Sales tax
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Anonymous How would you vote on the proposed .5% county sales tax, and why?
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Sales tax
Authored by: L Schaffer on Friday, September 09 2005 @ 08:56 PM MDT
I would vote no for this added tax because it is human nature that if you have it to spend, there is a tendency to spend it. You need to control what you have and this present county board is to naive to understand this. This is also true of our present county executive, Mark Harris. When the was on the city council in Oshkosh, he showed he could care less what it cost the taxpayers or what the taxpayers had to say. He is now doing the same as county executive.
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Sunday, September 18 2005 @ 11:17 AM MDT
I would vote no because it is an illegal tax.
Sales tax
Authored by: admin on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 08:56 AM MDT
I don't believe the tax is illegal but some of the intended uses are what may be illegal. At the very least, some of the intended uses seem to be a stretch under the law. Interesting how the county's corporate counsel is just kind of sitting on the sidelines on this one. I haven't heard him saying much on this issue. But perhaps he shares the city attorney's position on certain things coming from the AG's office: "It's just an opinion and I disagree with it." Except in this case maybe Mr. Bodnar maybe feels that former AG Jim Doyle's opinion was "just an opinion and I agree with it." Surely if he felt that some of the taxes' intended uses were illegal he would have come out publicly by now. After all, the vote is tomorrow night.
- Cheryl
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 12:37 PM MDT
Obviously the tax is legal when the dollars collected are used correctly. That would not be the case with this tax. Especially since the state has changed the rules this year.
Sales tax
Authored by: admin on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 01:04 PM MDT
That was my point. If some of the intended uses are illegal why is the county's corporation counsel John Bodnar sitting on the sidelines and remaining mute on the subject. Surely he should have been speaking out long before this. The fact that he has not tells me he has no intention of doing so. But it does not appear the sales tax proposal is going to pass anyway. So it is a moot point for now, but one that he certainly should address before the next time this subject comes up. And there WILL be a next time. It's just a matter of time.
I think we can also expect that things will get really bad and then we'll hear supporters of the tax saying "Don't cry to us. We told you this was going to happen."
I still don't know how I feel about the tax overall. I see both sides of the issue, though I'm leaning more against it than for it. But the picture that got painted was bleak and I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to know that those in charge will make it appear that we are in our darkest, most desperate hour after the sales tax fails and the cuts start coming. That will be their way of "punishing" the people for not supporting this.
- Cheryl
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 01:47 PM MDT
I do know one supervisor who has asked Mr. Bodnar for his opinion. I do not believe he has replied. If I hear the answer I will let you know.
Sales tax
Authored by: admin on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 01:53 PM MDT
That would be terrific. Thank you. If he does not reply perhaps what that supervisor needs to do is ask Mr. Bodnar during tomorrow night's meeting. Then he'll have to answer it on the county board floor and in front of cameras and we can all hear his response.
- Cheryl
Sales tax
Authored by: DP on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 02:16 PM MDT
I was also led to believe that Mark Harris was also asked this specific question. His answer was published in the paper and it appears that he is relying on the 98' opinion by Doyle. However, that opinion is now flawed because of the levy freeze. Doyle's opinion basically said that the budget could be padded to make room for the eventual tax reduction from the sales tax revenue...Basically, reduce your tax levy with the sales tax revenue, but then be free to raise the levy with new tax increases. Flawed now, because that accounting trick is mute because of the levy freeze.
I'd love that sales tax if the proceeds would actually be used for their intended purpose...TO REDUCE MY PROPERTY TAX BILL. When the law is written with words like "ONLY", "DIRECTLY", and "ENTIRETY", it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the intent of that law was.
Shame on Doyle for giving such a wide reaching opinion. But then again, this is the same guy who is now using gasoline tax money (supposedly a tax put in place for roads) to fund education...and also the same guy who has told his Department of Revenue to ignore the law and return legitamately collected tax revenue to taxpayers who failed to pay the proper sales tax on cigarettes purchased on the internet.
Sales tax
Authored by: L Schaffer on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 10:27 PM MDT
Yes cheryl I agree, if this sales tax does fail, we the taxpayers will pay the price. The past and present county board made the mess that the county is in and it is up to them to correct it. This is not the time to pass the sales tax, the taxpayers are now finding it hard to come up with money to pay their bills, but don"t forget this county board is to naive to make the right choice. There is still a chance this board could pass this tax.
Sales tax
Authored by: DP on Tuesday, September 20 2005 @ 08:59 AM MDT
I agree! This board can be influenced by misinformation and sympathy. Anyway, how could you pass up this "free" money as Joe Maehl said. Wow...if that's not a perfect comment from a BIG government polititian.
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Tuesday, September 20 2005 @ 02:25 PM MDT
Speaking of "free" money. Maybe the board will dip into the general fund to avoid layoffs. They did it last year.
Anonymous How would you vote on the proposed .5% county sales tax, and why?
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Sales tax
Authored by: L Schaffer on Friday, September 09 2005 @ 08:56 PM MDT
I would vote no for this added tax because it is human nature that if you have it to spend, there is a tendency to spend it. You need to control what you have and this present county board is to naive to understand this. This is also true of our present county executive, Mark Harris. When the was on the city council in Oshkosh, he showed he could care less what it cost the taxpayers or what the taxpayers had to say. He is now doing the same as county executive.
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Sunday, September 18 2005 @ 11:17 AM MDT
I would vote no because it is an illegal tax.
Sales tax
Authored by: admin on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 08:56 AM MDT
I don't believe the tax is illegal but some of the intended uses are what may be illegal. At the very least, some of the intended uses seem to be a stretch under the law. Interesting how the county's corporate counsel is just kind of sitting on the sidelines on this one. I haven't heard him saying much on this issue. But perhaps he shares the city attorney's position on certain things coming from the AG's office: "It's just an opinion and I disagree with it." Except in this case maybe Mr. Bodnar maybe feels that former AG Jim Doyle's opinion was "just an opinion and I agree with it." Surely if he felt that some of the taxes' intended uses were illegal he would have come out publicly by now. After all, the vote is tomorrow night.
- Cheryl
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 12:37 PM MDT
Obviously the tax is legal when the dollars collected are used correctly. That would not be the case with this tax. Especially since the state has changed the rules this year.
Sales tax
Authored by: admin on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 01:04 PM MDT
That was my point. If some of the intended uses are illegal why is the county's corporation counsel John Bodnar sitting on the sidelines and remaining mute on the subject. Surely he should have been speaking out long before this. The fact that he has not tells me he has no intention of doing so. But it does not appear the sales tax proposal is going to pass anyway. So it is a moot point for now, but one that he certainly should address before the next time this subject comes up. And there WILL be a next time. It's just a matter of time.
I think we can also expect that things will get really bad and then we'll hear supporters of the tax saying "Don't cry to us. We told you this was going to happen."
I still don't know how I feel about the tax overall. I see both sides of the issue, though I'm leaning more against it than for it. But the picture that got painted was bleak and I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to know that those in charge will make it appear that we are in our darkest, most desperate hour after the sales tax fails and the cuts start coming. That will be their way of "punishing" the people for not supporting this.
- Cheryl
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 01:47 PM MDT
I do know one supervisor who has asked Mr. Bodnar for his opinion. I do not believe he has replied. If I hear the answer I will let you know.
Sales tax
Authored by: admin on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 01:53 PM MDT
That would be terrific. Thank you. If he does not reply perhaps what that supervisor needs to do is ask Mr. Bodnar during tomorrow night's meeting. Then he'll have to answer it on the county board floor and in front of cameras and we can all hear his response.
- Cheryl
Sales tax
Authored by: DP on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 02:16 PM MDT
I was also led to believe that Mark Harris was also asked this specific question. His answer was published in the paper and it appears that he is relying on the 98' opinion by Doyle. However, that opinion is now flawed because of the levy freeze. Doyle's opinion basically said that the budget could be padded to make room for the eventual tax reduction from the sales tax revenue...Basically, reduce your tax levy with the sales tax revenue, but then be free to raise the levy with new tax increases. Flawed now, because that accounting trick is mute because of the levy freeze.
I'd love that sales tax if the proceeds would actually be used for their intended purpose...TO REDUCE MY PROPERTY TAX BILL. When the law is written with words like "ONLY", "DIRECTLY", and "ENTIRETY", it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the intent of that law was.
Shame on Doyle for giving such a wide reaching opinion. But then again, this is the same guy who is now using gasoline tax money (supposedly a tax put in place for roads) to fund education...and also the same guy who has told his Department of Revenue to ignore the law and return legitamately collected tax revenue to taxpayers who failed to pay the proper sales tax on cigarettes purchased on the internet.
Sales tax
Authored by: L Schaffer on Monday, September 19 2005 @ 10:27 PM MDT
Yes cheryl I agree, if this sales tax does fail, we the taxpayers will pay the price. The past and present county board made the mess that the county is in and it is up to them to correct it. This is not the time to pass the sales tax, the taxpayers are now finding it hard to come up with money to pay their bills, but don"t forget this county board is to naive to make the right choice. There is still a chance this board could pass this tax.
Sales tax
Authored by: DP on Tuesday, September 20 2005 @ 08:59 AM MDT
I agree! This board can be influenced by misinformation and sympathy. Anyway, how could you pass up this "free" money as Joe Maehl said. Wow...if that's not a perfect comment from a BIG government polititian.
Sales tax
Authored by: DRR on Tuesday, September 20 2005 @ 02:25 PM MDT
Speaking of "free" money. Maybe the board will dip into the general fund to avoid layoffs. They did it last year.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 2:46 PM
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