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PAPERBOY *not a daily publication Get a cup of tea -- Relax -- Read
Tell Ted Costa@tedcosta.com |
WRITE A LETTER You can write and send a letter to your local newspaper directly from this page. Writing a letter to the editor is one of the most effective ways to communicate your ideas. People's Advocate sees the need to increase citizen awareness of tax issues, which include direct and indirect taxes, fees and assessments. Government spending affects your taxes. Government borrowing affects your taxes. After you read an article, editorial, column or another letter to the editor, you may feel strongly concerned and you may want to share your viewpoint with other taxpayers. Most publications welcome letters from their readers. Here are a few tips to write a letter which is likely to be published:
Look up your local daily newspaper using the pull down menu below, then click on the "GO" button. Please send us a copy of your letter and we will try to print it here. On the "cc" line of your e-mail to the newspaper, type in: Peoples@peoplesadvocate.org
WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY Friday, November 17, 2000 In addition to the need to develop a realistic estimate of state revenues, it is not comforting to hear that the Department of Finance has been out of compliance with the Revenue and Taxation Code and the requirement to produce a Nov. 1 estimate of state revenues for the fiscal year. It is, however, comforting to know that organizations such as People's Advocate serve as an effective watch-dog group over the goings-on of the government that collects revenue from the sixth-largest economy in the world - California. David Freeman Sacramento This letter was written in response to a front page article published on October 25, 2000 ("With Surpluses up, sales tax set to fall".)
Published in the Sacramento Bee This is not to imply that the process as well as our Legislature don't need improving. But anybody with any sense knows that many of our "representatives" consider it in direct conflict to their power, influence and interests. Here's some advice for our representatives: Put together your plan for improvement. Then put it on the ballot before the voters. Let the people decide if the changes are truly in our best interests. Anything less will be taken as just another attempt to diminish the peole's access to one of our most valuable rights. Richard Green
Cameron Park Published in the Contra Costa Times Regarding the Acalanes School district board's decision to exempt property owners who are 65 years and older from a proposed district parcel tax, it seems the board has elevated the concept of a gated community into public finance. Don't we all live in the same community? Don't all members of society benefit from good schools, including retirees? Don't grandkids attend these schools? The board's decision violates the premise of fairness, and overturns the underlying concept of "public" financing for public goods. Public goods benefit more than just the current users. That is why local communities have publicly funded schools since the early years of this country. If this is to change, perhaps we should start by exempting working people from having to pay Social Security taxes to current retirees. While I believe schools need these funds, I will oppose a tax that is so inequitable. David Tannehill
Walnut Creek Published in the North County Times A yes vote on Proposition 39 will do away with limits on property tax increases that are provided by Prop. 13, which is 1 percent of property values, and there is no limit on how much property taxes can eventually increase with passage of 55 percent bonds. This will also put an end to our constitutional provision requiring a two-thirds vote on local bonds, which last for 20 to 30 years at 1 percent. They say they will give us accountability if Prop. 39 passes. Where is the accountability now with those other bonds we passed? Vote no on Prop. 39 and send a message to the PTA and AARP.
I thought AARP was for the seniors. With Prop. 39 passage, the seniors with a fixed income will be hard-pressed to come up with the extra money to pay for higher taxes. And renters will be affected by this, too. Richard H. Moreno
Escondido Published in the Bakersfield Californian Proposition 39, the current ballot initiative designed to greatly increase your property tax, is a loser and should be rejected. It invalidates the current homeowner safeguards of Proposition 13 by removing the 2/3 vote requirement and 1 percent annual cap limitation. If Proposition 39 passes, it will open the floodgates to the largest property tax increases in history! The bottom line is that Proposition 39 will hurt both the homeowner and the schools, as well. Most households are moderate and low-income, whose children make up the majority of public school students. Already in a financial survival mode, many could lose their home or be forced to double up with relatives. The number of stressed out parents and students will greatly increase. Teachers will be increasingly involved with dealing with home-based problems. The record seems to bear out that property owners will pass school bonds and Proposition 39 is not needed. Between June 1986 and June 1999, 456 districts placed 720 bond measures before voters. Three-quarters passed! In 1998, California votes passed Proposition 98. This insured a guaranteed percentage of state budget for public schools. Thus, they receive a lion's share of the budget each and every year! Currently, California is running a cash surplus of $12.3 billion. Surely if the schools are still in dire need there appears to be ample funds to assist them. If you're still thinking about voting yes on Proposition 39 get out this year's property tax bill. If you can say you think it's necessary to triple the amount go ahead. However, don't tell your neighbor that you helped triple his, too! James A. Wallace
Bakersfield |
