The following was sent to members of the Georgia State Senate this morning as they prepare to consider HB-233 this week:
DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER….
… if you are a Republican who is a “team player,” whether or not “the team” is RIGHT OR WRONG…
… if you will not vote your conscience (or your intelligence) because it might cost you that plum committee appointment…
… if you really DON’T CARE whether or not the legislation you support actually DOES what it is supposed to do, or might even cause MORE HARM than good…
… if you have NO CLUE and do not care to know THE TRUTH about HB-233.
Read more…
The following was sent to members of the Georgia House this morning. We invite you to reinforce the message by contacting your own state legislator.
Good morning, Representative.
Have you ever SERIOUSLY considered WHY Rep.Edward Lindsey’s assessment cap proposal, HR-1, must be enacted as a Constitutional amendment?
Read more…
The following was sent to all State House members this morning as they prepare to reconsider HR-1, the constitutional amendment to impose a 3% annual cap on increases in property assessments:
NOW….
Local officials can adopt the same millage rate as in the previous year, even as property assessments increase. This generates a tax windfall known as the “back door tax increase.” Property owners pay more even when local politicians don’t “raise taxes.” Read more…
“Georgia Legislative Watch” has graciously published our extensive commentary on the problems with HR-1, HB-233 and assessment caps in general. If you are interested the Georgia legislative process, check out this site.
The cure for “back door tax increases” is simple– require cities, counties and school boards to DO THE MATH. Doing so would remove a variable– the millage rate– from the control of local officials. No longer could they hide increases in the cost of government by maintaining an already inflated millage rate from year to year. No longer could they benefit from the windfall generated by rising assessments even when they don’t “raise taxes.”
Georgia Legislative Watch » COMMENTARY: Property tax issue dissected
(Updated for the 2009-2010 legisative session)
Proponents of assessment caps like HB-517 and HR-1 argue that it is not “fair” for property owners to be taxed on “unrealized gain,” which they define as the increase in the property’s value which is arbitrary (they argue) imposed by some mindless bureaucrat from the county assessor’s office. A person should not be taxed on something that he does not “possess.”
It’s a plausible argument, but fails on closer scrutiny. The “unrealized gain” argument is flawed and illogical.
Read more…
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