Justin,

Well done.

One must remember that Patrick Crowley is also the fool that told us education Instruction Expenditures (which includes teacher salaries) have risen at a slower rate than inflation, when in fact the results were just the opposite.

Education funding rose 42% more than inflation during the period Crowley spoke of. The dope compared 5 years of spending to 7 years of inflation when he did is flawed "analysis".

Indeed, Crowley & Co. are never ones to let facts get in the way of a good story.

Alas, there is a very simple solution to Crowley's lament. He should just tell all his "poor" friends to become "rich", since it apparently is such an easy thing to do.

These stats apparently don't separate out people like two individual taxpayers of my acquaintance, both of whom fall far short of $30K per annum. They are my college age children. There also doesn't appear to be a way to determine how many are starting jobs after graduating high school or college, either. Or to determine how many are retiring at the other end of a career. Interestingly enough, yesterday my son got a notice from the IRS asking why he didn't elect the Earned Income Tax Credit computation for which he is apparently eligible along with the economic stimulus payment.

These may be minor adjustments to percentages of people in the under $30K bracket, but as my daughter only earned $3K - and thats typical for college students - it skews income well downwards - as is true for all the HS kids working (hopefully very) part-time. Mr Crowley is unlikely to bother finding out, because it doesn't support his argument. Mr. Crowley also doesn't document low income earners tax consumption in the form of subsidized housing, child care, health care. How about showing which way net payments flow?

For those making $30K or less whose income will not grow above this level and who are not still on the parent's payroll or retiring, I'm sorry to hear it. For a reason, look to the state's donk politicians who have created a perfect storm of job and opportunity suppression and to those who undermine your labor value by ignoring illegal immigration. I know that when my kids are done with college, they will be done with this state and that perhaps is something the under $30k earners should consider, too.

"he appears to be using the "RI taxable income" data for his percentages"

What? That's ridiculous. If that's the case, his analysis means nothing.

It should be noted that Mr. Pat Crowley, who is expert at crowing distortions with respect to all things financial in a futile attempt to support his Socialist agenda (you know, the one where the motto is "you work and produce, while I sit back and consume"), is the right-hand boy of and was mentored by Mr. Bob Walsh, both of whom are members of that stink tank, I mean think tank, the NEA.

Yes, Mr. Bob Walsh of the famous "Walshian Assumptions" that tells us the Pension systems is self sustainable via the Contributions of employees and the the earnings thereon, yet who refuses to consider going to a 401k style plan where his flock would have to live and die by his bad assumptions (i.e. take some risk go along with their current gauranteed reward)and who also fails to explain why the pension fund is insolvent despite the fact that his "assumptions" tell us the fund should be in just fine shape.

Justin: you'll have to provide Mr. Walsh with your credentials, as well as the legal and financial back-ground that gives you license to challenge his and Pat's "thinking". You see, they are not used to people applying common sense to issues and questioning their assumptions and conclusions. Rather, they are used to a flock of sheep following blindly as the good shepherds Bob & Pat lead them over a cliff.

Justin,

If you ever get a response from Pat/Tom on this question, I hope that you will post it for the rest of us to see. My attempts for clarity have proven fruitless so far.

Something about an honest dialogue seems to trouble them. I wonder why?