PROPERTY TAXES CREATE POVERTY
By
Investigative Reporter
John Taft
May 10, 2014
NewsWithViews.com
Josephine County, Oregon --The largest food drive in Josephine County, is held annually by the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers. A story in the Grants Pass Daily Courier states, “About 12,000 people in Josephine County require food assistance, and about 5,000 children in Josephine County live in families that face, 'food insecurity' … .” A property tax does nothing to help these children and adults, but it does punish them and makes it more difficult for them to crawl out of the jaws of poverty.
Property
Taxes Create Poverty
In the US census report covering the years 2008 to 2012, 20% of the
population in Josephine County was below the poverty level, and 23%
of homeowners spent over 50% of their income on their home mortgage.
HUD uses 30% as the guiding figure to determine the housing a family
can afford. This also includes the utilities, rent, or mortgage costs.
Addition property taxes will only compound their financial problems.
Property taxes are certainly a factor in the need for food barrels,
food drives, housing assistance, and the many social services funded
by taxpayers. Property taxes help create poverty.
Government is aware of the poverty problem, but refuses to acknowledge what causes it. A recent Drudge headline: “City Looks To Build “Pods” to house homeless. House to hold hearings on poverty … .” Congress has spent hundreds of billions of tax dollars feeding the Golden Dragon of Poverty. This money has had no effect on the poverty problem and will never solve the poverty problem. Poverty is best solved on a personal level. Meanwhile, congress continues to tax, spend, and borrow their way to default which is confirmed by this Drudge headline, “Fed Chair: Deficits will rise to unsustainable levels …” also this shocker, “Postal Service $100 Billion In Debts, Unfunded Benefits” ... . Do you really want to vote for higher property taxes?
Regressive Taxation, Proceed With Caution
A property tax is a regressive tax, meaning that the tax decreases as the amount subject to taxation increases, and has a greater effect on the poor than the rich. For example, a person earning $20,000 annually with a property tax bill of a $1,000 will pay 5% of his income for the tax. A public employee making a $100,000 will pay 1% of his income for the same tax. Well paid public employees normally support the property tax because it brings in large amounts of revenue to fund local government.
The High Cost of Public Employees
Before considering a property tax the pro-tax S.O.S. group should have considered the public employee factor. Public employee's are unionized giving then legal rights in dealing with salary, benefits, and tenure. The unions are opposed to the best interests of renters and homeowners being taxed to pay the bills. For example: The minimum cost to employee a deputy sheriff is about $93,000. If the deputy retires at 75% of his regular salary the true cost to fill a deputy position is $162,000. The same applies to all public employes. Their apparent salary is not the true cost billed to taxpayers. It's one on duty, one retired, and sometimes two retired from the same position. Before you vote for a property tax there needs to be a public discussion of decertifying public employee unions.
The Aristocracy, DA Steven Campbell?
Another issue that needs to be looked at is the unapproachable great and holy god of the Josephine County District Attorney's Office, Steven Campbell. It appears Mr. Campbell is conducting a personal vendetta on at least one case. This case is allegedly costing taxpayers between $75,000 to $100,000 in court and prosecutors time. Why would Mr. Campbell spend this amount of money and time on a misdemeanor case when there are so many serious felonies to prosecute? When I inquired into the costs of this case he remains mute as a pop-eyed guppy in a fish bowl. Commissioner candidate Paul Walter once wanted to ask Mr. Campbell a question, and Mr. Campbell reportedly replied, “You have to ask my permission before you can speak to me.”Mr. Walter replied, “Who do you think you are, a King?”
Property Taxes Create More Problems Than They Solve
If ethics and morality concern you a no vote on the Josephine County Property Tax Measure 17-59 becomes a moral obligation. A property tax does not give consideration to the ability of a homeowner to pay for this compulsory tax on his home. A property tax is a very unfriendly tax in that it places a lien on your home yearly, if you miss payments you are charged a 16 percent annual interest rate. At the end of three years of taxes in default your home goes into foreclosure. After that it is just a matter of time before you are evicted and the county can either sell or keep your property. Generally, homeowners will either sell or cut back on basic needs such as food, medicine, clothes and etc. in order to pay the tax collector. Living under a bridge may be good for trolls, but not raising children. A recent Drudge headline makes this point, “Judge OK's tax auction sale of widow's home over a $6 bill ... .” This reportedly, is a $280,000 home. Judges and public officials generally have no heart.
To Be Right, Vote No
For what it costs, delivers, and being morally wrong. Measure 17-59 is a seriously flawed property tax and deserves to be trashed at the ballot box for the reasons listed in this article.
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Perhaps you can afford the property tax today, but what about tomorrow? What if your work hours are reduced. If you are out of work with no income you will still be stuck with a hefty tax to pay this Fall. Can you guarantee you will have a job 6 months from now? I can guarantee you there will be a property tax pounding on your door to be paid this Fall. And don't forget, the City of Grants Pass will have their Fire and Police levy on the ballot for renewal in November, 2014.
� 2014 John Taft - All Rights Reserved
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