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Am I dreaming? When Mike Easley proposes a temporary sales tax hike to cover some unexpected expense, he's pounded by Dan and "stealing my personal property" neocon. Yet when Billy Yow proposes it, at three cents even, suddenly it's a good idea? Where is the consistency?

Despite the complaint that only property owners pay property tax, I assure you we all pay it. If I were a renter, some portion of the rent I paid would go to cover the taxes of my landlord. It's really quite simple. Likewise, far more than 50% of the populous (or even the "populace") own cars, which are also taxed. So don't be confused by the "landed gentry" argument.

Howie:

Billy Yow is not Dan. Billy Yow is not Neocon.

The problem is not "Too High / Stealing My Property" .. the problem is "What value am I getting for my tax dollar?"

Here's an example - I'm making up numbers, and cost of money is not included, but you'll get the idea:

I had two kids in public school at a cost of $7,000 / year x 12 years x 2 = $168,000

I pay $1,000 / year in property tax, but I will not live to be 168. If I payed property taxes a more normal 55 years (dead at 80, first home at 25 = 55 years), I would have to pay about $3000 / year JUST for school .. then even more for all other local services.

So is school too expensive? Perhaps ... but it's more about what am getting for the tax dollars I have - theoretically at least - authorized.

Howie:

Billy Yow is not Dan. Billy Yow is not Neocon.

The problem is not "Too High / Stealing My Property" .. the problem is "What value am I getting for my tax dollar?"

Here's an example - I'm making up numbers, and cost of money is not included, but you'll get the idea:

I had two kids in public school at a cost of $7,000 / year x 12 years x 2 = $168,000

I pay $1,000 / year in property tax, but I will not live to be 168. If I payed property taxes a more normal 55 years (dead at 80, first home at 25 = 55 years), I would have to pay about $3000 / year JUST for school .. then even more for all other local services.

So is school too expensive? Perhaps ... but it's more about what am getting for the tax dollars I have - theoretically at least - authorized.

Thank you JDR, I am indeed not Billy Yow. Political affiliation doesn't matter to me when politicians want to raise taxes. Did your kids get $168K worth of learnin?

Howie, Easley's 'temporary' tax is still with us.

Mr. Fields, if you think raising the sales tax will alleviate some of the property taxes you are paying, well let's just say I have a bridge to no where for sale. It amazes me who people want their taxes raised. Hell let's just follow suit with Canada and bump it up to 13%.

Just take a look at what the government liberal/diversity indoctrination camps have reduced us to: praising a clown for his "guts" in suggesting a tax hike. With the $8500 (average) spent on each student per year in this country producing graduates who can't make change at the grocery store without a calculator, it doesn't paint a very rosy picture for our future, huh? No wonder the Deliverer is polling high with this group.

How much of my tax money is spent on busing gang members from Greensboro to outlying schools in a vain attempt to boost their government test scores?

It's way past time to shut down this failed experiment in diversity and political correctness and privatize the education system in this country.

Cue here for the bleeding heart liberals to start mewling about 'racism' or 'what to do' with the troublemakers. I really don't give a damn what is done with the troublemakers who drop out and turn to crime. How about arming the citizens so they can shoot the bastards when they break into their homes?

Last I heard, citizens are allowed to arm themselves and shoot "the bastards" who break into their homes. Of course, I've been kind of busy, so maybe that got changed and I hadn't notice. Did the right to bear arms die with Chuck Heston?

And once again, you are certainly entitled to your opinion that public education is not a right in this country. But you should probably recognize that the vast majority do not favor a society where the literacy rate is somewhere above "third world" standards.

Howie,

You may not have noticed, but in spite of our spending more and more on our public schools, we do have a society where the literacy rate is more and more somewhere above "third world" standards. The problem is not that we do not spend enough for education, but rather that it is not being spent in an effective manner. Giving $1/2 Billion to the bozos that run these schools is nothing but a complete waste of dollars. Only suckers would believe that it is necessary to spend $80 Million on a school, when another school district can build the same school for less than 1/2 of that.

Howie,

One other point...education is not a right in this country. If someone wants an education, they actually have to work for it. The law says that they can attend public school, but to get an education, you have to actually learn. And, attendance at schools isn't even a right, as public schools have the authority to permanently expel students for serious offenses, such as the commission of a felony.

ORR,

For your information, the constitution of North Carolina does guarantee a right to free and sound public education. At least that's how our supreme court interpreted N.C. Constitution, Art IX, section 2(1). See Leandro v. State, 346 N.C. 336, 351 (1997). So please, when making arguments about privatizing our school system keep in mind that it will require, at the very least, amending NC Constitution.

What the NC Supreme Court giveth, so can they take away in a later ruling on this issue. An amendment would be one way to effect a change, but not the only. Depends a lot on the 7.

But in any event, the right to a free and appropriate education is so pervasive, I doubt that there exists today or any time in the foreseeable future enough of a desire to overturn Leandro or pass an amendment.

Fair enough, ORR, how about "requirement" rather than a right? Are you also advocating the abolition of public schools and the pay-as-you-go education system?

"I doubt there exists...a desire to overturn Leandro or pass an amendment."
Yes, dude, it is called: "common sense".

"Hurrah for Billy Yow. He has the guts to speak up for the property owners of Guilford County who are being pounded every year with increased property taxes."

Wow. So forcing property owners to pay MORE tax is standing up for them. It is unbelievable how cloudy some people's thought is.

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Here's the problem with the sales tax idea: Unless the tax increase is, by law, tied directly to the bonds, and a corresponding reduction in property tax is, by law, tied directly to the sales tax increase, what we are likely to get is BOTH. Further, the sales tax increase must, by law, expire as the bonds are retired ... else, it just becomes a permanent tax.

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Very good points, JackA.