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November 14, 2007

Re: "What Can We Do?"

Justin Katz

At last night's Tiverton town council meeting, my man Councilor Hannibal Costa took the opportunity of a routine tax assessor request (regarding the firm that will handle the assessment) to make everybody well aware that he's not going to sit idly by while rates get jacked up — what with all those houses sitting on the market as people cash out on their Tiverton properties. In the discussion that followed, Council Vice President Donald Bollin offered the following explanation (with the wording pretty close):

If the values go down, then we have to raise the rates. There's nothing we can do.

No hint of a suggestion that if the people of the town are getting poorer (via the devaluation of their largest assets), perhaps the town ought to cut back on its expenditures. Yet somehow, governments never talk about cutting the tax rates when citizens' property is increasing in value, giving the town more money than it needs.

Comments

"If the values go down, then we have to raise the rates. There's nothing we can do."

What an absurd statement. City/Town Councils are vested with the power to tax or not tax; spend or not spend; increase or decrease budgets.

The power is there, Mr. Vice President. You just have to reach out and exercise it.

Posted by: Monique at November 14, 2007 1:37 PM

"No hint of a suggestion that if the people of the town are getting poorer (via the devaluation of their largest assets), perhaps the town ought to cut back on its expenditures"

Gee, I guess Pat Crowley wasn't at the meeting or he would have pointed it out. LOL.
Progressive math-2+2= 7 (with annual COLA's for life, plus the life of any gay sex partners)

Posted by: Mike at November 14, 2007 2:36 PM

Dear Justin,

In RI, most municipal budgets are 78 to 90% salary driven. If you want to play with the remaining percentage, be my guest. However, there is this thing called getting reelected, kinda gets in the way.

Posted by: Bobby Oliveira at November 14, 2007 3:30 PM

Justin,

Why do you keep him around? He brings nothing to the party but vapor trails and stupidity like that prior post.

Posted by: Greg at November 14, 2007 3:41 PM

Is Bobby sneaking back to pollute this blog?
Do we really need to hear his boasting of how powerfull he is, how rich he is, how he chases people out of the state by threatening violence on them? Do we really need to deal with his 6th grade "where do you live" thuggery, his wacko Atheist Left violent fantasies of physically brutalizing Christians and pro-lifers or his threats to kidnap, assault and physically force a ski mask on Jonathan Stevens?
I hope not. Left alone without this forum maybe he will turn back to his first and only love-the bottle.
PLEASE ban this violent, dangerous, unbalanced sociopath.

Posted by: Mike at November 14, 2007 7:31 PM

Dear Mike,

Once again, need we go over to RIFUTURE and show some examples of how you love all races and peoples??

Should we grab examples of how you post the same thing 14 times a day??

If you don't want to hear about how successful I am, don't refer to me as an "unhinged sociopath". (Actually, I like that one so much, I've asked a local designer to produce a logo for it)

My Parish Priest who sees me every Sunday and my Jesuit friends would find it interesting that you find me to be an atheist. Again, speaking of God-like things, should we post examples regarding your relationship to God's chosen people??

Don't want me to ask where you live?? That's simple too. Don't make threats of your own like your alter-ego Greg did.

You too are eligible for the $100 bounty on the Stevens' ski mask picture. Instead of comaplining, go get a camera and do something useful.

P.S. How did I go from "living in a fantasy world" and "harmless" to "violent and dangerous"?? Your desperation to bury the truth knows no bounds.

Justin,

If we pull the troops out of Iraq, will "W" return to his first and only love - the bottle??

Posted by: Bobby Oliveira at November 15, 2007 10:10 AM

I become a lot less motivated to visit and interact on your site when I have to put up with this idiot, Justin. I can't be the only one.

Posted by: Greg at November 15, 2007 11:27 AM