It seems like every time I attend a local event or open my morning paper, I hear about another local government entity debating a referendum. When local officials need money to fund a project or construct a new building, it requires raising your property taxes to pay for it. By doing so, they are required to put a referendum on the ballot to get the taxpayers’ approval.
In the current economy, raising taxes is the last thing we need. Enough is enough.
I understand that there are times when we need improvements in our community. But there is a difference between “needing” and “wanting”. I am hearing that the City of Greenwood is requesting a $12 million increase in taxes. They need $7.4 million for a swimming pool and $4.5 million to purchase a building the city is currently leasing and to buy land for a new future city building.
Recent history shows us how poorly referendums have gone over within our community because voters don’t want their taxes raised. Fortunately, they have the right to voice their opinion at the polls.
The Johnson County sheriff’s department pushed in May of 2010 for a $2.3 million jail expansion (an improvement that is truly needed), yet the referendum failed.
Center Grove school system asked for an additional 15 cents on each $100 of assessed property value in order to pay for various renovation projects. The referendum failed also.
Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson school system requested in 2009 to receive $4.5 million a year for 22 years in order to lease an elementary school and make improvements. This was another referendum that would have raised taxes. It failed.
Other proposed projects within the last 2 years that were never brought to the ballot: Center Grove High School base project asked for $84.2 million, West Grove Elementary project asked for $31 million and another Center Grove project asked for $27.3 million.
The Johnson County Library is currently considering spending between $26 million and $33 million on a new library building. Do we really need a new library at this time? Either way, this will probably be on the ballot in the May primary in 2012 for your approval.
In the mid 1960s, then Governor Otis Bowen passed a major property tax reduction reform bill. Since that time, property taxes have crept up until 2008 when the legislature passed a bill to protect property taxpayers by allowing voters to decide if their property taxes should be capped—1% for homestead property, 2% for rentals and farmland and 3% for commercial, personal and excess residential properties.
I supported the tax caps in 2008 and even helped push the legislation through the House. More than 80% of voters in Johnson County voted to adopt the caps. This referendum passed overwhelmingly.
My point is our economy is struggling, local and state governments are struggling and Johnson County families are struggling. Raising taxes in these poor economic times should not be a solution.
The truth is that everyone could use more money to run their offices, their businesses, their schools and their homes. This economy should have taught us to adjust to a new norm of living. We need to look beyond a quick fix of raising taxes. The taxpayers should not be looked at or approached as a never ending pocket book.
Do we not understand that raising property taxes above the caps should be only done when we’re faced with an emergency? Wanting improvements to older buildings or purchasing new buildings would be nice for the community, but is there an emergency to do so? I truly believe that in the current economy taxpayers do not want us to raise their property taxes.
