Vicki Heller said: > Homeowners should be paying MORE TAXES (a much larger share of the total burden), which will bring in a lot more > money to solve the City's growing financial crisis. As pointed out by other Listmembers, Minneapolis homeowners pay less > than HALF of those in Milwaukee. WHO do you think should pay for all of your recreation and public amenities? > Businesses [that choose to stay] and apartments [that aren't owned by non-profits] already pay punitive property taxes to > subsidize Minneapolis homeowners. > > Do you think that a tax system should be fair and offer equal protection? > Or do you prefer arbitrary and unfair?
Bob here: Unfortunately, there are no simple answers when seeking a solution to the red ink in our government. I would consider the statement above to be too simple a solution. Any idea that results in a 'hooray for me, screw you' is a bad idea. Increase the homeowners burden and decrease the property owners burden? I believe THAT is unfair because business property is generating a profit. Homeowners by and large are NOT generating profits out of their home. Also, "Businesses [that choose to stay]..." is a loaded statement; if your business is to own property and rent them to individuals, you are not going to pick up your building and move it to South Dakota to save on taxes, are you? Owning and operating a business is not the same in every area. It is a benefit to business owners to have access to the customers in Minneapolis; our average earnings are higher, our education levels are higher and we understand the value of the intangible things in life. If a business decided it would not "stay", are they going to move to Mexico? They certainly won't have the same kind of business... Close the corporate tax loopholes first then fix the health care issue. My theory is that were those two things done, we wouldn't have to rob Peter to pay Paul by shifting tax burdens between non-homesteaded and business properties to homesteaded properties. Also, a one percent property tax (which it how shakes out to be for me) is more than fair, IMO. Bob Velez Shingle Creek 4-1 REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
