Posted by coble34 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How can you raise taxes in a recession? I won't be buying anything in Lyon County anymore.

Posted by justthefacts (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 7:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good luck driving someplace else then. The voters spoke.

Posted by seriouslyfolks (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 7:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

tax and spend
tax and spend
come on everyone
It's the not so new trend
tax and spend

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 8:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

People, this may not be the end either !

Posted by admireed (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lyon County will use their part of the revenue TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES. Emporia and the other cities ion Lyon county ?????

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 5:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yea admireed....many of the people who will now loudly bemoan this as just another tax increase are the same ones that gladly voted for it so they could get their property tax reduced. Go figure.
Sounds to me like some people just figured out a way to get some of their tax burden pushed off onto other people.....but no matter what, or why, we are always going to cry big crocidile tears about taxes.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 7:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

For all of you people who don't own property......that stayed at home and didn't vote that day .....you have no right to complain.
There are more people that don't own property than do....so you brought it on your selves.

Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 7:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Government has never met a tax increase it couldn't spend!

Posted by goodoleboy (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Fine by me, I stopped shopping Emporia first awhile back. The only thing this town captures from me is property taxes and what I have to spend at Wal Mart from time to time. I buy everything else in bulk and off the net in order to circumvent every tax dollar I can here. Even to the point of buying alcohol in Olpe or Americus.

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

For those who are interested. The following is the amount of delinquent taxes for Lyon County that have not been paid !
Withholding tax-------$106,150.69
Sales tax----------------$679,312.15
Liquor drink tax--------$ 19,114.61

Total taxes owed $804,577.45

Now there is an additional 1% sales tax that has been approved and added . If the deliquent taxes already owed haven't been paid, does that mean that next year the delinquent taxes owed will be even more than the above
gures ? I would almost bet that next years delinquent taxes will be substantially higher. And so it goes, business as usual in Emporia and Lyon County !
I wonder how much infrastructure the share of the above moneys would pay for ? That is if it is were not spent for unnecessary baubles !
Now I ask you, why would anyone in there right mind want to shop Emporia First and pay one of the highest tax rates in the State ?

Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Meth;

If your figures are off the Dept. of Revenues page , the amounts listed include penalty and compounding interest.
Some of the places are closed and the tax due will probably never be collected.
Steve

Posted by inaweoftheblindness (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Good ole Emporia. What will become of Emporia in, lets say, 20 years? Has anyone taken a drive down our city streets and noticed that almost (every) block in town either has a For Sale or For Rent sign in a yard? People are moving out of our city very fast. Has anyone noticed the welfare line, the unemployment line, a large majority of these folks are not in line because they want to be. There are no jobs in Emporia. Why find a job in Lawrence or Wichita and drive that many miles everyday not to mention the waste of gas. Now I'm sure one of you good ole folks here in Emporia is going to comment me on all this, thats great, and when you do, please inform me of what (Employment wise) does Emporia have to offer anyone living here or thinking about moving here, because I, for one, absolutely cannot find a good reason for anyone wanting to live here except for the fact it "is" a really nice town and the people here are friendly. But that doesn't pay your bills or put food on the table for your family. Lyon county is becoming a joke, and I for one, as soon as my two houses sell, I am also leaving. I have spent 30 years in this town, but things are not the same here anymore, it's too bad there isn't any work in Emporia anymore because it "used" to be a great place to live.

Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 11:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

biscuitboy;

I agree with your voting comment, but while talking to a renter, (not mine), who said he wouldn't vote for more sales tax, it was up to the property owner to pay property tax.

I reminded him that as property taxes go up, his landlord would most likely raise his rent to offset the costs.
So even renters are affected by property tax hikes.

Posted by DJrocksthemic (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I've always marveled at how uninformed some people are, and this just continues to add to my marvel. First of all inaweoftheblindness the unemployment rate in Emporia is on par with that of Lawrence and Wichita and Topeka, meaning even if you move away you're not garunteed a job. Secondly, don't complain about this increase if you're getting a decrease in your property taxes, i'm not complaining and I don't pay property taxes, but I do know my rent won't go up thanks to this legislation.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I see your point rbow and you are technically correct. My beef is more in line with the post by DJrocksthemic that some of the people blasting this tax increase as just more socialistic spending.....are the same ones who are quietly slipping the money they are saving on property taxes into their pockets with a sly grin on their faces.

Posted by inaweoftheblindness (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

DJrocksthemic: I'm not complaining about the tax hike, I was simply stating that Emporia does not have any jobs, and things are getting rough here (everywhere for that fact) but Emporia is a small city and with nothing to offer I don't see it growing much more, it's actually shrinking. And it doesnt look like anytime soon things are going to change. Since the layoff of Tyson, Real Estate companies here in town have almost tripled on homes for sale. I have spoke to many home owners whom have had their homes up for sale since the layoff, and they agree with me, homes are not selling here and mainly due to the fact that Emporia has nothing to offer in the Employment field. All in all, its just sad.

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's pretty simple economics, to understand why homes are for sale and are not selling, lack of jobs, which supply disposable income + higher taxes = lack of buying power for anything and everything ! Also when people have no jobs and can't pay their taxes, infrastructures begin to crumble and fall apart, hence Citys, Countys and yes even States begin to crumble and fade and this type of situation may eventually even resort to the crumbling of a Country ! Which is a situation that is happening all over the U.S. and the World and the sad and scary thing is that it will possibly get worse before it gets better and noone seems to have a solution !
I do know that raising a tax on one thing, in order to not raise the tax or even reduce the tax on another is not a solution.
If you believe that this tax increase is going to garner any help from those who travel through or visit Emporia you may be in for surprise. Those who travel and know that the sales tax in Emporia and Lyon County are some of the highest, will or may just take the " BY PASS " and do just that, " BY PASS " Emporia and Lyon County completely ! Good grief, there have been several posts from people who live here who have said that they will no longer shop here because of the tax increase. The way things are being done in this City and County are some of the craziest and irresponsible things I have seen done, especially in this depressed economy, and I have lived here all my life, over 6 decades !

Posted by inaweoftheblindness (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You said it all right there Methusia...couldn't have said it better. Bravo.

Posted by seriouslyfolks (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 2:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I will always complain about taxes. Why? Not because I think taxes are a bad thing and certainly not because I think there should be none. The reason I complain about taxes is because I know for 100% certainty that they will be spent in an inefficient way. The government(city,state,federal) has proven to me time and time again that they are not very good at doing things. You ever see those big popcorn popper thingys that people get into and there's money blowing around in there and the person grabs all they can? That's like the government. Our tax dollars get pored into the things and the politicians(from both partys) grab all they can by giving themselves raises and benefits and such and then what ever is left over ..... maybe they'll fix a road or immunize a crack baby or something. This isn't going to change so I'll keep complaining.

Seriously R. Folks

Posted by netloafer (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I spoke earlier today with the appraiser's office. Was told that valuations have decreased by 3% year over year. I was also told that city/county revenues are running far below sustainability. The warning signs are there.

This sales tax increase was sold on the basis of lower property taxes, but it is almost certain that's being reconsidered because of the revenue shortfalls. I was told that the mill levy in the 2010 budget may have to be increased significantly, which would mean a property tax increase, even with the decrease in valuations. If it happens, it'll be a double whammy.

That's the economic reality the city and county are facing. I doubt they want to say anything about it for fear of being accused of breaking promises. I think when they had it put on the ballot the intentions were basically good, but their assumption that the economy would keep cooking, etc was badly flawed.

I voted against the measure. One of the things that experience has taught me is that promises that seem to good to be true are almost invariably untrue.

As to what another increase in real estate taxes would do, if instituted, I don't know for sure, but one distinct possibility is a further escalation in the exodus from Emporia.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

seriouslyfolks...you seem to recognize that taxes are at least a necessary evil......but then you say governments are totally inept at dealing effeciaently with spending them. To a point a I agree with that.

But in the wake of the banking and insurance melt downs......and the failure of some of our largest corporations....who do you suggest would do a better job. And please don't claim all these problems occurred becuse of government meedeling at a time of little or no governemnt regulation of those businesses.

Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

biscuitboy, I agree also with seriously's point, and you raise good questions as well. I guess my take on that is that the businesses themselves fail, and they suffer. Of course its not that simple as things are interconnected and the economy also takes a hit but I think its better than, say, we in the midwest having to bail out, say, California for their ineptitude. It will really irritate me to no end if I end up knowing part of my tax $$ end up bailing out a state that openly declares many of their cities as sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants (directly defying federal law), and the high costs of such is contributing quite a bit to their financial meltdown, for just one example of their many problems. Not that we don't have problems too, just an example for my point......

Posted by YY4U (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wonder if anyone ever thought of lowering sales taxes to generate additional revenues. The additional one percent tax will only add an additional $250 to the cost of a $25,000 automobile purchase. That additional 250 may be enough to send a customer to another county with lower sales tax. If you lower the sales tax rate people will travel to euphoria to by a car, truck, boat, tractor etc. You get more tax revenue through greater volume of sales.

Posted by booker5m (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 6:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The sales tax was sold by some of the commish that own rental houses. But if I remember right the sales tax was passed by surrounding towns because they claimed they needed the money.

Posted by oh4theluvof (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

YY4U:
Your suggestion is fraught with no longer common sense and proven effectiveness. Sadly, we must change that for the sake of change, so it is now an outdated method that just can't be allowed anymore. Sorry.

I am a homeowner who voted no on this tax increase, by the way.

Also, most of my online purchasing charges me Emporia's sales tax and any that doesn't is to be reported on my KS income tax return, goodoleboy. Of course, I am an honest citizen, thus, not a goodoleboy.

Posted by YY4U (anonymous) on July 2, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Companies who manufacture and sell high dollar items like semi tractors, boats, harvesters, trains etc. would consider relocating to communities with lower sales tax for obvious reasons. If Euphoria were to lower the sales tax rate to 5.3% we could attract sales outlets for numerous vendors of these major end items. The additional jobs would improve home sales and people would have more disposable income to go out and frequent the bars and restaurants more often. Of course the sale of one tractor at $100,000 would only provide $5,300 in sales tax instead of the $7,800 with a 7.8% tax but you would have more people coming to Euphoria to purchase their tractor to save $2,500 on the tax. If you get more sales, you generate more dollars for the city government to waste on not-for-profit organizations, kiosks and the dream of one day being a tourism destination.

Posted by SFIns (anonymous) on September 4, 2009 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wonder if he forgot to tell his mom at madelynn's.