Time for a tax increase?
Are our elected officials that out of touch with their constituents?
The state legislature seems to be on a course that will end with a tax increase of some sort. Either an income tax or sales tax or maybe a combination of both.
Taxes aren't too popular in good times, why should we be happy about this in bad times?
Now there's a rumor flying that the city of Monroe might go for a tax hike to pay for street improvements. I hope it's just a rumor.
I don't get it. I won't harp on the city cost-cutting study again or point fingers at certain state legislators, but I wonder how people with the decision making powers run their own budgets.
At my house, if the income goes down, something gets cut quickly. We really don't have time to get second or third jobs.
But in government, we just keep spending figuring that the money will come from somewhere -- like taxpayers who already are having trouble making their own budgets balance.
Can't people figure that out.
For instance, if I have to choose between buying my kids clothes or having my streets cleaned, or even plowed, which choice do you think I'm going to make.
All this talk about shutting down state government or downsizing local government is really scary -- considering I hardly use any state or local services at all.
How come it seems most elected officials don't see it that way?
The state legislature seems to be on a course that will end with a tax increase of some sort. Either an income tax or sales tax or maybe a combination of both.
Taxes aren't too popular in good times, why should we be happy about this in bad times?
Now there's a rumor flying that the city of Monroe might go for a tax hike to pay for street improvements. I hope it's just a rumor.
I don't get it. I won't harp on the city cost-cutting study again or point fingers at certain state legislators, but I wonder how people with the decision making powers run their own budgets.
At my house, if the income goes down, something gets cut quickly. We really don't have time to get second or third jobs.
But in government, we just keep spending figuring that the money will come from somewhere -- like taxpayers who already are having trouble making their own budgets balance.
Can't people figure that out.
For instance, if I have to choose between buying my kids clothes or having my streets cleaned, or even plowed, which choice do you think I'm going to make.
All this talk about shutting down state government or downsizing local government is really scary -- considering I hardly use any state or local services at all.
How come it seems most elected officials don't see it that way?
posted by The Observer at 9/19/2007 11:09:00 AM
9 Comments:
All political creatures have a vested interest in scaring dullards into believing that the creatures provide something of irreplaceable value, in order to keep the gravy train rolling.
"We've gotta protect our phoney baloney jobs, gentlemen!" -- William J. Le Petomane, Blazing Saddles
This is one of those anonymous sayings that will go down in history.
Is this original stuff, anonymous, or did you swipe it from someone else?
It is obvious that the City throws money at all manner of recreational activities in order to help the recreationally deprived. If you want a real dose of reality hunt around on the city website and find out what is there concerning our ice rink activities.
Andrew Smith has suggested many times that this would make a good DPS headquarters including a water meter repair shop. As an engineer, he may run projects that may be larger than the total city budget and not waste any monies with which he is entrusted.
In defense of the Engineering and Water Departments, it is a necessity to continue water main replacement and put enough money toward street repair to keep even with decay. It makes no sense to be taxed for the Port of Monroe or continue to permit the DDA continue to claim money based on an increased tax on the downtown properties which are in fact related more to inflation rather than any acts of the DDA.
I messed up including some identification on that last comment.
I always give credit where credit is due. My comment, hand-carved from solid hickory electrons, is my own.
The quote from the movie Blazing Saddles rings truer and truer the longer I live.
The itch to raise taxes must've bit one of our local candidates for city council pretty hard.
Seems Mary Conner is proposing a 1% city tax as a fix it for the ACH problem!
As I see it, the problem with Mary Conner are twofold.
1. With Mary we will get Lloyd who was one of the WORST councilpeople ever to serve and no doubt she will be taking instruction from him, hence the 1% City Tax? Lloyd was never very intelligent..seems neither is Mary.
2. Her reason for running in the first place? To beat Compora to avenge Lloyd's loss to her 4 years ago.
I don't know about you, but voting for someone who wants to levy an ADDITIONAL TAX on top of what we already pay, plus what's going to come down the highway from the State should NOT be elected to office! Someone who thinks taxing the public into oblivion as a magic bullet will NOT get my vote!
Neither will one whos primary motivation for running is revenge over the desire to give me the best bang for my buck!
Come November, I will be saying NO to Mary Conner and her hairbrained city tax proposal!
Am I confused? ACH will have to pay property taxes even when they close right? Oh, yeah, they will. Yes, we will lose revenue but not as drastic as is being portrayed.
Regarding the 1% increase in Taxes advocated by Mrs. Conner. No. Sorry. Not now.
I think the whole, "let's sell the ice rink" is a bit like saying, "our amps go to eleven" (from spinal tap). In other words, won't happen without a huge loss. Sorry.
I think allowing the DDA to close up is a great idea and long overdue. Please - do this.
I see the comment about Mary Conner being twofold as this, anonymous.
1. Either you are one of the two candidates running against her, and I would believe Linda Compora, or you are at least one of their supporters.
2. You don't like her husband.
In my opinion, Lloyd was not the worst councilperson we have ever had. The worst the city ever had/has is Linda Compora. Sure Lloyd was vocal, and many times spoke without thought, but who hasn't. Mary is her own person, and will make her own comments. Saying that she will ask Lloyd for his opinion is ridiculous. Did Compora ask for help on every issue? Oh, wait, I forgot. That answer is yes. Well, I guess that is why she would think that Mary needs help, because she needs help.
Finally, I don't think her only reason to run is to avenge her husbands defeat. If that is true, why is Rosenberg running? I think that there would be many to run since they see the obvious void that sits in the 5th Precinct seat. That Precinct is not being properly represented. How can Compora say that she is looking out for the taxpayers, when she openly supports leaving police and fire alone? Those departments are the biggest strain on the City budget, and need to be cut. To not cut those departments, and ease the burden on the taxpayers, is working for the unions, not the taxpayers. VOTE OUT COMPORA.
Not to be nitpicky or anything, but how can someone who obviously doesn't live in a precinct say "that precinct is not being represented." From where I sit, Compora's precinct is often represented at council meetings. The question might be whether it's "well-represented" at council and away from council, and I guess election day will decide that. I've heard the same things said about other precincts, but if you don't have a feel for a precinct, how can you judge? I mean Compora got elected because a lot of people felt she spoke for them when no one else did. The question is whether they still think that. Maybe residents in her precinct like a confrontational style. Who knows?
The question might come down to whether they prefer a confrontational style over a tax increase.
Sorry to intrude on your Compora bashing thread, but I believe some of your comments are misguided at best, or possibly deliberately misguided.
I faithfully watch meetings, granted the reruns, but I watch and I don't think the councilwoman said not to touch the fire and police... what I think she said was not to start slashing them UNTIL the study-appointed worthless positions were eliminated FIRST.
Wouldn't it be common sense to cut the worthless positions that are KNOWN to be a waste of taxpayer money right out of the gate?
How is that not working for taxpayers?
To me as a taxpayer it's a no brainer , have these worthless jobs been cut yet? If no why not?
Maybe you LIKE paying out money for the city to keep the worthless jobs? Do you like the waste that's going on with YOUR money? I don't.
Granted a big chunk is fire and police, but for my money, they better show me somethin' and cut the waste BEFORE they start in slashing the hard stuff.
BTW don't get your shorts in a rigid knot here, betcha nothing gets done anyway, Al doesn't have the guts.
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