Keep Emporia growing
Steve Sauder, Emporia
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
How many can remember the excitement in 1994 when Emporia made the Final Five for the Cessna aircraft plant?
It was truly a great time to live here. Excitement ran high, cooperation reached a fever pitch, and everyone seemed to have a “Can Do” attitude.
Eventually history tells us Independence, Kan., was awarded the Cessna plant, which by the way has been good but not nearly as great as projected for that community.
Emporia?
Well, we were winners, too!
First, the cooperation has not stopped. Emporia, Lyon County, the Emporia Chamber of Commerce and citizens have embraced a plan for economic well-being that is the envy of the state.
Secondly, we passed a half-cent sales tax and the proceeds from it — more than $29 million at the end of 2009 — have been used exactly as promised and with outstanding results.
You’ve heard the numbers, but because they are so good here they are again:
- Property tax relief — 50 percent — $13,767,286 — reducing Emporia’s taxes by almost $1 million each year.
- F With the first extension of the sales tax, the Jones Aquatic Center bonds were added with more than $2.5 million going for that quality-of-life investment in Emporia.
- And last, $11,301,307 has funded one of the most successful industrial development efforts in Kansas. More than $8.5 million has gone for land acquisition, infrastructure improvements and performance-based grants. The balance has funded the operations of the Regional Development Association.
This success story is amazing.
Through 2009 we’ve seen $693 million invested in new buildings and equipment resulting in nearly 2 million square feet of new industrial space.
We’ve seen 1,063 new jobs created.
That’s impressive.
Without this sales tax, Emporia would not have Menu Foods, Hill’s Pet Food, Camoplast Rockland, Norfolk Iron and Metal or REG.
In addition, virtually every Emporia manufacturer has benefited from this fund. That list includes Detroit Diesel, Hopkins, Dolly Madison, EVCO, Kansas Technology LLC, Vektek, Advanced Mold and Tool, Birch Telecom, Glendo, Fanestil, Westar Energy and Tyson.
Speaking of Tyson — had it not been for Emporia’s investment with them in their new coolers several years ago, it would likely be an abandoned plant now. But, because of that investment nearly 1,000 people still work at Tyson today.
That’s our sales tax dollars at work.
Next Tuesday we are being asked to extend this tax through 2024 to ensure Emporia leaders can continue to commit these funds over time. Failure to extend this tax not only will handcuff their efforts, but it would raise all our property taxes when the current sales tax runs out.
As they like to say — this isn’t exactly rocket science. This tax has served us well and it should be extended.
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Taxpayers are wondering whether Emporia will be able to retain Fanestil Meats, a company that could one day go big time. The idea that something good is just around the cornor is exciting.
July 28, 2010 at 1:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
It's good to see what this money has gone toward. Thanks for the info. I'd like to echo reddog's post and ask if everything is being done(including using this money) to ensure that Fanestil stays here?
July 28, 2010 at 1:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
you will not be hearing an announcement on Fanestil until after the election.
And you won't like it.
Steve
July 28, 2010 at 1:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
"Emporia, Lyon County, the Emporia Chamber of Commerce and citizens have embraced a plan for economic well-being that is the envy of the state. "
What is the envy of the state? The plan? The way people have embraced the plan? You do realize that neither planning, nor embracing is something tangible that can be envied? Which makes me wonder who exactly is envying this? In visiting with friends and family in Topeka, Wichita, Newton, Carbondale, or any others, this has never come up.
"Through 2009 we’ve seen $693 million invested in new buildings and equipment resulting in nearly 2 million square feet of new industrial space."
How much of it is now empty space that costs us money? Oh, My Gravy that's a lot of money!!! do you realize how much money that is?? Yes, I know that was the companies' money minus our incentives and development costs, but I would expect a lot better results from that much money being poured in.
"We’ve seen 1,063 new jobs created."
$693,000,000 for that many jobs? That is $651,928.50 to create each job. How many of these jobs exist in Emporia today? How much has been paid in wages for each of these jobs so far? Are you counting jobs that were "created" to consolidate many other jobs? Each of these jobs would have to earn an average of $43,400 a year over 15 years just to potentially put that investment back into our income pool. Has it?
How much have any of these companies actually paid the county or city in taxes? Was our investment off-set enough by the wages paid to employees to really make it worth it? It isn't rocket science. Has this money really paid off? Are there even as many jobs in this town now as there were when this tax took effect in 1995?
July 28, 2010 at 1:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
According to the people on KVOE this morning, they say the money that is expected to be collected between now and 2014 has already been spent. No wonder they are trying so hard to get this to pass!
July 28, 2010 at 2:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
Reddong, I don't know how you contain all your excitement, you have been excited for decades.
July 28, 2010 at 2:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
Shucks reddog, I misspelled your name again, oh well, you misspelled corner.
July 28, 2010 at 2:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
myemailsucks33 (anonymous) says...
Oh4theloveof - are you that naive?
The 693 million is money that has been filtered into our community by the companies that have been brought in. Not money that we have spent to create the jobs.
As stated we have spent 11 million and created 693 million. That means that for every 1 dollar we spent, we received 63 dollars back.
That is a fantastic investment.
slater - the money has been spent, because we have to plan ahead. The money is allocated over time and we have allocated it already, so don't overspend.
Everyone - please don't confuse this issue with Fanestils. Do you even know what Fanestils is really asking for? They could be asking to everything for free and not even guarantee job growth? I heard that they might even reduce the job force. There is a reason that we don't know the facts and that reason is because the business owner doesn't want them to come out. The RDA doesn't release info for a reason.
Thanks,
Common Sense
July 28, 2010 at 2:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
I'm not great with money by any stretch of the imagination, but there is a huge difference between planning ahead and spending what you don't have.
July 28, 2010 at 3:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Did the RDA, Chamber of Commerce, Emporians for Growth, and the City Commission also plan for the massive Debt that the City of Emporia and the taxpayers of Emporia are currently experiencing and most likely will be worse in the future .
What is the long range plan to balance the City Budget, as well as pay down the City of Emporia and the taxpayers of Emporias debt ... Oh I see, you don' t mention a plan for those do you ?
Could that be because you, the City of Emporia have no formal plan for balancing the Citys budget or any formal long range plan for paying down the Citys oversized debt ?
Whos fault is it for the unbalanced City Budget, oversized City Debt ? Some would/will blame the City Commission and they would be partially right. But a lot of the blame has to be borne by you/me/us the voters and taxpayers who have allowed this to happen, because we as voters and taxpayers did not demand more accountability and a hand in the process of approving where our tax monies are being spent, given away in the form of grants, where our tax money is going to be used, misused or spent for what is necessary or unnecessarily s[emt ... by the City, County, RDA, Chamber of Commerce or any other group or organization that was, is or has been funded by our taxpayer monies and apparently used, misused and spent even before our tax monies are even collected .
All I can say is, if the tax monies that are, no, were to be collected from an extension of the sales tax is or has already been spent, that is a helluva way to run a business, City and treat the people who pay the bills. Think about it for a minuete people, $20 to $30 million dollars or more is already gone and it hasn' t even been collected yet.
continued
July 28, 2010 at 4:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
continued
Steve, how long would your business survive if you run it like that ? The rest of you/us taxpayers, how long would/can we survive, allowing this sort of thing to continue to happen ? What I do know is this " INSANITY " must cease and quickly .
I am personally going to look into seeing what is required or if it will be possible for an individual citizen to request that the CITY of Emporia/Commissioners the RDA, Chamber of Commerce and any group or organization who receives or has received any tax monies by means of a City of Emporia grant, etc., " Investigated/Audited " to see if there has been any criminal/fraudulant misuse of tax monies collected from taxpayers and if the grants given to the groups and organizations who received grants that were funded with tax monies were, in fact elligable to receive such tax funded grants. If this is the only way to get the City of Emporia and the tax money grant recipients to account for their paying of salaries, expenditures, etc. and be held accountable to the taxpayers/voters, then I guess this is the way it will have to be done. As these entities do not seem to want to be accountable to the voters/taxpayers of their own accord.
Vote No on the tax extension, Aug. 3rd and take the first step in demanding accountibility and " STOPPING THE INSANITY " .
As soon as I log off of this forum, I am going to start writing letters to Steven Six, Kansas AG and Eric Holder, U.S. AG and inquire about what I mentioned in my post. If a formal letter will not warrant a response, then I will email them, if that does not garner a response, then I will personaly place a telephone call to them.
July 28, 2010 at 4:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
This list sounds impressive but I have my doubts about renewing this tax. I probably won't decide until the day of the election. One nagging worry I have is that all these jobs aren't held by Emporians. I don't know what percentage live here but I know Hills, for one, has hired a lot of commuters. I think one thing holding Emporia back is that our workforce needs to be better educated - at least that's what I've heard. I'm going to keep reading the posts and the news stories until I have a better grasp on whether Emporia really can benefit from this in the future. Property tax relief is a big deal, but don't get me started on how unfair some of appraisals are in this town!
July 28, 2010 at 4:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
myemailsucks33
Please, what company or business can guarantee any City, State, County or area sustained long term job growth in todays economic environment. Besides there are to many unknown variables to make such a long term guarantee .
Did the bio-diesel plant make any long term job growth guarantees that could be sustained over the long term ? If so, where is that job growth and where is the bio-diesel plant.
Did Lenza make any such guarantees ? And where is Lenza now ? Oh, yeah thats right thats that empty building with all the long term growth of jobs !
Fanestils is/was an old longtime, established company with 80 sustained viable jobs and as I understand it , Fanestils was even talking of enlarging and expanding. Did that mean a guarantee of sustained long term job growth ? Of couse not, it could have possibly meant some sort of job growth.
As it is, the guarantee is, Fanestil is leaving Emporia and Lyon County, along with 80 real jobs that already existed that taxpayers worked at.
There are no guarantees in life, but there are an awful lot of people who seem to think there is and therein lies a lot of this countrys problems.
And what is even worse is there are people who will believe these people who speak of guarantees of long term job growth.
July 28, 2010 at 4:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
myemailsucks33 (anonymous) says...
methusla - no one is guaranteeing long term job growth. They are just stating a fact. We have a better chance of growing as a community, including long term job growth, if we extend this tax.
This is probably the only tax that you pay and know exactly where it goes. Half of it goes to industrial development and half of it goes to property tax relief.
If it doesn't pass, its estimated that our property tax might go up by 6 or 7 mills. That's serious money for everyone in EMPORIA only that pays property tax. You might not even pay that much in sales tax each year.
You also have to remember that this tax will be paid by everyone that spends money in Emporia, not just Emporia residents.
Why not have out of towners/non-residents help us grow our city?
Too much bickering over a pretty common sense issue here.
I like most am sick and tired of paying more taxes, but this is one tax that i am more than happy to pay. Again, our return is 63 dollars for every dollar that we spend.
That by itself is a no brainer.
Lastly, i hope everyone that is being negative or positive about this subject knows that only Emporia residents are able to vote on this issue, because it is an Emporia sales tax extension. Not a tax increase, just an extension
July 28, 2010 at 4:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
myemailsucks33
Do you count people who live in Americus, Hartfore, Olpe, Reading and all of the small communities surrounding Emporia as " Out of Towners " ? If so, how many of the " Out of Towners " can you estimate or do you suppose will actually shop and buy somewhere else that has less sales tax and won' t require them to pay a higher sales tax for 10 more years ?
Haven' t you heard, sales tax revenue is already down in Emporia ! Do you just suppose that this loss of revenue could be because people are shopping and buying out of Emporia because of the sales tax in Emporia ? And in their infinate wisdom the so called leaders of Emporia are demanding that the high sales tax in Emporia be extended for another ten years.
Also I will lay odds, that even if the sales tax extension is approved, the property tax levy will increase anyway.
Sheesh wake up to whats been going on in " E " town and has been going on for years.
July 28, 2010 at 4:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
It's only 1/2 cent on each dollar. We have been paying it for this long. If it is voted down, we will still pay it until after the world ends in December 2012. What do we care?
July 28, 2010 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hickory (anonymous) says...
methusla.....I would like to know what cities around have a lower sales tax than Emporia? If there is such a place, that has.....let's say ........ 2% less sales tax, you'd only save $2.00 on a $100.00 purchase. It would cost at least $20.00 to drive there, plus the wear and tear on your vehicle. Look at all the extra people that would be out of work or moved away, if the RDA wouldn't have had this 1/2% sales tax to help Emporia grow. We would have even more vacant houses and more businesses closing, because those extra 1,000 people wouldn't be here to spend their money in Emporia.
July 28, 2010 at 5:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
I was disappointed that the 15 thousand dollar ad in Oparh magizine didn't boost July sales. For 75,000 dollars, we found out what stores like Emporia. When this study was made I called the people making the study and was told that a call was going to me made on a certain date and I asked Kent if I could listen in and I was told that I was not welcome.
July 28, 2010 at 5:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
marko (anonymous) says...
just think how much worse it would have been without the bump from the ad
July 28, 2010 at 5:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
Article states:
"Through 2009 we’ve seen $693 million invested in new buildings and equipment resulting in nearly 2 million square feet of new industrial space."
....sucks states:
"The 693 million is money that has been filtered into our community by the companies that have been brought in."
Investing in new buildings and equipment is not the same as paying wages to workers. The result of $693 million is 2 million square feet of industrial space. Big whoop, when much of it sits empty. For all that building, all we have to brag about is several empty buildings and 1093 "new" jobs. Boiling things down to the bottom line is not naive, it's smart business. Big corporations do it all the time and it's high time that Emporia starts running some risk assessments on those bottom lines too.
July 28, 2010 at 6:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
myemail... is correct
meth... there is not a city around to shop that has 2% less sales tax (see Ks Dept of Rev site)
In a perfect world there would be no need for incentives but the real world is here and if Emporia and Kansas and USA want to be in the get/retain jobs competition it takes MONEY. No, we can not win every competition. Some industries fail. Some leave anyway.
Where the heck would Emporia be if the city and county did not spend tax monies years ago when plants started to shop one town against others to see where to set roots?
Edward McKernan
(I can not vote on this question)
July 28, 2010 at 6:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Move back to town.
July 28, 2010 at 6:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporian (anonymous) says...
Here is a sales tax breakdown.
http://www.ksrevenue.org/pdf/StateLoc...
It is a bit dated though.
July 28, 2010 at 6:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
"In addition, virtually every Emporia manufacturer has benefited from this fund."
Yeah, I bet they have.
July 28, 2010 at 7:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esu7592 (anonymous) says...
Due to lack of jobs for those unemployed in Emporia, this town is slowly becoming a retirement community. If this sales tax is to bring in business &/or industry, it needs to have a wage base that could support a family. The new jobs would then increase the sales tax income for Emporia. This would then allow the city government to have the funds to do what is needed. But the very first thing that has to happen is an increase in the number of jobs with livable wage base. So far I see more businesses leaving than those staying or new businesses coming to Emporia.
July 28, 2010 at 7:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
joecitizen (anonymous) says...
693 million in new buildings and equipment
maybe, but that equipment was purchased elsewhere, and most of the contractors are out of towner's, who pays taxes elsewhere, and who buy their materials from big distributors elsewhere, who file their sales taxes with other cities. the numbers are misleading.
you can extend the tax for all i care, but let's dissolve the RDA, or at least make all the meetings open, and all of there work available for public view.
Any lawyers on here, wanna file a suit under the freedom of information act, so we can see what kent and the gang don't want us to see?
July 28, 2010 at 9:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fromaglance (anonymous) says...
To Steve Sauder and the RDA, I give you well-deserved credit. It's a challenging job you do have. Keep up the good work.
The Midwest is dying out. Only a few locations will survive. I hope Emporia can prosper, and it seems to me you are putting into place the appropriate mechanisms to ensure the community's sustainability.
July 28, 2010 at 10:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
b3bill (anonymous) says...
Here is a link to the total sales tax rates effective 7-1-2010 in Kansas towns and counties.
http://ww.ksrevenue.org/pdf/forms/pub...
July 29, 2010 at 12:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
July 29, 2010 at 1:07 a.m. ( permalink )
b3bill (anonymous) says...
An organization is definitely needed to attract new businesses and work with existing businesses. That doesn't mean I like the existing RDA.
Why can't details be given about businesses that had considered Emporia, but chose another location? We've paid the taxes to run the RDA, yet they have selective accountability to us. You, the local consumer, will be continually blocked from any information they don't want to share, but you'll still get charged the tax.
As it is now, there is no objective measure of the RDA's success (bringing in a new business that actually follows through and provides jobs as per the requirements) vs failure (not getting a once-interested business to locate here, the inability to meet a goal of a certain number of businesses per year inquiring here, etc). We have no idea how many businesses the RDA might simply turn away or decide to not work with, for any reason, including those possibly in conflict with RDA members' personal interests.
The RDA needs to be completely reorganized. It needs to include several individuals who are elected at the polls by the citizens, along with full accountability of the money spent and divulging details on their completed work (ie, when a business has decided against Emporia, how many inquiries per month/year, etc).
The RDA website says "The RDA serves as the lead organization and key point of contact for the economic development activities for Lyon County and Emporia." What are the businesses in the remainder of Lyon County outside of Emporia that the RDA has brought in, besides the Westar expansion?
Until the RDA is reorganized, I will not support the 1/2% sales tax extension. The RDA tax (50% of the proposed 1/2% sales tax extension) needs to be voted on separately, instead of riding along with the other 50% of the 1/2% sales tax to be used for property tax reduction. They are separate tax issues and should be voted on separately.
July 29, 2010 at 1:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rabblerouser (anonymous) says...
They say that half of the 1/2 cent sales tax has gone to reduce property taxes. Part of the ruduction in property taxes can be contributed to lower property values. How many properties does the city of Emporia own that brings in no property tax? How many acres are southwest of town used as a shooting range. Just wondering.
July 29, 2010 at 6:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tell (anonymous) says...
I would support the tax if the RDA was reorganized . No doubt in my mind the people working on the RDA are working hard but working hard with little results doesn't get it. They talk about jobs gained, we aren't keeping up with jobs lost. Emporia is smack dab in the middle of the USA on two major highways we should be the distribution hub of the USA.
July 29, 2010 at 7:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
I know I said I was going to give it a rest, but.;
Property tax relief?
IS IT?
Or does this sales tax just free up property tax income for other projects?
If you give the government your money your only guarantee is they will spend it.
The proponents say that the mil-levy will increase if this is voted down, BULL!
It could, it probably will, but then it's our job to vote out the commissioners and get rid of the city manager, if they can't budget with what they have.
A perfect world would be where :
Mr. S. Folks had a job at Logjam Lumber co. and put in forty hours a week.
After 2 years of cutting his expenses to just get by Mr. Folks had enough. He went to his boss and said I am giving myself a 100% raise that you will pay me so I don't have to scrimp and save. And his boss said "sure, why not?"
But that would be a perfect world and we arn't there yet.
So let us (the Bosses), tell the help, (Government officials), sorry we are not living in a perfect world.
GIVE YOURSELF A TAX BREAK !
The government won't.
VOTE NO
July 29, 2010 at 7:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
And reddog,
It's dodo !
July 29, 2010 at 7:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
irishemporia (anonymous) says...
Facing the prospect of an increase in property tax or an increase in sales tax, I vote for the latter. At least that can be shared with folks from outside Emporia. With the former, we carry the burden ourselves.
And yes, no matter who is running the government, taxes will go up.
July 29, 2010 at 7:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I will comment later. Right now am busy researching and studying the Kansas Sales and use tax booklet .
July 29, 2010 at 8:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Well, just one comment.
If you really want to know why the hard push for an early vote on the sales tax extension and why I and others believe that property taxes will increase, no matter the outcome of the sales tax vote.
Read the following on another Gazette forum.
Revenue declines make 2011 city budget preparations difficult
By Jeremy Shapiro
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
And since ther RDA and some other taxpayer money funded grant , " leaches " are demanding their cut of tax payer funds and apparently their cut is already spent, and they haven't even received it yet and some of these " leaches " are actually demanding more money and there are those who are also demanding the City and RDA spend even more money for so called " GROWTH " without showing the bill payers ( us/you the taxpayers ) exactly where " OUR " ( the taxpayers ) money is being spent, used, misused, stolen, etc.. Yes, trying to formulate a Budget that will be acceptable to everyone and is the main reason that the City is having a big problem with the Budget and the RDA, Emporians for Growth, as well as others are the ones who are actually in Control of the City of Emporia and a large part of the influencing power that we the common ordinary taxpaying citizen of Emporia are fighting to put the power and decision making back where it belongs. Back into the hands of the people, the people who are forced to pay more and more and yet expected to do with less and less, so the " Fat Cat POWER BROKERS " , the RDA , Emporians for growth, and others can get what they want .
There got that off my chest. Now back to studying the sales & use tax Booklet.
July 29, 2010 at 8:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kciddor (anonymous) says...
Give us a break. This is like all the other hand outs we tax payers say ok to. Why can't our elected officals come to the point and just say no to continued cost and if you don't have it to spend say no. As of the first of July the added tax is no good for anybody and once you get it attached it's very unlikely that it's going away. These tax increases are only going to hurt the already hurting businesses.
July 29, 2010 at 9:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
myemailsucks33 (anonymous) says...
methusla - is that even ENGLISH?
July 29, 2010 at 10:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Well here I am again. Trying to multi-task here, keeping tabs on comments and studying the sales & use tax info, so please forgive any mispells or poor punctuation.
myemailsucks33, yup, its my english and style of composition . Most everyone who has been reading my comments for anytime at all, don' t have much trouble understanding what I am trying to say .
kciddor, The only reason I can come up with, as to why the RDA or the City does not want the taxpayers to see or know where taxpayer funds are spent or used is because they have something to hide. But thats just my suspicious nature when it comes to me giving someone money and not knowing what they are doing or going to do with it and the fact that they won' t show me what it is used for and are asking me to approve giving them even more money for another 10 years . Besides, if another 10 years of sales tax revenues have already been spent, before they even get it, the only logical reason for a rush to approve another 10 years of sales tax extensions, is so they can cover their own " spend thrift " arses, and to me thats the bottom line for the rush to extend a 1/2 cent sales tax for another 10 years . Because they have borrowed money on the promise that they could guarantee to the borrower that they could get the 1/2 cent sales tax extended for another 10 years in order to try and pay back the bond loan. This is also why I believe that you will also see another property tax levy increase . You see the rats in control of the City and the taxpayers money are very adept at covering each others arses, with propaganda, blowing of smoke, promising anything and delivering little on those promises, such as a sales tax extension will give the taxpayers property tax relief . Has anyone seen much in property tax relief in the las 6 years of the present sales tax extension ?
I really need to get off of here, before I really get steamed, about how our City and County leaders, whom we trusted and believed in, by electing them to office ... actually do the peoples business and treat the taxpayers, who pay the City and County bills.
And you are I know are getting tired of hearing me rant. So, solong for a while and Vote No on Aug. 3r. lol
July 29, 2010 at 10:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
toofast (anonymous) says...
If they need to raise more sales tax money why don't they tax internet and out of state sales. It would be easy to collect because the retailer already pays it in for in state sales. The retailer would just pay in the sales tax for where they are located on EVERY sale made.
July 29, 2010 at 11:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
myemailsucks33 (anonymous) says...
toofast - you can't require a company located in Europe or China to pay in state sales tax.
July 29, 2010 at 2:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )