As voting is underway, I hope that you have found this blog site informative during the last couple of weeks, we will continue to try and provide as much information through this site as possible. I have spent the last weeks carefully considering the 2D ballot issue and its ramifications good and bad. For me it boils down to this: Do you want to fund the city from the money currently being used to prepay Metro debt? These prepayments are being done to position our community for future borrowing for renewable water. (The 2009 plan) My answer is no. The ballot question further asks that the City be allowed to ratchet up their mil levy to 19 mils in the years ahead when the Metro District is able to reduce mils as our debt is paid down with no consideration from the homeowners as to purpose. My answer is no.
I have heard compelling arguments that a no vote on these measures and no property taxes funneled from the Metro District budget means the city will run an extremely lean budget that will provide a much lower standard of service than we are accustomed to for 2009, that is true. Please do not hold any illusion otherwise.
I have also heard that a no vote means that other land owners will be less inclined to petition for annexation during 2009. That may or may not be true but a “no vote” would not preclude them from doing so. Also, that annexation would increase the City’s assessed value which would increase our revenue if a tax were imposed beyond what those properties would bring in expenses. True, but no matter how temping developers paint that picture, I suspect with today’s market any windfall from new development will not be realized in 2009.
I foresee that a no vote will further impress upon the homeowners, through limited services in 2009, that a standalone property tax increase for the current and any future incorporated property will be necessary to sustain the city. The sooner we are presented with a ballot measure from the city, that does not interfere with renewable water pursuits, the better.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
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We are far beyond voting for or against a tax a.k.a. mill levy. We are voting for or against deception in government.
ReplyDeleteI can deal with many types of people -- I cannot deal with deceptive people. If you can't trust somebody, all discourse gets shrunk down to a polite "hello".
When the state of the city's finances was repeatedly hidden from elected officials and city council meeting attendees, that is deception. The deceiver can never be trusted unless he/she repents and shows a pattern of honesty over a course of months or years.
And therein, folks, lies my "no" vote.