(no subject)

[holzman_tweed]

EDIT: I apologize for not being clearer when I originally wrote this. I did not invent this meme. As far as I can tell, Howard Dean invented this meme. Also, cheshyre correctly points out there is more to the Bush Tax than what I listed, so I've added it in.

A meme to consider and spread.

The Bush Tax: The...

higher taxes you pay in state and local taxes;

reduced services you get from city, state, and federal governments for the same tax dollar because tax increases couldn't completely cover the shortfall;

increased college tuition charged to make up for reduced federal funding;

taxes you, your children, and your grandchildren will have to pay to service he 7 trillion dollar defecit Bush created;

etc...

...because George Bush cut domestic spending to fund a tax cut to rich people.

If you live in New York City, and you have relatively few stocks (and thus got little back in dividend breaks) but have to shell out for the 25% property tax hike (because the City is getting less money from the fed now), the Bush Tax could be very large for you.

How much did the Bush Tax cost you?

Comments

[krikket.livejournal.com]

In Boston, it amazingly enough hasn't. I think the sole reason is because of the Libertarian ballot drive question to end the state income tax. The local legislatures were to scared to boost taxes, and had to look for other means to make ends meet.

(And amazingly enough, they succeeded. Without impacting health care, schools, and the like.)

Then again, I've looked through the state budget. There's still a *lot* of pork in there...

[cheshyre]

Not a Boston homeowner, then...

[krikket.livejournal.com]

Nope. I rent.

But let's be honest -- the property tax is based on the value of the property. And the property rates for Boston have skyrocketed. Simple math, using the existing equations, is what's causing the skyrocketing of property taxes.

As much as I dislike Bush, I can't lie this one at his feet. An argument could even be made that because of the dot-bomb effect, which has hit Boston harder than most, has had an effect of keeping the property taxes as low as they are. (Not that a 55% increase is low.. But in comparison to, say, a 90% increase...)

[cheshyre]

Actually, the reason residential property rates have skyrocketed is because of increasing massive vacancy rates in commercial property.

Stores and businesses are closing and thus not generating tax revenue for the city, thus they have to make it up from residents.

And the stores and businesses closing can be blamed upon the Bush economy.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

But let's be honest -- the property tax is based on the value of the property. And the property rates for Boston have skyrocketed.

Barbara Anderson saw to it that it doesn't work that way in Massachusetts.

Prop 2 1/2 -- no municipality can get more than 1.0225 times the property tax revenue in a given year than it got in the previous year.

Rising property values have nearly nothing to do with rising property taxes in Massachusetts. What can happen, and what happened, is that the existing tax burden is shifted to various groups. In this case, shifted away from commercial and towards residential.

[jrittenhouse.livejournal.com]

It costs me too damn much.

Thanks, Dan. I like the meme a LOT.

[cheshyre]

Have you seen the website listing other ways you may be hit by the Bush Tax:

• Increased tuition at state colleges
• Increased fees for public schools
• Getting reduced services from the government for the same cost, or
  having to pay for more things out-of-pocket
• Interest on the skyrocketing federal debt

Clever meme. May you propagate far and wide...

[holzman.livejournal.com]

I'd love to take credit for it, but it comes from no less than Howard Dean himself.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Changing the subject briefly, I just ran across your journal when you commented in blackthornglade's. Would you object if I added you to my friends list?

[holzman.livejournal.com]

Of course not -- welcome!