Please God, No.

by: nsodano

Sun Apr 10, 2011 at 12:59:31 AM EDT

Yet all around us, popping up like mushrooms are lawn signs saying that less cops equals more crime, so vote Yes.  Vote to increase taxes.   By how much I ask.   My fearful friend says maybe 30%.   That is about $1200?   Maybe $900 says the friend.  

Then comes the perplexing comments about a tax shortfall due to the revaluation of buildings in town.   Huh?  The reval is not supposed to change tax receipts I say, right?    Right says friend,  but Nevertheless repeats the non-sequitor that the Tax Assessor says we will be short money due to the Reval.    And by the way, the redevelopment is killing us and tax exempt properties are now up to 40% from their former high of 28%.    

I lament that all these problems are just causing the sacrifice of middle class benefits and jobs when whats needed is for rich people to kick in more.   My friend is obviously not happy with this comment and pushes the conversation back to the point, which is that we really cant allow the feared diversion of UEZ money because the future of the town depends on it.  Perhaps that money could be loaned instead?    

So I say,  this tends to piss people off when i say it, but maybe you ought to try what the cops have done with signs all over town, you know, convince people of your position?  To which my friend replies that the business association was notified.    That's like what, 50 people?
But there seems to be no appetite for actual democracy in my friend.

So, as an encouragement I say that people seem ready to support the cops even if it means paying some more taxes, although probably not a $1200 hike.  To which my friend says that there should be no hike at all, that we should live withing our means.    

Which is exactly why the township council is eyeballing that half million dollars in the first place.  Funny how these "starve the beast" fans never contemplate their own interests in keeping the beast fed.  

I don't think God will intervene on this one.