Student Loan Debt?

[CloverKnollFarms]

I worry that we think we are loving people by relieving them of the consequences of their choices.
There is still a consequence. It's partially transferred to someone else, and in a way, it changes the person who was relieved of it. Instead of them learning and being strengthened through adversity, they learn they can simply not be held responsible. Any growth they would have had, is stolen, and their behavior is unlikely to change.
Some call this enabling. Not loving.

 

[paulsharvey]

Wrong thread for this convo and probably too political; so I'll drop after this; but far far more people are affected by a bad water supply than violent crime. I do realize police are a necessary evil, but a well functioning public infrastructure is absolutely necessary for society.

But, I will say, sewer or water plant operators is a steady job, that pays well (enough), doesn't require a college degree, and is always in demand. I have friends that make 80-100k with a GED, some certs, and experience in the utility realm. The big catch is, your going to have to work upto that over atleast a decade, and frequently be on call, over time, night work, ect; and the job is hot/cold/wet/crappy/dangerous.


Edit: it's important to accept we all have a bias; and I have worked around const/infrastructure in one form or another my entire adult life. For a cop/ex cop, yeah, they are gonna feel their profession was important. All this also affects society as a whole; so are 'leaders' all are shaped almost without exception to some degree by college education, which is also probably a major reason that schools/political leaders/ect push college as essentially mandatory.

 

[two_bit_score]

The root problem with spending is less about which programs and more about a lack of institutional frugality. In the private sector, there is constant pressure to do more with less. If you don't, someone else will. In the public sector the pressure to be efficient is absent.

Spot on! And it applies to ALL sectors of public service.

 

[two_bit_score]

I didn’t get much traction when I spoke at city council about reducing services and taxes.

It’s kind of ironic open space parks and beaches are the first to close due to budget where social programs often slightly reduced if at all.

A friend works for the sewer department and years ago he said if you want stable employment with overtime hire on at the sewage department and he was right… no matter what there is always money for sewage.

You would think police and fire but not here… both will have tons of publicity for any budget issue and not shy about letting public know.

Kudos to you Lone Ranger for standing up in a public forum and saying what others were thinking but too afraid of what their neighbors might think. America was built on people doing what you did. Somehow we became a nation of timid people to frightened to stand up and publicly object to onerous burdens placed on us by public officials who feel entitled to treat taxpayers like their personal ATM machines.

 

[Torvy]

Maybe the solution to all of our problems is just a requirement that no more than X number of people can live in any given acre. No more densely packed cities. No more need for others to provide for you.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Maybe the solution to all of our problems is just a requirement that no more than X number of people can live in any given acre. No more densely packed cities. No more need for others to provide for you.

I support this

 

[ultrarunner]

This was a known phenomenon way back when I got my Poli-Sci degree. When faced with pressure to cut spending, officials will target the most popular programs. The hope is that the populace will relent and cough up more money.

School cuts? Band or sports are on the chopping block. People freak and agree to higher taxes.

Cities? Police and Fire (or garbage when that is a city function).

The root problem with spending is less about which programs and more about a lack of institutional frugality. In the private sector, there is constant pressure to do more with less. If you don't, someone else will. In the public sector the pressure to be efficient is absent.

Just saw 15% increase in annual air district inspection and permit fees almost across the board for things like standby generator or a diesel tank, etc.

As to the police and fire bond issues the money does go to police and fire but what they don't say is the same dollar amount will be removed for other non police/fire use.

We have bond measure for minimum staffing that never delivered... always some offset as not enough candidates or declaring emergencies.

I truly believe county and state would suit me better than special districts, city, county, regional and state and this isn't even mentioning federal...

 

[ultrarunner]

Maybe the solution to all of our problems is just a requirement that no more than X number of people can live in any given acre. No more densely packed cities. No more need for others to provide for you.

Public policy is the opposite... parking requirements slashed, single family zoning gutted and density keeps increasing with more stories...

 

[ultrarunner]

If you don't think the fire and police depts are needed I'd suggest you eliminate those depts and see how it affects your safety and property values. My town has neither water or sewer depts and yet we do just fine with property values very high.

We tried that during the 3 years if COVID... no traffic enforcement and catch and release to minimize captive population... it has not gone well.

 

[ultrarunner]

Drill a well, build a septic. It works for a lot of us. Unless you live in the urban jungle, then you have to crap in the streets.

Are private wells required to be metered and tax and can a basic septic even be permitted?

Many areas are pushing to meter private wells starting with larger users first.

Ad for septic... it's full blown engineering with required service agreements, pumps, dosing, sand mounds, etc.

 

[ultrarunner]

Maybe the solution to all of our problems is just a requirement that no more than X number of people can live in any given acre. No more densely packed cities. No more need for others to provide for you.

Exclusionary single family zoning has already been eliminated for the most part around here.

 

[Pixguy]

We tried that during the 3 years if COVID... no traffic enforcement and catch and release to minimize captive population... it has not gone well.

True. Crazy that some would still call them a necessary evil.

 

[ultrarunner]

True. Crazy that some would still call them a necessary evil.

This California city is the nation’s worst to drive in — it isn’t L.A.

America’s worst city to drive in is located in the Golden State, but it might not be the city you’re thinking of. According to a recent study from Forbes Advisor, the worst city to driv…

ktla.com

 

[paulsharvey]

Not the place for the discussion, but 136 law enforcement fatalities in 2023, vs 954 work zone related construction fatalities;

Law Enforcwment 13 deaths per 100,000
vs a US total average of 3.4 per 100,000
However, loggers/forestry workers have 100 per 100,000;
Roofers 57 per 100,000
Misc Ag workers, 20 per 100,000

 

[Torvy]

Just saw 15% increase in annual air district inspection and permit fees almost across the board for things like standby generator or a diesel tank, etc.

As to the police and fire bond issues the money does go to police and fire but what they don't say is the same dollar amount will be removed for other non police/fire use.

We have bond measure for minimum staffing that never delivered... always some offset as not enough candidates or declaring emergencies.

I truly believe county and state would suit me better than special districts, city, county, regional and state and this isn't even mentioning federal...

When I lived in Wisconsin, there were something like 7 or 8 different political entities that had jurisdiction over various things..then one level would mandate something for another level to do. Next to impossible to figure out who was responsible for any given thing.
State, County, Township, municipal (City/town/village), School, Tech School, University. Others exist in certain areas, too. That also excludes Feds.

 

[paulsharvey]

The Florida Bright Fututes Scholorshio is Lotto funded; but I will admit I don't think anyone knows what % of that scholarship program is funded by it, and what other funding sources draw from it too. Even forgetting that, all the state colleges/universities get some level of state funding too.

Son is waiting on 3 test results to see if he will get the 75% tuition scholarship; but regardless, he's looking at $2800/semester in student loans. He should be right around $28k in loans for his BSN; followed by a min 1 year (expect to apply and not get in atleast 2, maybe 3rd year) in critical care before he can apply for the anesthesia program. We told him, if you play it right, take that critical care BSN job, work every crappy extra shift, and in 1-2 years, it can be paid off. The anesthesia program; no idea how loans for that stuff work; but that's on him to figure out.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Are private wells required to be metered and tax and can a basic septic even be permitted?

Many areas are pushing to meter private wells starting with larger users first.

Ad for septic... it's full blown engineering with required service agreements, pumps, dosing, sand mounds, etc.

No. We had a company drill a well. Nothing is metered or taxed. The septic was permit required, but aside from that the authorities have no interest in it. It's mine and nobody monitors it besides me.

1500 gallon tank, 5x100" finger system for effluent. Pretty standard. The well is 300' deep with a 6" bore.
Once they are installed... Nobody pays any notice to them besides me.

 

[ultrarunner]

Cal EPA Asserts Shockingly Broad Domain Over Private Property | California Globe

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Secretary for Environmental Protection Jared Blumenfeld, Oct 22, 2013, in San…

californiaglobe.com

 

[dstig1]

No. We had a company drill a well. Nothing is metered or taxed. The septic was permit required, but aside from that the authorities have no interest in it. It's mine and nobody monitors it besides me.

1500 gallon tank, 5x100" finger system for effluent. Pretty standard. The well is 300' deep with a 6" bore.
Once they are installed... Nobody pays any notice to them besides me.

Like everything, depends on where you are... WI requires septic permits and must be designed & installed by a licensed plumber. Then you must pump it every 3 years. Wells require a permit and they also test the water after the well is complete to allow it to be used. After that, nothing.