||| FROM PHIL PETERSON |||
A no vote on Proposition 1 will force needed change in the way we the people, our elected representatives and our essential public servants do our business.
At issue is AFFORDABILITY for all of us. Inflation resonating through our economy continues to effect each and every one of us and we the people must have an INFORMED VOTE on adjustments to our taxes based on comprehensive, consolidated and accurate information as we go forward.
FIRST: Reject the current “All or Nothing” piecemeal approach. Instead we can insist that all taxing entities, County, Fire, School, etc., make their funding requests at the same special election. We do that by simply voting NO to any request that doesn’t meet the deadline.
SECOND: Eliminate the deceptive “Only $22 a month” by publishing a simple table that lists each request, shows the cost projection for a range of property values, both monthly and annually to truly inform voters.
THIRD: Budgets must be aligned and examined by a “Third Party” to reveal duplication, overlap, “sacred cows”, etc. Elected board members, commissioners, and council members typically don’t formulate budgets. “Staff” formulates budgets; presents them, explains them, and rationalizes the costs, while incorporating “administrative self interest.”
Don’t get me wrong, it’s human nature to support self interest. Every comment on this issue, including mine, does so, but all stakeholders need to be aware of it, challenge it and be willing to seek equitable compromises.
FOURTH: All too often “staff”recommends budgetary cuts which favor high profile punitive reductions to coerce voters. Our elected representative must keep that in mind and remember that they are not a rubber stamp. They and only they have sole discretionary authority over each and every line of the budget.
This is a “Home Rule” County. We the People are empowered by our votes and a NO vote is our most potent tool to break the “all or nothing”coercive cycle we are facing.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
These suggestions may be somewhat unrealistic given that we can not easily dig out any of these data currently and the County is obviously uninterested in helping property tax payers understand the cumulative effect of so many levies and lifts. But any of these suggestions would be valuable to put things in context. Metrics matter. Including the latest pertaining to the 32 hour work week experiment.
I have never been an anti-taxation voter and in fact have volunteered to help pass a couple levy or lid-lifts. As well as Conservation Land Bank renewal the includes a 1% tax on real estate sellers and .5% for the Home Fund that are both essential for any hope of a stable and diversified economy. It may not always be so and then I will vote against renewal . Those experiences, trying to follow the convoluted issues of taxation and governance and grimacing while my property taxes rise markedly. We did not build our place ourselves to invest in a mercurial market but rather as a place to grow older with dignity and contribute to the larger community.
That is becoming increasingly difficult in our spluttering economy so we reduce our contributions to good causes, we shop more and more online and off island, eat out much less often and hunker down more. Across thousands of residents those behaviors to not lead to local economic expansion, community well being or stability. Engaged residents with funds to contribute make for a healthy local community not trophy home builds and over-tourism with no other meaningful sectors.
I am voting NO in hopes of stopping the avalanche of smoke and mirrors taxation.