More Locke Schlock
The JLF policy report "Johnston County's 'Dumb Growth' Plan: The Growth Management Committee Fails to Understand Basic Economics" itself fails to understand basic economics.
Higher Property Taxes. With the increase in the value of housing countywide, the next revaluation in 2011 will show a marked increase in property tax levels. This will pose a hardship on the elderly and others on fixed incomes.
Basic economics and basic property tax comprehension show this to be a false/incorrect statement. Especially when there is an "increase in the value of housing countywide," there is no overall relationship between the revaluation and the property tax levy. When revaluation is done, especially on an eight year schedule (the longest term legally allowed) it is almost 100% certain that the tax rate goes down. Some people's taxes will go up and some will go down. The County is required to publish a "revenue neutral" rate so people will know if net taxes are actually being raised. For example, if the tax base doubles in value, they have to publish the rate (half as much as before) that would get the government the same amount of money if the revaluation had not been done. That's not to say the County won't decide they need to raise taxes, but that's a separate issue and unrelated to a revaluation. The great minds at the JLF should know all this.
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This is their standard bullshit.
Start with free-market fundamentalism, mix in a little voodoo economics, close your eyes and pull a few strings, and "presto!" . . . a JLF "report"
Haha
...and I swear that's exactly how they get them.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
Locke Schlocke is as hard to swallow
as a mixture of pur'eed raw fish and liver....but just like everything in this world that surprises me, there are people out there with their mouth open!
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
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They also
assume that any increase in property values will be due wholly to the new 1:2 density recommendation. No need to write it, but I will ... bwwwahahaha!!
b.S. sniffer #1: This requires us all to believe that property values in Johnston have pretty much remained static through the last 5-10-15-20 years we've been without the new density rule.
b.s. sniffer #2 (coming soon to a JLF report near you): The 70-bypass (around Clayton) that's nearing completion will make the trip from RTP and Raleigh/Garner a straight shot into the sleepy little hamlet of Wilson's Mills. THAT event will markedly increase property values from Wilson's Mills to the east side of Selma and on down to Pine Level. The density regulation will have nothing to do with those increased land values. But mark my word ... in a year or two ... somebody will at JLF will write a report that goes something like this, "Hey look at how much land values around here went up since the new density regulation went into effect." And yep, mouths will open wide and swallow it whole, without examination and without question.
Plenty of other stuff
There's plenty of other stuff in the paper too. They somehow "prove" Johnston County has enough money by showing how tax revenue per capita has risen slightly in the last five years. Of course, they don't bother to look at whether or not costs have risen or where they are as far as capital improvements and projects. For example, without rapid growth, they might not need to be building lots of bazillion dollar schools. Apparently it is evidence enough that the county is now getting few extra dollars per person.
Art Pope
should be thrilled he lives in a city that has worked very hard to provide actual infrastucture so that he can keep his nice big lawn green all year round.
Its too bad he doesnt want anyone else to be so lucky.
Draft Brad Miller -- NC Sen ActBlue :::Petition