Pawlenty bringing back property-tax referendums

[CatholicEdHead]

This proposal is back in the news. Allowing each property-tax owner to vote for a referdum to raise property taxes. This of course bypasses the government process, in if you dislike the raise, kick out those who proposed it, do not circumvent them. Of course, renters have no say. That also adds to how unbalanced this makes it.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5282779.html

"Pawlenty unveils thumbs up-thumbs down plan on property tax hikes
Dane Smith, Star Tribune
March 10, 2005 TURBO0310


A "Turbocharged Truth in Taxation" proposal -- a notification mechanism that would make it easier for property taxpayers to turn back levy increases by city and county governments -- was outlined today by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and House Taxes Committee Chairman Phil Krinkie, R-Shoreview.

Pawlenty, who presented the proposal at a meeting of the Minnesota Association of Realtors, said the Taxpayer Satisfaction Survey was an effort to make government "more dynamic, more responsive and more accountable to the people."

Local government officials and DFL legislative leaders attacked the proposal as unfair and unworkable.

The proposed system, which would require legislative approval, would work like this:

Attached to the bottom of the notices of planned property taxes -- the "Truth in Taxation" notices mailed in November -- would be a simple new Taxpayer Satisfaction Survey. The detachable form asks taxpayers two yes or no questions about whether taxpayers are satisfied with the proposed property tax levy for their county and for the city in which their property is located.

If the number of mailed-in negative responses exceeded 20 percent of the total parcels of property in the jurisdiction, a referendum would be triggered, and voters would be able to choose between two options: the proposed levy and the actual levy for the prior year. Property owners would get a vote on the triggering decision for each parcel they own. Renters would not vote. "

[trotsky]

1. Only property owners can vote, huh?

Gee, here I thought we had grown out of that concept what, a couple of centuries ago?

Pawlenty is a slimy fuck and I can't wait to see him booted out of office.