OPINION: 30 Years of Yes Changes to No
Piedmont resident urges a “slimmed down” City parcel tax –
While I supported the Parcel Tax Renewal for the past 30 years, this year I am urging my friends to vote “NO” on Measure Y.
My objections to the Measure Y tax are twofold:
First, renters and low income persons such as teachers and already struggling single parents with school age children suffer disproportionately as this tax as well as a separate Rental Tax on each rental unit amounts to double taxation, which the landlord most often passes on to the renter. I am a landlord, and I would dearly like to keep my lowly paid-but precious-Special Ed teacher who commutes to Dublin. I don’t want to, but I may be forced to ask her to move because she can’t pay a higher rent, and I can’t keep absorbing the double taxes!
Secondly, the appalling fiscal irresponsibility of successive city politicos over the past 30 years has made a so-called “TEMPORARY” tax enacted in the early 1980’s into a de facto “PERMANENT” tax to which taxpayers are held hostage every 4 years with dire predictions of Armageddon if taxpayers do not capitulate their common sense upon the threat that police, fire and other services will be slashed to the bone! Not only do these threats of drastic cuts in services bear little truth, but the services could easily be maintained on a fiscally sensible level by a new and “NON-RENEWABLE” parcel tax at 50% of the Measure Y level. This middle ground would serve as a “Wake-UP Call” to this and successive city councils. If necessary, a special election could be called at the earliest date.
If Measure Y is defeated (as it should be), I will publicly and financially support a slimmed down parcel tax PROVIDING THAT THE POLITICIANS GRASP THE CONCEPT THAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS LIKE GOING TO THE DENTIST: “YOU HAVE TO DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND, YES, SOMETIMES, IT IS PAINFUL!!!
VOTE “NO” MEASURE Y.
Norm Hendricks, Piedmont resident
Editors Note: The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Piedmont Civic Association. The Piedmont Civic Association does not support or oppose candidates or ballot measures.
