities and objects, not food, heat or life-saving medication. We all have to make choices on where we spend our disposable income. Some go for expensive coffee, others for satellite radio and DVR, and some for that monthly salon hair coloring.

Making a different choice means doing without others; it does not mean we are entitled to use/have it all for free.

40 Years After Stonewall

Folks are converging on NYC this weekend to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Not only was this a landmark moment in gay civil right, it's a glorious example of what can happen when ordinary people decide to exercise some much-needed civil disobedience. In this day and age when paparazzi and other assorted scum (tmz, perez hilton) like to wrap themselves in the Bill of Rights, this sort of TRUE display of patriotism does my trouble-making heart good.

OutHistory.org has the original police reports, newly uncovered through Freedom of Information Act. (That someone hit a police officer with a rolled-up newspaper makes me laugh to no end for some reason....)

And here's a profile on one of the gentlemen arrested that day, Raymond Castro (and tell me he wasn't smokin' hot back in the day!)

A Little Shameless Self-Promotion

My undergrad alumni magazine did a little profile on my living donor advocacy work. (you'll have to click on it to see it full size) It'd be great to keep spreading the word, so if you know any media professionals who might be interested in the 'real' story of living donors, let me know.

LD101 site update

I've been gathering so much information for the website, the only conceivable solution was a pull-down menu. The only catch is that I have no idea how to build a pull-down menu.

So I went on the hunt for a dhtml menu builder, and after deciding on one, fussed around for a goodly number of days trying to make this whole menu thing work.

Today I risked the major implementation and all seems to be well. Right now, all pages have two menus, old and new, and you'll see some new pages with loads of information saying Hello too. Over the next few days, I should be removing the old menu, and prettying things up.

I have much to add yet, so despite the fabu summer weather, yours truly will ghostly white in the monitor's reflection to get it all out to you.

Pharmaceutical Companies ARE Looking Out For You!

From AP:

The chairman of the Federal Trade Commission says eliminating lucrative patent settlements between brand-name and generic drug companies would save consumers $3.5 billion annually.

The FTC has waged a years long campaign against so-called "pay-to-delay" settlements, in which a branded drug company rewards a generic competitor for keeping cheaper versions of its drugs off the market.

While the FTC calls the deals anticompetitive, they have been upheld by courts.

In a speech in Washington, FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz calls on Congress to pass a bill banning the settlements. He says it could save consumers $35 billion over 10 years, about $12 billion of which would go to the government.