Be Alert to Tax-Raising Disease
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by Richard Hall

[This letter was published in Florida Today on July 22, 1998]

The lead article in the July 16 Local section tells us that Palm Bay property values have declined and that this will cause a drop in tax revenues.

The very next bit of information is that "city administrators have not yet determined how much of a tax rate hike would be needed to offset the loss."

Well, if this isn't typical of bureaucratic mentality, I'll eat the city charter!   Whenever a loss occurs, a reflex action takes place: Raise taxes.  That's all they know!

But it's about time the bureaucrats learned there's another option available. It's called "cut spending", the same thing we all have to do when a money crunch occurs.  It's fairly simple, really.  It's the second way to cover loss of income.

Raising taxes has been over-used and has become less than popular, to put it mildly. Read my lips: No new taxes!  Palm Bay residents would be well advised to give their city administrators some help in understanding option No. 2.

As a matter of fact, citizens everywhere should be ever alert for the dreaded "Raise Taxes" disease.  It can happen at all levels of government.  Bureaucrats and politicians are highly susceptible and the disease is very contagious.  It can spread like a Florida wildfire.

 

This page was last updated 07/02/00 01:50 PM