Groover wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
4x4ord wrote:
It would be interesting to know how many weeks income it takes of, say a school teacher, to equal the cost of a 4x4 crew cab pick up now vs in 2000. Regardless for many people the older they get the wealthier they get and the easier it is to purchase a vehicle. My first vehicle nearly emptied my piggy bank.
And part of the issue. Not everyone “should” be able to afford a new 4x4 crew cab pickup. But there sure are a lot of stout car loans out there….
I have met a lot of people that sincerely believe they own a very nice vehicle while in reality the bank that financed the vehicle owns the person driving the vehicle.
As for teacher pay, everyone I know that has voiced an opinion thinks that teachers should be paid more. Very few of those people are willing to pay more taxes to make that possible. While the people that determine teacher pay have an obligation to provide their students a good education they also have an obligation to the taxpayers to use tax money prudently. Plus, a lot of people, like my wife, really want to be a teacher and will work for whatever is offered. It is sad but it is common knowledge that you make more money going from high school to Home Depot than as a degreed and certified elementary school teacher in most of this country.
I don't disagree one bit as far as average (national) teachers salaries go, in general.
At the same time I have my own more specific opinions on that not pertinent to the discussion.
That does not change the notion of financial responsibility that if (making up numbers here) a person "should" make $100k a year to responsibly "afford" a new $50k vehicle every 5 years, that those who only make $50k a year teaching 3rd grade or working at Home Depot should expect to be able to afford a new $50k vehicle every 5 years without some concessions elsewhere.
But then, you also have to go apples to apples on the vehicle comparison or apply a factor to the additional power/features of a new rig vs the same or similar 20 years ago.
