It comes as no surprise to me that Bend’s real estate taxes have gone up, even in these extremely difficult times. Deschutes County has the highest foreclosure rate in Oregon. Many homes that can’t be sold are sitting vacant with untended yards, causing an even bigger decline in neighborhood property values. A very large number of commercial buildings are also vacant. Judging by the signs in front of these properties, their owners are desperate for someone to take these properties off their hands. It’s obvious that Bend is dying on the vine, which makes it a lot less attractive to potential buyers, resulting in less sales and even bigger decreases in property values. What is our local government doing to help Bend get back on its feet? Why, raise taxes of course!
Approximately 10 percent of taxpayers couldn’t afford to make last year’s real estate taxes. So what does the government do? Raise the taxes even higher this year. Yet another raise in taxes means that this year there will probably be another 10 percent or more who will be unable to pay their taxes. That’ll sure help us taxpayers out and help Bend get back on its feet!
There is another solution to a budget shortfall… economize and eliminate wasteful spending. We’re frequently told there isn’t enough money for basic services such as fire and police protection, schools, etc., yet there was enough money in the coffers for Bend to give a fire truck to a city in Nicaragua. Our truck was being replaced by a newer model, so it was just given away. That truck could have been sold, and the proceeds used to help defray the cost of the new truck. Additionally, just how much did it cost to ship that truck to Nicaragua? I could go on and on with examples of wasteful spending, the BAT buses and Juniper Ridge fiasco come to mind first.
If our city council won’t economize and eliminate waste (as we taxpayers are forced to do) we have one solution: VOTE!
I, for one, am going to vote “No” on any ballot measure that costs money. I urge others to do the same, and let the city council know it isn’t going to get any more money to waste. Let them know they’ll be voted out of office if they don’t get the message.
This article appears in Nov 12-18, 2009.
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I have long argued Bend is a microcosm of the country as a whole.
Government “economize and eliminate waste”? Will never happen.
Democrats, and Republicans, consistently promise smaller, more ethical, and more transparent, government. Yet it continues to grow.
Democrats consistently promise to “tax the rich”, yet the rich keep getting richer, and the poor keep getting poorer.
Just this year, and it matters not on what level of government you look at, the “rich” aren’t hurting, only the poor, or the working poor. Most of the taxes (State or Federal) are designed to be placed on the backs of the poor, not the “rich”. Property taxes, tobacco taxes, gas tax, registration/title fee increases, etc., only hurt the poor, not the rich. Who do you think is buying up all of those foreclosed houses?
Just as a reminder, while the brokers, traders, bankers, etc., are taking home millions the average worker is taking a 10 to 40% wage cut to go back to work.
Irregardless of what they say, there is no such thing as a “jobless recovery” unless you are referring to the stock market.
This is an excellent letter. I recently constructed an estimate of taxpayer resources consumed at Juniper Ridge exceeding 37 Million with no benefit to the public.
Our fine city has squandered over 100,000.00 on Portland lawyers in their attempt to ruin Swalley Water Company for a preposterous Urban Growth Plan.
They continue to waste $10,000.00 per month on a useless consultant at Juniper Ridge.
Voters ousted Gramlich and Johnson, and they would have loved the opportunity to add abernethy to the list of deposed had he run again. Still, the city never learns.
SRS
Well, it might be a better letter if it was bsed in reality. But, let’s not allow the facts to cloud our opinions. I’m constantly amazed at the dumber than dirt assumptions made by people in this town. There is no city real estate tax. And the city hasn’t raised the property tax. The fire trucks were purchased with money raised by the firefighters union and they were shipped to Nicaragua by U.S. military transport. That didn’t cost the city a dime. Jeez. You certainly have the right to your fantasy-based opinions. And, as your letter proves, you have the right to be misinformed, thus proving Lenin right when he commented on the idiocy of rural life. Oh no, did I just redbait you?