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09-08-2011, 04:50 PM
Crankin

I hate to tell you, but that Taxachusetts label went out the window several years ago. There have been several studies that show we are not up there in the top anymore. It is also a figure that can be calculated several ways. Besides, I get suspicious of anyone who complains about taxes. Really, how do people think we pay for roads, schools, public safety? New Hampshire brags about no income tax, but their property taxes make mine look like nothing. And they still don't have public school kindergarten.
I am not sure how much the state compares to others in the percentage that it contributes to different things. My only basis of comparison is public universities. Ours get almost no state support, due the the prevalent belief that you are a moron if you go to one :). Despite this, my older son got a stellar education at U Mass Amherst. But, when I look at my alumni magazine from ASU, I see billions of dollars in new construction, lots of new majors, and the university really being engaged in the community. How does a state that has a 50% foreclosure rate and high unemployment do this?
And, outside of eastern MA, maybe starting ten miles from where I live, it's really rural, except for 2 smaller cities that are terminally economically depressed. So, I am not sure how large our population is compared to Ohio. Most of the population is within a very small area.
Oak, we see the same variation from town to town here, too. In fact, it is stark. We have 351 cities and towns and none of them want to give up their own unique identity, in order to share resources. We have counties, but in name only.
I think the difference this time, as opposed to the recessions in 2000 and the early nineties (which I was here for) is that now, our economy, which is driven by health care, education, and technology, is just in the right spot at the right time. Before, these industries were losing jobs and we lost a huge manufacturing base. But, that happened a long time ago and it's never coming back. And, we are tolerant...
09-08-2011, 04:50 PM
crazycanuck

time

*sigh* i'm having one of those "will rehabbing this injury ever end :(" days..Somedays i'm totally cool with it...others..

I had a bone scan(no new trauma, just same area still inflamed) & saw the sports dr specialist the other day n was told no super duper activity (besides the core work, walking & stairs i've been doing) for at least another 3 months. I'm not even sure I want to take the normal anti inflams nor the natural ones (nalgesic) as I know this is going to take time to heal. I didn't rehabilitate the injury properly the first time as I had no clue. My knee was the main body part that was the focus of rehabbing...I had no idea a dislocated SC joint would come back to haunt me this way...

I'm the cause of my own circle..as soon as things feel like they've really improved, I go out and test my body a bit (no not by cycling or swimming but a very very short walk on hard sand) & find out that that wasn't such a good idea. Nothing like doing a long walk & getting searing pains through your collarbones...!

I have to carry my food w me to uni as i've changed my diet & that will have to change. I'm borrowing a business briefcase trolley from a friend so i can remove the pressure from my shoulders. I have one of those portable shopping bag trolleys for groceries etc. I even purchased a waist hydration pack as carrying a water bottle doesn't work either...

The worst thing...I hate being a "cager" :( & when I can get back into cycling, I won't feel as guilty...

Anywho, I just needed to get this off my chest..:o
09-08-2011, 07:13 PM
ultraviolet

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crankin

But, when I look at my alumni magazine from ASU, I see billions of dollars in new construction, lots of new majors, and the university really being engaged in the community. How does a state that has a 50% foreclosure rate and high unemployment do this?

Athletics. College football and men's basketball are cash cows, especially in the big conferences like the PAC-12. And they have to keep making bigger, shinier, more impressive facilities and programs to keep pace in the recruiting game, to make sure they keep the money rolling in from the marquee athletic programs.
09-09-2011, 03:20 AM
Crankin

Yup, this has to be the answer. And you know what? I'd rather have the shabby 70's era concrete buildings than the glitz of Sun Devil football...
09-09-2011, 07:59 AM
Owlie

Yeah, but OSU has a huge football (and other stuff, but people only really care about the football!) program too, and while I confess I haven't looked recently, there certainly isn't the investment in new construction (maybe they're waiting for another building to burn down? :p) or much else. I realize it's subject to space constraints more than ASU might be (it sounds like it's trying to take over the whole of Tempe).
Ohio's public universities don't seem to get a whole lot of state funding either, and even our in-state tuition is pretty high for what you get. ASU's in-state tuition is next to nothing. UA's is pretty low too--even their graduate tuition is low. Out-of-state tuition, however, is insane. (I was considering doing a master's degree there, but that would have necessitated my moving there for a year and working to qualify for in-state tuition.)

Of course, I went to a university that was only vaguely aware that it had a football team (or any other team, for that matter), so what do I know? :o
09-09-2011, 08:47 AM
Crankin

U Mass has high tuition, too. They fool people by stating a "tuition" amount that is low, but you actually pay about 7K in fees in addition to the "tuition," which is the real tuition.
I went to ASU when it cost 130.00 a semester for in state students! I think my first Master's degree cost me less than 1500.00. However, I didn't think that U of A's prices were that high for out of state students. My younger son went there for a year, and I think the tuition was only about 5K more than we were paying for the other one at U Mass as an in state student. It was also much less than CU for an out of state student.
It's all relative. Most of my friends paid 40-50K a year to send their kids to college and for some (Tufts, BU), that was just the tuition, not including room and board.
09-19-2011, 05:47 PM
Owlie

Grad school tuition is quite a bit higher. ;)

My alma mater was private and cost about $43000 a year (averaged over the 4 years I was there, total cost of attendance). (I justify the cost by saying I would have gone absolutely insane at Ohio State.) Some of that was taken care of by scholarships, though.

Speaking of athletics, my current institution just built/is in the process of completing a sports complex, while cutting faculty and staff positions. I know someone gave a bunch of money for this, but why not use it for educational purposes? It's not like this place is an athletic powerhouse!
09-20-2011, 05:43 AM
spokewench

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owlie

Grad school tuition is quite a bit higher. ;)

My alma mater was private and cost about $43000 a year (averaged over the 4 years I was there, total cost of attendance). (I justify the cost by saying I would have gone absolutely insane at Ohio State.) Some of that was taken care of by scholarships, though.

Speaking of athletics, my current institution just built/is in the process of completing a sports complex, while cutting faculty and staff positions. I know someone gave a bunch of money for this, but why not use it for educational purposes? It's not like this place is an athletic powerhouse!

Usually, university money is just like government money, actually for state universities, it is government money! Anyway, it's because the money is earmarked either by a vote or by a donor; so they use it for what it is earmarked for; not what might be in the best interest.
09-20-2011, 07:44 AM
Owlie

Quote:

Originally Posted by spokewench

Usually, university money is just like government money, actually for state universities, it is government money! Anyway, it's because the money is earmarked either by a vote or by a donor; so they use it for what it is earmarked for; not what might be in the best interest.

Yeah, I know. I'm really questioning the donor's intent...why not donate money for classroom space or a scholarship or something, instead?
09-20-2011, 08:14 AM
spokewench

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owlie

Yeah, I know. I'm really questioning the donor's intent...why not donate money for classroom space or a scholarship or something, instead?

Maybe because they love football or sport as much as you love cycling? It is hard to determine donor's intent. Some just want their name on a building:
09-20-2011, 03:53 PM
Owlie

Quote:

Originally Posted by spokewench

Maybe because they love football or sport as much as you love cycling? It is hard to determine donor's intent. Some just want their name on a building:

True. At my alma mater, if someone wanted their name on a building, the university would use the money to build a glass enclosure between two buildings and put a sign up! Granted, this created some useful (if chilly) study space, but really?
09-21-2011, 03:53 AM
Dogmama

College athletics is also a great place to advertise. Having your name on the scoreboard, basketball floor, etc., gets noticed.
10-02-2011, 06:52 AM
Nanci

Hi! I was here looking for a ride report- filling in my time line on Facebook. Thought I'd say hi!! Miss you guys...
10-02-2011, 06:54 AM
KnottedYet

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nanci

Hi! I was here looking for a ride report- filling in my time line on Facebook. Thought I'd say hi!! Miss you guys...

NANCI!!! NANCI!!!! NANCI!!!!!!!!!

:D:p:D:p:D:p:D:p:D
10-02-2011, 07:03 AM
Nanci

Hi! I'm _not_ riding right now. I'm patio-building and raising snake babies. I feel like I want to get on my bike again, but the bike shop I like went out of business, and she needs some work done, like mainly re-taping the bars. Blah...
I got really into competitive shooting, too.