Government Tax Receipts Plunge!
Solution?
A Big Raise for Government Employees …… ….. & an Even Bigger Raise in Your Taxes.
Yup, that’ll work……
In January, Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess wrote commissioners that he expected property values to plummet 12 percent, a record drop that would significantly reduce government revenues.
Yet, Burgess — along with the county mayor and commissioners — subsequently agreed to give county employees salary and benefit increases totaling $132 million.
Now, to help pay for it, Burgess is asking commissioners to support a tax rate increase on homeowners across Greater Miami that will bring in an additional $178 million in revenue.
As the final budget hearing got under way at 5:14 p.m. [September 23, 2010], county commissioners were staring at what many expected to be a long and contentious night to finalize a new budget and property tax rate.
At the outset, 179 people had signed up to speak at the public hearing and a long line of others waited to sign up in the lobby of County Hall.
A grassroots group of property owners gathered in the ground floor of County Hall shouting “No more taxes” and waving signs opposing the proposed tax rate hike. “We Pay Taxes For Services. Not For Bureaucracy,” read another sign.
A few feet away, police officers gathered in force to support the proposed budget. “We’ve got our contract already. This is not about us…. This is about the residents of the community. We want them to be safe,” said John Rivera, president of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association.
One police officer estimated about 300 police officers and 200 corrections officer had turned out for the session.
Across the hall was an equally strong turnout of county fire-rescue workers in pink T-shirts.
The political stakes spiraled higher Wednesday, when Miami businessman Norman Braman — who has a history of bankrolling fights against county government — declared his intention to support and finance a recall campaign against the mayor and any commissioners who support a tax rate increase.
….read more HERE
Title “The World is Being Run by Crazy People” borrowed from Kate McMillan’s Blog