Paying more is a tough pill to swallow

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

In the past the commissioners have elected to not adjust the constant yield tax and have by these actions caused an increase to the real property tax; regardless of how it is spun it is still a revenue enhancement.

With the current economic downturn now is not the time to have an additional tax increase or revenue enhancement by not adjusting the real property tax to reflect what the constant yield tax should be to maintain a constant yield. Many families in the county are struggling through these tough economic times and a 6.4 percent increase to their real property tax is a tough pill to swallow when so many are just barely getting by.

If you remain at the current rate of $1.026 per $100 of assessment you effectively create a 6.4 percent increase in taxes or a revenue enhancement generating $9,109, 097 in additional property tax over the last fiscal year.

I personally am opposed to any change in the constant yield tax to anything other than what the real property tax should be reduced to: .964 cents per $100 of assessment.

This will give the same amount of tax, generating no new income (tax increase or revenue enhancement) and will not lower the real property tax creating less revenue to the county. Our neighbors to the north in Washington, D.C., profess to have taxation without representation; if the constant yield tax is not maintained I would suggest to them that taxation with representation is not so great either.

Greg Scott, Waldorf