Taxing Irony on The Peninsula

Lead headline in the Daily Press (August 1, 2006) is “NN’s Tax Pickle.” Assessments for property on waterfront skyrocket. This is the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time.

It wasn’t front page news when York and James City County changed their tax rates because of huge tax increases based on a rising real estate market. It wasn’t a big deal when the same thing happened and taxes still went up – it was reported but as a local item – in Poquoson, Hampton and Williamsburg.

Newport News hasn’t changed their rates. Their Democrat mayor, Joe Frank and his big government, more taxes, more spending majority on City Council didn’t lower the rates. Now, guess who is getting hit with the 29-48% tax assessment increases? The Mayor. And Sen. Marty Williams (1^st SD, R). And the other families that live on the James and run Newport News no matter if the delegates and senators are R or D.

They are talking about getting the Code of Virginia changed to cut $100k from real estate assessments. They could do like everyone else and just lower the rates, but that’s not good enough. Lowering the assessments on personal property keeps the tax rates up for business. Brilliant economists these politicians. There’s a devil in the details of the scheme.

Sen. Marty Williams has been trying to raise taxes since Gov. Gilmore left office. He wants an unelected Regional government to raise sales taxes even more. Apparently, taking dollars from the poor with a regressive tax is better than paying your own property taxes. Which begs some questions.

If the Transportation Tax Scam of 02, the Chicken-Little-surplus-creating Tax Hike of 04 and the Transportation Tax Scare of 06 were all for vital needs of the Commonwealth and local communities, then why aren’t increases in property taxes the same?

Are these tax increases excessive and unnecessary for good government, vital investments, needed infrastructure? If so, how so?

Why is that rich people living on the James need tax relief and poor people paying sales taxes and more fees don’t?

Sen. Williams lived a few blocks away from the water when he was elected. Now, he has moved up. Funny how well some politicians do financially when they are ‘part time’ legislators – and have to take that time away from their jobs.

Finally, it’s really funny that people living on ‘

Park Place

’ complain about taxes. Didn’t they ever play Monopoly (T)?

Irony is delicious. Best served cold with a dash of salt and lemon.