Progressive Ponderings: Priorities

In this recession are college football coaches suffering too?

by Joe Mayer

Revenue for most states in the U.S. is dependent on citizen income (income tax) and consumer spending (sales tax). The current financial crisis has caused incomes to fall – jobs lay-offs, plant closings for extended periods, shorter hours for workers, etc. – and then sales decrease due to this loss of the consumer's income. This situation has placed all states in fiscal crisis since they cannot constitutionally deficit-spend – they must balance their budgets each year.

State governors and legislatures, in order to balance budgets and solve this crisis, seem to be focused on cutting state spending by decreasing services to the most vulnerable in our society – the poor, youth, the elderly, and the sick. Nearly every penny directed toward these groups is spent immediately thus adding wealth to our whole financial system.

Contrast!

Many of us spent a portion of the past week watching football bowl games. Most of the teams playing are public tax-supported state institutions. The head football coaches of these institutions are, in most states, the highest paid state public employee with generous buy-out clauses in their contracts. I have heard no suggestions to make cuts in this arena.

Priorities?