Wednesday, November 23, 2011

An Easy Question

With all the tax talk, arguments, posturing, I'm loath to pose this question; Would you be satisfied if your town were able to avoid any property tax increases for the foreseeable future? Dare I say that most of us would be ecstatic. Legislators, town councils, mayors, school committees, union leaders, would pat themselves on their backs and bask in the glory of a "job well done" especially at Thanksgiving season.

Now that everyone is smiling and content, another question. What would be your reaction when your town is revalued and from one half to three quarters of you receive rather impressive tax increases? If your town receives no more revenue, where do those increases go? The answer is that other property owners will pay lower taxes. Such is the reality of even a 'perfect' revaluation. Properties change in value differently and since we tax those values, some people will pay more, some people will pay less, regardless of what happens to local spending, municipal union contracts, towns' expenses, towns' outside incomes.

With each revaluation, millions of dollars change hands, money flowing from one group of owners to another group of owners, completely unrelated to incomes, ability to pay, or any rational measure. And that's with normal revaluations. What happens with irrational ones? Anyone remember the recent financial meltdown?

The system must be changed to realize the true goal of any municipal tax; that everyone pay their fair share in direct relation to a community's needs. You can learn more at http://righttax.org