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Many, if not most, state level public health authorities have been chronically underfunded. States are facing massive budget shortfalls. Congress has given stat

Many, if not most, state level public health authorities have been chronically underfunded. States are facing massive budget shortfalls. Congress has given states and cities approximately 0 relief. State and local governments are struggling right now. "Supposed to be able to handle" and "actually able to handle" are two different things.

vorpalhex 6y ago
You realize states are supposed to fund their own public health authorities right? States also collect their own taxes. It's on the state to manage their own budget by passing taxes and limiting expenses.
- IgorPartola 6y ago
  That's not how the US actually works. The federal government does quite a bit of wealth redistribution from the states that are net producers to states that cannot generate enough revenue on their own: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2019/03/20/how-much-federal-funding-each-state-receives-government/39202299/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2019/03/20/how-...
  - vorpalhex 6y ago
    I encourage you to read your own sources: > Money from the federal government is redistributed back to states in the form of grants, aid programs for the needy and payments to major government contracting firms such as defense companies. That isn't open funds, it's earmarked grants and things like foodstamps.
    - IgorPartola 6y ago
      So earmarking money for specific programs for testing and PPE and vaccine distribution is possible and quite normal?
      - vorpalhex 6y ago
        Yes but states should not depend on the fed as the basis of their budget, and should instead be responsible enough to have their own budgets and planning for the vaccine.
        IgorPartola 6y ago
        But we are not talking about states budgets in general. We are talking about the COVID-19 vaccine.
- ceejayoz 6y ago
  > You realize states are supposed to fund their own public health authorities right? States can't deficit spend, which is why the Feds tend to step in for natural disasters - hurricanes, floods, pandemics, etc.

vorpalhex 6y ago

You realize states are supposed to fund their own public health authorities right? States also collect their own taxes. It's on the state to manage their own budget by passing taxes and limiting expenses.

IgorPartola 6y ago
That's not how the US actually works. The federal government does quite a bit of wealth redistribution from the states that are net producers to states that cannot generate enough revenue on their own: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2019/03/20/how-much-federal-funding-each-state-receives-government/39202299/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2019/03/20/how-...
- vorpalhex 6y ago
  I encourage you to read your own sources: > Money from the federal government is redistributed back to states in the form of grants, aid programs for the needy and payments to major government contracting firms such as defense companies. That isn't open funds, it's earmarked grants and things like foodstamps.
  - IgorPartola 6y ago
    So earmarking money for specific programs for testing and PPE and vaccine distribution is possible and quite normal?
    - vorpalhex 6y ago
      Yes but states should not depend on the fed as the basis of their budget, and should instead be responsible enough to have their own budgets and planning for the vaccine.
      - IgorPartola 6y ago
        But we are not talking about states budgets in general. We are talking about the COVID-19 vaccine.
ceejayoz 6y ago
> You realize states are supposed to fund their own public health authorities right? States can't deficit spend, which is why the Feds tend to step in for natural disasters - hurricanes, floods, pandemics, etc.