Study: Largest Mass. Cities Don’t Get Enough Aid

[ggreenma]

this story from wbur.org:

Study: Largest Mass. Cities Don’t Get Enough Aid

http://www.wbur.org/2010/07/15/fed-s...le+Feedfetcher

[rcweir]

The article refers to a study "Does Springfield Receive its Fair Share of Municipal Aid?". I think that is a funny question to ask. It is like asking, "Are other people working hard enough to give me their money?"

Remember, municipal aid works like this: taxpayers of a town pay money to the state, in the form of sales and incomes taxes. The politicians on Beacon Hill then wheel and deal and decide how to dole it out. Some towns get back more than they paid in; some less. So it is essentially a form of forced income redistribution. I work long hours and a portion of my wages are sent to Springfield rather than to Westford.

I'm not saying to end the system altogether -- there are state constitutional issues around public school funding, for example -- but if someone is taking my money, I'd hope that while they do it, they could stop complaining about whether they are getting their "Fair Share". Fairness has nothing to do with it.

[DanD]

Right on, Mr. Weir. Nothing to do with "fairness" (whatever that means), everything to do with negotiation.