Comments on: Finally, a plan to make public education relevant http://vbprogressives.com/2009/03/04/finally-a-plan-to-make-public-education-relevant/ National, State, and Local Politics Affecting Virginia Beach Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:16:34 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Brian Kirwin http://vbprogressives.com/2009/03/04/finally-a-plan-to-make-public-education-relevant/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Brian Kirwin Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:47:37 +0000 http://vbprogressives.com/?p=579#comment-36 Freeing felons and raising taxes. Brilliant! Freeing felons and raising taxes. Brilliant!

]]> By: Joel McDonald http://vbprogressives.com/2009/03/04/finally-a-plan-to-make-public-education-relevant/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Joel McDonald Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:26:40 +0000 http://vbprogressives.com/?p=579#comment-35 Yeah, it's going to take some additional funding, about $760 million according to Edmonson's plan. Shifting focus from incarceration to education, which should yield lower incarceration rates, plus help from central appropriations would cover about 60% of the costs. The remaining 40% can be funded through less than a 1% tax increase on those earning $200,000 or more annually. I wouldn't call this tax increase huge. It would still make Virginia's state income tax lower than states like California, Iowa, and Hawaii. Additionally, it would make Virginia even with North Carolina, whose highest tax bracket is also 7.75%. If the tax increase is a concern for businesses, I think we should consider the additional investment in education to be primarily beneficial for businesses in the commonwealth, as the upcoming generation of students will be far better prepared for employment and enterprise than previous generations. Yeah, it’s going to take some additional funding, about $760 million according to Edmonson’s plan. Shifting focus from incarceration to education, which should yield lower incarceration rates, plus help from central appropriations would cover about 60% of the costs. The remaining 40% can be funded through less than a 1% tax increase on those earning $200,000 or more annually.

I wouldn’t call this tax increase huge. It would still make Virginia’s state income tax lower than states like California, Iowa, and Hawaii. Additionally, it would make Virginia even with North Carolina, whose highest tax bracket is also 7.75%.

If the tax increase is a concern for businesses, I think we should consider the additional investment in education to be primarily beneficial for businesses in the commonwealth, as the upcoming generation of students will be far better prepared for employment and enterprise than previous generations.

]]> By: Brian Kirwin http://vbprogressives.com/2009/03/04/finally-a-plan-to-make-public-education-relevant/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Brian Kirwin Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:03:08 +0000 http://vbprogressives.com/?p=579#comment-34 Amazing that you didn't mention the huge tax increase she proposed to pay for it. Amazing that you didn’t mention the huge tax increase she proposed to pay for it.

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