We have ourselves to blame for higher taxes
Point: Tax bills come out in July for Guilford County and its incorporated communities, the newest being the Cardinal.
Point: You can appeal your tax-assessed value, based most recently on the required 2004 revaluation. But, why?
Point: If you’re concerned about your tax bill, the Tax Department is not your target. Because the tax burden is increased by us, not them. Hello?
Point: The most recent tax increases — county and city — were a demand to your commissioners and council members, because you/we voted that increase into place. They are legally bound, as is the county manager, the city manager, the Board of Commissioners and the City Council, to implement what we, the voters, have agreed to and demanded that they implement.
Point: Property values are falling. Property taxes are rising. Forty-three percent of the county’s citizens own real estate. Fifty-seven percent do not. The recent multimillion-dollar bond vote won by 55 percent. Do the math. Why not vote in more “gimmes” if you don’t have to pay for them?
When the tax bills come out, don’t call the Tax Department. Don’t call your commissioner or council person. Call your neighbor … and talk about how we did this to ourselves. Point taken?
Lonnie Groendes
Greensboro
Comments (2)
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Forty-three percent voted "against".
Fifty-seven percent voted "for".
... won by 55 percent. Do the math
Gross oversimplification and an opinion based on circumstantial evidence. I'll bet my personal life some of that 43% voted "for".
Posted on July 6, 2008 7:27 AM
While Mr. Groendes does have a point, city and county officials can not be let off the hook here. They are the ones that develop a budget for their entity and determine how local government spending will occur. Most of the spending is not mandated, but rather discretionary, especially when they allocate funds to their favorite recipients. There is enough fault to go around here several times. Let's face it. When you look in the dictionary under fiscal responsibility, you do not see the faces of our governmental officials.
Posted on July 6, 2008 9:07 AM