I sent this to the Quill and the SMN. If I can find the email addy, I'm sending it to Hill n' Holler, too.What Part of ‘NO’ Don’t They Understand?Last November, the citizens of Thayer rejected at the ballot box a plan to raise the city sales tax by a half-cent. This plan was proposed by the Thayer Community Betterment Association, who said it would generate $175,000 a year.
Well, the TCBA is at it again, only this time it’s worse.
At this month’s city council meeting, the TCBA brought up a new scheme – to end city property taxes and replace them with a ONE-CENT sales tax.
I went home and did some figuring. On an individual level, the TCBA’s plan would have increased my tax burden almost TEN TIMES. How much would it have increased yours?
But wait, it gets even worse.
The South Missourian News reports that city revenues this year from real estate taxes will be approximately $54,883.23 and from personal property taxes will be approximately $16,800.35. That adds up to $ 71,683.58.
The TCBA estimates their one-cent tax would generate approximately $340,000 per year. For the sake of discussion, set aside the fact that two times $175,000 is $350,000, not $340,000, for the moment. And let’s refrain from asking whether they were lying then, or are they lying now? After all, what’s a missing $10,000 between friends?
Even if we believe the lower number, it still amounts to a more than a quarter-million dollar tax hike. Funny how the TCBA neglected to mention that part when they addressed the council. The way they talked, it was simply a way to redistribute the tax burden.
And it’s also funny how they’ve neglected to mention what their plans are for that extra quarter-million-plus. To hire an economic developer, like the one the voters rejected, perhaps?
For the moment, our city council has stood up for the taxpayer and refused to put the issue on the ballot. I urge them to continue to do so.
Ron Cornelius of the TCBA is quoted as saying “I do not understand why the council would not allow the citizens to make the choice on the issue.”
Maybe I can answer that. Perhaps because they are familiar with the tactics of the TCBA. Perhaps they remember from November how the TCBA is willing to do whatever it takes, legal or not, to get it’s way. Perhaps they don’t want the TCBA to set up camp right outside the door to the polling place, not three feet from the sign that forbids electioneering within 25 feet of the entrance again. Or perhaps they don’t want any more churches to have their tax-exempt status endangered by the TCBA placing political signs on their lawns.
Cornelius continues, “This would have only improved the quality of life for the citizens of Thayer.”
Which citizens? The ones with million-dollar homes who do all their shopping elsewhere? Because it sure diminishes the quality of life of the citizens with $20,000 homes who do all their shopping right here in Thayer.
Cornelius finishes with, “By doing away with the personal property tax, residents would not be penalized for owning property like houses, cars, boats, and other possessions.”
No, but they WOULD be penalized for such outrageous behavior as buying food and clothing.
What part of ‘NO’ don’t these people understand? And when will they get it through their heads that tax hikes are NOT ‘community betterment.’ And when will they realize that economic development happens when government gets out of the way of businesses, not when it meddles?
If central planning was the key to economic development, the Soviet Union would still be around, and it would be the richest country on earth.
We have to ask ourselves, why is it that every single plan for ‘community betterment’ they put forth involves a tax hike? And why do they all involve taking money OUT of the local economy, instead of bringing money IN, such as through a hotel-motel tax?
If they truly want to better our community, they’d take up a collection and offer a college scholarship to a needy area student, with the stipulation that the student return to Thayer for at least one year after their education is complete. Or they’d get together and donate the labor and materials to build 21st-century restroom facilities at Warm Fork Park and do away with the 17th-century facilities the park has now. There are countless ways a community can better itself without raising taxes, and the TCBA would serve everyone, including it’s own members, better by taking this approach.
But they don’t. They’d rather just raise my taxes and yours. And, coincidentally I’m sure, reduce their own.
John Hutchison
Blogmaster
Thayer Taxpayers Association Blog
www.thayertaxpayers.blogspot.com
# posted by The Last American @ 8:51 AM
