"Total tax collections in the U.S. are expected to be $2,667,000,000,000 in 1998. This represents 35.4% of the country's total income. In comparison, medieval serfs paid an effective tax rate of 33.3 percent." (Source: Just Facts)
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"Total tax collections in the U.S. are expected to be $2,667,000,000,000 in 1998. This represents 35.4% of the country's total income. In comparison, medieval serfs paid an effective tax rate of 33.3 percent." (Source: Just Facts) |
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The Republican candidates for the Board of Education have declined to make a pledge for the reason that, although they are keenly aware of the high and ever-growing cost of operating the school system, the overall funding decisions and consequently the specific tax consequences are primarily within the purview of the Town Council. Nevertheless, the Board candidates believe they can achieve better school performance at lower taxpayer cost, than the Democrat candidates.
The Republican candidates for Town Council likewise have declined to make any of the specific pledges you presented to us. If the Republicans gain a majority and vote for a spending freeze before sending the budget to referendum, we would not likely win future elections. The effects of the 1999 revaluation will bee too varied to assure that with any vote we take, no taxpayer will pay more taxes; in fact, all car owners who do not own real estate would definitely see a tax increase even if we could reduce total spending significantly. The rate of inflation according to the database I checked, was about 1.6% for 1998 over 1997, and was running closer to about 1% from Sept. 98 to Sept. 99. We can’t be locked into such a low cap, which is effectively a freeze. We are confident, however, that any budget we would present to the voters, would be significantly lower than what a Democrat majority would present. For example, the FY 2000 budget represents a spending increase of about 5.4% over FY 1999 (and a mil rate increase of about 2.7%). For next year, the “new Democrats” would likely vote a budget increase in the range of 6-7%, whereas the Republicans as a majority would look to keep the spending increase well below this year’s 5.4%.
Decline. "Mark, Even you and Stamper did not offer budget counter proposals equal to the first two pledges. The third one may be possible in a few years, but you cannot foresee student population increases, the consequences of unfunded mandates, etc."
Five days was an extremely short turnaround time to respond to the pledge from the Concerned Taxpayers. I was not able to meet your press release deadline. In any event, I would like to respond to the CTW pledge letter. None of the pledges stated on the CTW form were appropriate for my position, including the simple decline. My pledge is to listen to all constituent voices in town, including CTW's, as I work with my colleagues on the Council to propose a budget that would address the programs and services that would help improve Windsor's overall quality of life. The discussion will revolve around what exactly determines that quality. I would work with town staff and state officials to meet those needs in a manner that would put the least direct impact on personal property taxes (reallocation of current resources, volunteer efforts, private donor and business contributions, town matching grant program, state and federal grants, property taxes).
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