Certainly, it is easy to say "the chicken has come home to roost," but, do these same people want Minneapolis to become the vast wasteland that many other inner cities have become? Sure, they'll feel safe out in the concrete-encrusted burbs for a while... but will they then come into town to attend shows or to work? Anyone besides me ever driven through Detroit?
Minneapolis is a beautiful city because of NRP and similar programs. This wave of Darwinian (survival of the fittest) fiscal policy sweeping the nation... and now "coming home to roost" in Minneapolis... scares me to death... it is so cold and uncaring about anyone but oneself. How far will it go? If we don't help the less fortunate to have even basic needs met... then, too, do we not care when they are forced to send their children to work in factories like in 17th & 18th century industrial days? Where is the line drawn? Do they really think that people who are desperate and resort to crime for income won't visit the burbs where there is more to steal? -----Original Message----- From: Michael Atherton [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 9:01 PM To: Mpls List Subject: Re: [Mpls] Blame the legislature for the big residential tax increases Sheldon Mains wrote: > It is my understanding that much of this change (INCREASE) is because of > the property tax law changes made at the legislature. They (and I hold > both the house and senate responsible) significantly reduced property > taxes on commercial/industrial property. They also said they reduced > property taxes on rental residential property. The same property tax > funds have to be supplied somehow. This means that homeowners pay > more--much more. It also turned out, at least for us, that there was NO > reduction in the tax we pay on the duplex we own next door--the taxes on > that property went up to. So, if I'm right, don't blame the city--blame > the legislature that has been bought by the business interests. I believe that part of the justification for shifting taxes from the state to the local level was that voters outside of the Metro area thought that if we in the city wanted to fund projects like the NRP then we should do so ourselves. The chickens have indeed come home to roost. Personally, I don't mind paying taxes. However, I do object to wasteful ineffective spending and pointless subsidies for businesses. Michael Atherton Prospect Park _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
