So last year my city council put up a vote to approve a 25% increase in property taxes to fund proposed school projects. It was voted down 3:1. 3 democrat council members also lost heir bids for re-election. Before their terms expired, they led an executive action to raise taxes anyway. Then, they required that all people who owned residential rental property(even just one house) had to register as a business and pay $150/yr for a business license plus pay a yearly business property tax applied to office equipment and supplies. To add insult to injury, I just got a nastygram from our state dept of revenue demanding an equal property tax on the same equipment! I called and was told that the imputed tax would be on a minimum of $1,500 unless I could show depreciation not to exceed 90%. I informed them that I own only one house and get paid once a month. None of this requires any equipment. Doesn't matter, have to pay it anyway. This crap has to stop.

Cash + check for rent.

You damned sure got the heading right! Believe me, where I am in central Texas right now is the fastest growing area in the country + although I am out in the country, they are moving towards me. There is an enormous amount of Indian + Paki money coming in to buy up all they can. + of course as they are paying ridiculous amounts that effects the tax base. I had an offer last week for 3 acres of my front property with nothing on it for $300K. We have had the same situation here with the tax rates escalting to pay for all the new schools (a very bitter point with me). When the last school bond election was held it was voted against but they did it anyway.They even had the elementary school students standing out by the highway with cardboard signs saying, "Vote for our future, etc." As to the equipment issue; I had a tax appraiser come into my metal shop + then was sent a bill which increased every year. When I complained + told them that tools depriceate, not appreciate + besides that, you don't even know what these tools do so how can you establish value on something that you have no concept of its uses or potential value. How I beat that one (for now) was called one of my equipment buyers + sellers who buy up sheet metal shops at auction + resell the tooling. Of course they only pay about a penny on the dollar; but we had a good working relationship + he saw what I wanted to do, so he wrote me up on his company letterhead form how much they would pay me for all of my shop equipment. $6K, I took that form down to the appraisal district + said, here is established market value. Boy they were pissed but had to accept it.

It has been known for a long time.

The power tax is the power to destroy.

Indeed! Recently my little (not so little anymore) burg decided to add an additional .25% to ou communitee taxes for the use of the library district. No problem there as I support library in general but what I did not like was this was passed w/o voter consensus. Bascically, if they did it once thwen they can do it again for any special interest. I will have to add that in my business I am required to collect tax from the merchants but the state comptroller has never sent me any nodification of what the new tax rates would be, I only find out when I have to send in my quartly statements (which always comes out of my pocket to pay them for a tax rate that was not brought to the business/ collectors knowledge.

One effective tool I found was to attend these city council meetings with notebook and pen in hand. Every time any decision comes up, write furiously and look up at each member. Sitting in the front helps relay the message. If you can get others to attend and do the same thing, it makes these little Hitlers realize they are being watched. Unfortunately, it takes up a lot of time and effort, but it does work to make the "public servants" nervous. I have been contacted by the mayor, the Chief of Police, and the City Accountant. In all instances, there was polite but probing questions as to my concerns, so it clearly works. Washington state is full of leftist vermin, but we are fortunate (?) to have a Libertarian mayor.

The last council meeting I went to.

They asked me by my first name why I was there. I know each of them personally.

I said just to remind you that some of us do pay attention to what goes on.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
The last council meeting I went to.

They asked me by my first name why I was there. I know each of them personally.

I said just to remind you that some of us do pay attention to what goes on.

That's pretty scary. I hope none of them are still on council?

3584elk, One of the public did that a few years ago at a city council meeting + one of the council members got up + punched him in the face. We also have a local "reactionary" here that generally protests them getting away with stuff they shouldn't, like a few years ago when he stood up + protested why they had approved a bond that had been voted down. The council called the S.O. + had him arrested + thrown in jail. That's how things work in Williamson County.

Shite! That's right sporty...

Right! + I personally know all 3 of those characters.I will admit that the guy taking notes, even though he is my chiropractor was a little bit in the face of the councilman.When Gary hit Jerry in the face he did get fined but Jerry still got hit in the face. Our local "reactionary" is within his rights to speak his mind but he does make himself offensive by wearing a sandwich sign outside the post office, passing out pamphlets on social injustice, etc. so he was already pegged. I'm not saying he was wrong, but they had his # before he hit the floor.

Needless to say that our city council meetings are a bit of a circus I have quit attending them as well as the chamber of commerce meetings,in which I am a founding member, because it is all backbiting + arguing.