Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Dellums: Oakland's Property Taxes Too Low

Every time someone makes the argument we should lay off Mayor Dellums, he gives us yet another reason to keep our tin-foil hats squarely in place. This time, it's his proposal to raise property taxes yet again to hire more police.

Sounds like a great plan, considering how well Measure Y has worked out to date. It's ironic that I ran across this article today, considering just last night I was perusing the "Taxpayer Action Tools" at the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association site. In particular, I was reading the section about stopping government from illegally spending money it collects and the section about repealing parcel taxes.

In reality, I read these articles just for fun. Several years ago I stopped seriously expecting the voters in Oakland to block any property tax increases. Oakland is the perfect municipality for tax initiatives, because so few of the voters own their own homes. Bolstered by rent control, renters figure the tax increases are irrelevant to them, so they vote yes. Just another argument for Prop 98.

Incidentally, if you support 98 like I do, you can waste some of the "No" campaign's money. Just go to Google and type in the search term "proposition 98 california" (without the quotes). You'll see an ad for the "No" campaign. Click it. This costs them money.

I realize that politicians float tax increases all the time, but I suspect this one may gather steam, considering the bloodbath taking place in the Oakland's killing fields these days.

The only real defense we have against such a measure is to vigorously oppose it in the early stages. Pop the trial balloon, if you will.

Anyway, Dellums came up with a real gem of a quote when discussing a proposal to raise the number of officers to 1075. Here it is:
At the end of the day, what gets cut are the city services that many Oakland residents rely upon.... We have to look at other alternatives that give our residents an opportunity that is obtainable and sustainable...."

What I love about this quote is that it clearly demonstrates that Dellums doesn't consider policing to be a "city service" that we "rely upon." That's a sentiment that should warm the cockles of your heart.

I wonder if Dellums has ever taken a drive through West Oakland as the sun sets. Maybe if he had, he'd pay more attention to policing.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for posting the "Taxpayer Action Tools" link.

    I am trying to find other persons in Oakland who would like to repeal, nullify, etc., Measure Y. It is obvious this measure is not doing what local politicians promised it would, and the actual legal language of the measure keeps the city from having to meet any of the obligations they touted as part of this measure. This leaves a bad taste in my mouth when there is another proposed tax increase, sorry, "parcel" tax increase.

    P.S. I do not consider myself a conservative by any means, but I really enjoy your blog and appreciate your wit and humor - even if I do not always agree :D

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