|
REFERENDUM for MORE Property-tax (in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) Selected from the on-going INTERNET BOOK, "The Doctor's Terrific Tablets" ( http://www.terrific-tabs.com ) by John N. Todd III, M. D. (link)
Posted here 10/02; "doctored": 11/02; 12/02; 3/03; 4/03; 9/11/03; 2/04; 8/04; 9/04; 3/8/05 CLICK BELOW to see related opinions, by the author: SANTA CLAUS and Robin Hood; what would they do about WELFARE? (link) AND: QUALITY of Life.... in ALABAMA (link) AND: Public Schools in Alabama (link) AND: Taj Majal Public Schools (link) AND: LABORATORY-public school, managed by a college And: A+ COALITION for Education, in Alabama (link) See also: Racism, and anti-Racism at the University (link) SEE also: TRACKING in public schools (link) And SEE: Ebonics and Albonics (link) AND: CODE-WORDS the POLITICIANS use to mean "YOU PAY MORE TAX" CLICK HERE to go to the "FRONT PAGE" of "The Doctor's Terrific Tablets" CLICK HERE for ALPHABETICAL INDEX of this entire WEBSITE CLICK HERE to EMAIL your thoughts to the author This essay, by John N. Todd III (the author of this website), was printed in its entirety in "The Tuscaloosa News" (Alabama), in December 1995, in response to a lengthy Tuscaloosa News opinion-piece stating that the only thing that would really help public schools was an increase in LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES. I am very disappointed that the Tuscaloosa News is favoring the position that the taxpayers of Tuscaloosa County should vote to impose more taxes upon themselves, in order to give additional "funding" to public education. I regret to awaken the T. News, but there is much county-wide opposition to the silly notion that if we vote still more tax on ourselves, that schools will be better; that teachers will become more talented; that students will become more teachable; that achievement scores will improve; that students will learn the "basics"; that graduation rates will increase, that behavioral problems will vanish; etc. The News has not only given wide publicity to the "Tuscaloosa County Citizens for Better Education" (TCCBE), but the editorial board has also seen fit to publish, day after day, another maudlin letter from a student or parent in the County schools, begging the taxpayers to "save our children". Presumably the County-High Cheerleaders will soon appear, in person, at the Tuscaloosa News Building.... to plead for "more funding". In the T. News of 12-10-95, an article was published indicating that three different tax-measures have been proposed for getting more "funding" for the County Schools. I hasten to add, however, that one outstanding alternative has remained unmentioned.... and that is that Tuscaloosa County's voting taxpayers are not required to approve ANY new funding for the public schools. In the Monday 12-11-95 Tuscaloosa News there is another very offensive "lead editorial", this one attacking ALFA and Tuscaloosa's farmers, concerning their opposition to increased property taxes. How can our only local newspaper be so one-sided -- and so wrong ! Consider this truth -- without new taxes of any kind, revenues designated for the County Schools will grow greatly, each year, for the indefinite future. County property is already being routinely re-valued (upward), every 4 years. Many of the new families now moving into the County will pay property tax. There are numerous new businesses -- including the Mercedes-Benz SUV-plant -- that will pay property taxes. And.... as new students enter the County system, each student will be funded by the State with at least the same $3,400 (in 1995) per student per year now being allocated (plus, of course, local and county and Federal funds). If Tuscaloosa Countians foolishly vote to tax themselves additionally -- is there anyone other than Kris Kringle who seriously believes that the AEA/NEA "education" bureaucracy won't be back again, in a year or two, pleading for more funding to "save the schools". Once "bricks and mortar" have been funded, don't you know that "they" will be right back, with another long list of demands requiring more of your tax dollars. Furthermore, regardless of how we Tuscaloosa Countians vote, you can be sure that the State will also soon attempt to increase our property taxes (by adding an ad-valorem tax on all of our personal assets).... to funnel to "public education". Maybe you have heard about Alabama's Robin Hood plan for "Equity Funding", where productive counties like Tuscaloosa County, with a relatively high property-tax-base, will help finance the school systems of Alabama's "poorer" counties? You and I will pay for that, too. The scheme of the TCCBE seems to be, "Let's convince all of those voters who do not pay any property taxes to vote to increase the taxes on all those 'rich people' who own their own houses, or farms, or small businesses." Or, to those same voters: "VOTE for more tax. You'll be voting to tax THEIR assets.... NOT your own. What difference does it make to you -- you may pay a few pennies a day -- but most of that new tax money, from those 'rich-folks', will accrue to your benefit." Or, the County Schools might say this -- "Let's extract more money from the taxpayers who have no children in public school (80% of all families); and let's take more from those taxpayers who send their children to private schools; and from those parents who find it necessary (and safer) to teach their children at home; and from the many citizens of the City who own property in the County. Make those opulent City-dwellers pay taxes in both places." We must remember that Alabama is a relatively poor State. Since the average annual income of Alabamians is among the very lowest in the USA, why should tax-paying Alabamians be expected to keep-up with the education-funding of "rich" and populous states? And besides that, who can quote honest statistics to show that greater-and-greater funding of public education has ever yielded higher scholastic achievement? Now let's understand this -- Tuscaloosa County's working and tax-paying citizens genuinely appreciate the value of "education" -- there's no argument about that.... but all of us wonder -- how much tax-money is enough? When will improving scholastic and behavioral achievement in the public schools become apparent? When will educators say, "You taxpayers have done your share -- now it's up to us." Let the "educators" look within themselves for REFORM of their spending habits -- and not always seek ways to squeeze more-and-more from the productive taxpaying citizens. Remember this: A new tax is forever. Aren't you tired of having your income "transferred" to everybody in the world -- except you.
|