"Where has our current road taken us? To the satisfaction of some, the road of incentivized growth sees the state of Florida with the lowest per-person state tax burden of all but three states. In return, what have we received?" - Michael Abels, Instructor in the University of Central Florida's Department of Public Admininstration, in a February 12th, 2010 Orlando Sentinel guest column (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-mike-abels-021210-20100211,0,5900291.story)
Great question, Professor Abels, and I would recommend that we all take a moment to consider some of the solutions offered in the balance of his column. In fact, the good professor has hit upon the central question facing Floridians today; how are we going to compete in today's new innovation economy given the huge education and infrastructure deficits present in our midst? And for those of us in the heart of central Florida, ground zero for innovation in the state, the answers become even more pressing, as we seek to keep up with the likes of other creative communities.
Unfortunately, just as Tinker Bell's magic wand is ultimately an illusion, so too are any easy answers. Ultimately, we will need to prioritize our needs and then allocate our resources appropriately. And, in an innovation economy, education shoots right to the top of the list. That would be a good start in the right direction.
I'd say sometimes we get what we pay for and sometimes we don't. It would be nice to have some say in it though, wouldn't it?
ReplyDeleteWhy are we, as Floridians, against a more typical tax structure? Do we really want fewer public parks, better schools and roads, more effective police protection? Or is it that we don't trust our politicians to spend the additional tax money wisely?
ReplyDelete