CPR:
Some California citizens who voted for Proposition 13 almost four decades ago may have forgotten that the drafters were in fact concerned about government spending as well as tax relief. A few still contend that taxpayer groups such as Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association should focus only on protecting homeowners against rising property taxes and avoid issues like the costs of regulation, environmental policies or the cost of public employee pensions. But fortunately, most astute taxpayers understand that their tax burden is inextricably related to government spending and that there are tremendous risks in failing to engage on government policies that drive up public costs.
One Illinois town has learned that the hard way. The city of Harvey has been ordered by a state appellate court to approve a property tax levy specifically for its firefighters’ pension. That court order, however, may be difficult to enforce given that Harvey already has effective tax rates of 5.7 percent for residential and 14.3 percent for commercial properties. (Under Proposition 13, the maximum tax rate for all real property is 1 percent).
As stunning as this decision may be, residents of Illinois better prepare themselves because Harvey won’t be the last. Many of Illinois’ 600-plus local police and firefighter pensions are similarly underfunded which may explain massive flight out of the state by its taxpaying citizens. more
And if the people go on public property to protest the tax increases, now the local government has the antifa to come and kick their asses while the public-pensioned police stand idly by. Neat trick.
We can no long protest government – but with our current crop of worthless leaders (mc stain, pelosi, mcconnell, schumer, etal) they sure can protest us!
President Trump = please MAGA
Look at local government to blame on the pensions. They’ve exploded the the budgets in about every community in the country. Cops and firefighters are retiring like kings thanks to the stupidity of city counsels. Not just them but government workers in general.
The biggest push for retirement is the Unions. They bring in 3 to 5 lawyers to meetings and try to force the boards to decide that might as opposed to talking it out over months. Then, if the Town takes it to negotiations, it’s even worse. You can only afford your Town lawyer and behind closed doors, the Union changes tactics. Basically your average Town Board Member is way out their league.
People don’t have the time to constantly monitor they’re public officials. Those that care enough to vote expect those elected to be responsible in their positions, and political animals are given to stray despite assurances of honesty. It’s approaching the impossible to get reasonable leadership.
💥 HOW DO THOSE SACRED COWS TASTE? 💥
As much as conservatives go on the defensive for police and fire unions (b/c they have nice conservative haircuts) they stab you in the back each time.
They are big bloated government (something conservatives used to be against), they let ANTIFA beat you and then make excuses, they over-charge you for pensions you can’t afford, as your income doesn’t keep up with tax rates.
The police will even threaten you with a bill if you do things they don’t like, such as that reverend in Florida who wanted to burn the Koran on his own property.
Tennessee: fire department watched home BURN TO THE GROUND b/c resident forgot to pay a fee!
https://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/tennessee-firefighters-watch-home-burn/?mcubz=1
💥 Government is your enemy, under all circumstances.
Power corrupts as it does to all those who win elections!
Perhaps the citizens will finally learn that it is always, ALWAYS, less expensive to have the initiators of these activities disappear, no matter how many are replaced, before the lawfare conclusion, than it will ever be submitting to negotiating the extortion.
@Half-Assed Patriot August 29, 2017 at 8:22 am
> Government is your enemy, under all circumstances.
Expand your vocabulary. After they kill our children, and steal from our neighbors, we buy them replacement bullets and sammiches. Who’d do that for people that call them enemy?
I view ANY retired person on a government pension (social security included) as a parasite. Truth is ALL government pension ponzi scams are bankrupt and are robbing Peter to pay Paul. My brother collects $85,000 per year from the city of Seattle and my sister collects $65,000 per year from Uncle Sam. All this money must be taken by force from unwilling taxpayers. It doesn’t matter if you paid into it or not. THE MONEY WAS STOLEN FROM YOU AND WAS SPENT BY POLITICAL CRIMINALS A LONG TIME AGO!
Harvey isn’t much of a garden spot; in fact, it’s pretty much a patch of weeds. The Illinois Appellate Court can order property taxes raised, but all that will do is speed up the exodus out of Harvey and accelerate the downfall of the town.
But the impact of a similar increase in California would be devastating. A 1% increase in property taxes in southern California would result in homeowners paying thousands of dollars in additional taxes each year and probably pop the new housing bubble that has been building for a few years now. The effect in the Bay area, including Silicon Valley, would be worse.
@Billy Fuster August 29, 2017 at 10:06 am
Didn’t you read the article? Taxes are all voluntary, because some people are offered the opportunity for The Peaceful Transition Of Power At The Ballot Box™. If you didn’t want to give all that money away, you’d elect someone else.
Raising property taxes is a viscous circle. Raise taxes, housing values drop, lowering taxable rate. Tax revenue decreases. Job creators and high tax payers leave. Fewer tax payers expected to pay all the taxes. So taxes raised again, housing values drop again, lowering taxable rate again. Again, more job creators and high tax payers leave. Never ends until taxing body goes bankrupt. Ask the good citizens of Chicongo, Detroilet, and 20 years or so ago, the State of Michigan.
“Peaceful Transition Of Power At The Ballot Box”
That would be ideal if I wasn’t surrounded by the ignorant and stupid who are allowed to vote.
There are homes in areas in and around Harvey where property taxes exceed the P&I payments on those homes. But the officials do have the right complexion.
@DrRiff August 29, 2017 at 3:24 pm
Don’t fret. Even if you elected a government that did what you elected them for, the unelected Princes of The Court will demand otherwise. Your move loyal citizen.
“Peaceful Transition of Power at the Ballot Box”
What a great idea until the illegals outvote the rest of us so their illegal welfare can continue and the politician who enables this stays in office until he dies there.