“The most famous and prominent example of TABOR legislation is in the state of Colorado.[1] In 1992, the voters of the state amended Article X of the Colorado Constitution to the effect that any tax increase resulting in the increase of governmental revenues at a rate faster than the combined rate of population increase and inflation as measured by either the cost of living index at the state level, or growth in property values at the local level, would be subjected to a popular vote in a referendum, a process referred to as “de-Brucing” after Douglas Bruce, the author of the amendment. This applies to any cities and counties in Colorado as well as the state itself. Additionally, any “natural growth” in revenues that exceeded this rate was to be either earmarked for educational improvements or rebated to the taxpayers once an adequate reserve (”rainy day”) fund was established. This has led to a decrease in actual tax revenue (relative to population and inflation) for two reasons. Because the law does not adjust for rising productivity, additional income from year to year among the same population can not be effectively taxed. Secondly, the law only looks at the previous year, leading to a “ratchet-effect”, wherein if tax revenue temporarily lowers in a recession, revenue can not rise back to pre-recession levels without a referendum. In Colorado, these factors have led to a decreasing overall tax revenue in the state.” - Wikipedia

“Hide’s bravado disguises a serious point. In reality, Wellington is in need of root-and-branch reform. Any political tourist coming back to the capital after a decade or so away would be astounded at the expansion of officialdom.

The problem is English should have been the one to come up with the bold plan - not Hide.

The behind-scenes tensions at one stage were so bad that National officials were wondering whether the support deal with Act would in fact be inked.” - Fran O’Sullivan

“Telecom CEO, Paul Reynolds, is claiming that New Zealand’s current broadband build-out is “one of the most ambitious broadband programmes in the world”.

According Computerworld.co.nz, Reynolds is making the claims in an interview with Television Hawke’s Bay that airs tonight.

In the interview, Reynolds reportedly says New Zealand has overtaken the UK in broadband and that services here are now the sixth cheapest in the world.” - TUANZ

“Staff numbers in New Zealand’s core public service rose 3.6% or 1,599 in the year to June 2008, led by a 14% rise in the amount of advisers and policy analysts, up to 3,516 from 3,094.

The core public service does not include teachers, nurses or doctors employed by schools and district health boards.

Numbers at the front line in the core public service, which includes social health and education workers and contact centre workers, actually fell by 29 to 10,034, while numbers of administrative, policy advice, HR, Legal, managerial and support staff rose 1,628 to 35,900.

The amount of ICT professionals rose by 11% over the year to 1,811 while the amount of clerical and administrative workers rose 6% to 8,632. Numbers of legal, HR and finance professionals rose by 4% to 2,476. The amount of managers also rose 4% to 5,217. Overall the amount of employees in the core public service rose to 45,934.

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Volumes down to 4,469 down a third from 2007.
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“What does this mean? With confidence and supply guaranteed by the Maori Party, National could govern without Act. This weakens Acts ability to force to changes to National’s policy, in particular economic policy. For those, like Eric and me, who hoped that National would move down the road of economic reform this is bad news. Act has lost much of its power to push National down that road. Key has the votes he needs to stay in in the centre, to occupy Labour’s territory and not move at all. “Labour Lite” could be here to stay and we could see the worst government since Muldoon.” - Paul Walker

“One of the things I like about being left wing is how often the best moral decision is also the best economic decision.

Take economic stimulus for example. In a recession it’s the most vulnerable such as beneficiaries, low paid workers and youth that are hit worst because they are the ones least likely to have any financial backstop. The good thing is the best way to ameliorate the effects of a recession on society as a whole is to help these people out.” - Clinton Smith aka Steve Pierson

“More than two-thirds of Britons think UK troops should leave Afghanistan within a year, a BBC poll has found.
Of 1,013 people polled, 68% - 59% men and 75% women - said troops should withdraw within 12 months.
But Farid Popal, the Afghan Embassy’s political affairs secretary, said it was “unrealistic” to expect the force of 8,000 to “just abandon” the country.
Defence Secretary John Hutton has said UK forces in Afghanistan were crucial to British national security.” - BBC