Submitted by Rex Bell on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 12:28pm.
MFP Tags: IACT, Taxpayers, HagerstownTopics: Politics
MFP Tags: IACT, Taxpayers, HagerstownTopics: Politics
They just can't help it....
Addiction can be a terrible thing. When were first married, my wife worked at Reid Hospital as a Respiratory Therapist. She tells of a man who was given a tracheotomy, and continued to smoke cigarettes by holding a lit one next to the plastic tube coming out of his throat.
Some habits are extremely hard to break. Knowing that, I was pleased when the Hagerstown Town Council decided at its April meeting not to renew its membership with the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) last month. Apparently IACT felt the need to increase its dues, and it was heartening to hear the town council president state that the council needed to start being more prudent with the way taxpayers' money was spent, in light of the projected upcoming revenue cuts.
Admittedly, I've never been a fan of IACT. As I've stated in the past, IACT offers nothing for taxpayers. It is fanatical in its support of new and higher taxes, and increased government power. So I was happy to see the council's decision to stop sending any more of our money to such an organization.
Now, I realize the town council is still spending public money buying and tearing down houses to increase the amount of government owned property and deacrease the amount of privately owned property in town. And I know that they have agreed to give 10,000 tax dollars to a consulting firm to study the feasibility of building an industrial park next to an industrial park. Still, I was happy to see at least one instance of some real hard-core fiscal responsibility.
But then, much to my chagrin, Tom Bredeweg from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns showed up at the May meeting and asked the board to reconsider its decision not to renew its membership.
The board agreed to study more information and then reconsider its decision.
To which beleaguered taxpayers cry, "Stand firm, town board, stand firm!"
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 Cities and Townships do
Cities and Townships do indeed need to be more prudent in their "Fiscal fiduciary duties" and I for one would like to see all Property, Estate, Inventory taxes eliminated. And converted to a pay as you use/go tax base. That and collect then spend.
This business of property converting to State/ County/ City ownership due to blight, delinquent back taxes, and liens and levies unpaid? Let them accrue to the end of the Property Owners Life, and take them then or turn off services to that address. Simple and Not hard to administer.
Then again I favor, the take over of major portions of thoroughfares into and out of Cities / Townships and the lease back to property users to secure "preferred" placement along the routs and put up for renewal every five to seven years to represent interest and strength of the location.
This would allow cities/townships to "develop" enterprise zones that would be revenue streams that would be business related and "controlled" by the Taxing Authorities.
As one of the We The People; I understand we are not guarenteed any stable form of income, and I want to be one of those who pass the favor on to our Representative Government for making so many bonehead mistakes on our behalf. And this is my "One and Only" concession (suggestion) to their need to feed their greed.
Randall L. Jacobsen Sr.
Proprietor
Sow N Sews Custom Sewing N Repairs
and Army Navy Surplus Of Muncie
and Chaplain, M.O.R.E. Ministries, American Legion Post19
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