http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/04/i_want_to_pay_more_taxes.html
Are you enjoying your Federal TAX Cut? I am!
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Regarding Urban Renewal and the frozen taxes that SHOULD GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE FIRE DISTRICT:
We were assured by City Manager John “I have no stake in the future of Molalla” Atkins that the state of Oregon would make up the revenue lost via the urban renewal district for the school district. Reality check John – the schools are facing a FOUR MILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL – and the state of Oregon is broke, too!
So, wise and greedy Atkins – where are your promises now – how about giving all those taxes back to where they should have stayed IN THE FIRST PLACE : to the Fire District and the School District. Those districts at least TRY to use tax dollars in a responsible way – unlike Molalla with it’s insane waste of funds on the LEGALLY INDEFENSIBLE COMP PLAN.
I won’t vote to raise the taxes for ANYTHING as long as the city STEALS MONEY FROM THE SCHOOLS AND THE FIRE DISTRICT. Give back the money now – Molalla doesn’t have a responsible dept as far a managing tax revenue – so let the schools and fire do their work!
A couple of further notes on taxes:
Molalla taxpayers, does anyone understand that the city is taking YOUR taxes to fund the legally indefensible comp plan and to pay huge, often undeserved salaries to city workers?
Think hard: What has YOUR city done to improve YOUR quality of life? If you FAIL at your job – or are unqualified to do it – you get LAID OFF OR FIRED, right?
In Molalla city government the incompetent and unqualified get HUGE salaries that YOU PAY FOR. That’s not fair!
The lack of transparency should begin to concern everyone. Without the proper use of public monies, the quality of life here keeps slipping – parks are ignored, roads crumble, we should all worry about the pipes beneath the old city? Does the city plan for ways to IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND TO PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT HERE?
It doesn’t seem that the city cares about the people already here – it only cares about paying for poor job performance and dreaming about some future ‘HIGH ENDERS’.
Don’t you think it is time that city government worked FOR YOU FOR A CHANGE?
The city could do better “planning” and save money to boot by closing the “planning dept” and contracting to the county for planning – at least the county has qualified, educated, certified planners!
The same is true for police services – the police here are just “speed trap bandits” – why not just use the county for police, too – then we wouldn’t be paying double for services!
Perhaps these ideas will get some consideration as the economy here fails further; after all, as Grannie said “you can’t bleed a turnip!”.
Ugh, I liked! So clear and positively.
Thanks
Hey Molalla Government, I want that $60 charge you put on my water bill or TAX back in my wallet. Do away with the POOL TAX.
http://action2.bravenewfilms.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=o8biz8LsNhqXGe4SeMdvU57vXf093c97
Here is a tax money tragedy – Molalla city government is letting a bunch of dollars fly out of Molalla via expensive lawyer fees – and the fees are paid so that Molalla’s lawyer can “help” private landowners get into the growth boundaries. I read over the paid bills at city hall today – shame on the city for wasting pubic monies to help private land speculators – who in most cases are rich enough to pay their own bills.
And, for a laugh, I found a note where the city paid the lawyer to look into “getting” me for posting blogs here that were jokes – parodies of public officials. What’ s the problem Atkins, Potter, and Clarke – can’t you take a JOKE? Do you need to stand behind your lawyer because the public thinks you are FUNNY?
That would be a fun court case: Dear Judge, I was having fun with words – I thought it was America and that we had free speech. Letterman made fun of the Bush EVERY NIGHT -The President didn’t sue Letterman!
And I could also say: “Judge, never in my wildest dreams would I WANT to be or pretend to be Shane Potter, or John Atkins or Mike Clarke – that would be the WORSE DREAM ON EARTH. ”
And finally I would say “Judge, in Molalla ATKINS IS IMPERSONATING A CITY MGR, POTTER IS IMPERSONATING A PLANNER, AND CLARKE IS IMPERSONATING A MAYOR!
Hey – maybe we should sue THEM for impersonating city officials! And ask for our money back!
The Oregonian had great coverage about the County and how it is wisely cutting back on positions and services because of the poor economy.
The biggest nugget was that RESIDENTIAL TAXES are declining – when houses sell for a great deal less than their former values they go on the tax rolls for less. Then the County gets LESS REVENUE. And then Molalla gets LESS REVENUE.
I wonder when that FACT will sink into the empty heads that “run” Molalla. Atkins bragged recently about basing the city on residential taxes – the unspoken message was that because there is virtually NO BUSINESS TAX BASE HERE (and shrinking by the day as Scotts moves to Washington State soon!) the city must depend upon residential taxes.
What happens to the County tax base happens to the Molalla tax base. As foreclosures and hugely reduced prices hit, the “new” tax on the “sold under market value” homes will bite big time. I hope the “leaders” are planning for that – as they let Molalla plannin’ flush the money down the drain are they also protecting the city with a “rainy day fund” or are they as careless and naive as they appear to be – running the city on blind faith that “something” is coming to bail out the city?
I guess dumb hope springs eternal if you are “elected” to serve here – and silence is telling! I am afraid we need more that false “good job” baloney to save the economic future here.
The City can expect little from the County – all roads projects are on hold – and I expect those PUBLIC GRANTS the City is so fond of depending on are also in very short supply. Oh no – how will MOLALLA STAND ON ITS OWN TWO FEET in the economic and real estate crisis?
Read quote below from Dana Tim’s Oregonian article this week about the money woes of Clackamas County and the efforts to downsize the County. As goes the County so goes the economy of Molalla – and the property values are sinking the same way all over the County.
Quote from the Oregonian:
“The county’s general fund, which accounts for more than 60 percent of total revenue, took
a significant shot this year as area housing values, and the property-tax revenues they
provide, continued to slide. Median home sale prices of $269,900 — compared to $320,000
at the same time last year — were largely responsible for the lowest year-to-year growth
since the passage of Measure 47 in 1996.”
So how does Molalla justify NOT DOWNSIZING?
http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2009/06/clackamas_county_trims_spendin.html
Guess who would benefit most if voters reverse the TAX THE RICH bills that the Oregon legislature passed this session?
Answer: RICHIE RICH GUYS like “our” rep. “Vickie” Gilliam.
“Vickie” whines in the Pioneer about taxing the RICH – yet he fails to tell you that HE IS THE RICH!!!!!!
What’s wrong, “Vickie”? Don’t YOU want to pay your fair share to help suffering Oregonians keep their jobs? Don’t YOU want to pay YOUR FAIR SHARE to make sure the state of Oregon can provide basic services?
“Vickie” represents the RICH – RICH corporations and RICH people. “VIckie” will loose his SPECIAL INTEREST HANDOUTS from the rich corporations and rich individuals if he doesn’t keep begging for lower taxes.
Hey, RICHIE RICH” VICKIE” – where does the buck stop – would you stop whining if there were no taxes and no roads and no schools and no social services and no public safety/fire protection? Maybe just scorched earth where we can all stand behind our locked doors prepared to protect the crumbs we have – while you live in a MANSION somewhere (on Lake Washington, in Washington State?) and count your big PILE OF NON- TAXED MONEY?
Grow up, “Vickie” – the RICH corporations and RICH individuals can afford to kick in a tad more so the state doesn’t collapse. Give up an expensive meal out – go work in a soup kitchen, go to an emergency room and see the folks suffering because they can’t afford routine health care, go to a crowded classroom, visit someone losing their home due to chronic unemployment – DO SOMETHING TO CONNECT WITH REAL PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING AND KICK IN YOUR FAIR RICHIE RICH SHARE FOR A CHANGE OF PACE!
Believe me, Richie Rich “VICKIE” – you’ll never miss it – and you might actually find a soul in the process! Maybe you could even find a heart and start to represent the MAJORITY: all of us struggling “little guys” who can’t afford to be bled further.
Tax the rich to help the rest of us – not a bad formula in any time and especially in a time of a jobless “recovery”.
So don’t believe “our VIckie” about taxes – “Vickie” IS the rich and “Vickie” ONLY CARES ABOUT HELPING THE RICH.
Our legislature understands that it can’t bleed us – the “little guys” – and it wisely looked to tax those who CAN AFFORD IT – RICH CORPORATIONS WHO HAVE DODGED FAIR TAXES FOR FAR TOO LONG, and RICHIE RICH INDIVIDUALS LIKE GILLIAM.
So again, don’t be fooled – “Vickie” Gilliam only cares about the RICH!!!! And his biggest concern is keeping those SPECIAL INTEREST MONIES FLOWING TO MAKE HIM RICHER!
And the ONLY way “Vickie” keeps his pockets full of SPECIAL INTEREST MONIES is to PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE RICH!
It will be interesting to see if the “average” taxpayer will be fooled by the anti-tax forces when the election comes to address whether or not the public will let stand the recent tax structure signed by the Governor. Passed by the Legislature this session, the new taxes affect the ultra rich and the corporations, to make the upper earners pay their fair share in this critical time.
Will the taxpayers think this through and recognize that this is to help keep our state functioning and that the upper earners can afford to kick in a little more?
Or will they fall for the scare tactics of the rich and vote to drive our state further into financial ruin?
It certainly will be interesting to watch – and I hope if people vote to “help” the rich and the corporations they won’t start crying when the schools, public safety, and other essential services go begging for lack of funds.
Money has to come from somewhere – why not from those people and corporations best able to pay a bit more?