Almost $300,000,000 levey? NO!

[Michael Waldo]

The mayor promised in her election campaign she would not burden us with more taxes. And yet she wants an almost 3 million dollar property tax levy. Enough is enough! Please vote no. I am still dealing with the property tax hike to fund schools. Now she wants me to fund college as well. I will serious have to think about selling my house and moving if this keeps up. I have lived here almost 40 years. I don’t want to leave but feel like I am being forced out.

• This topic was modified 6 years ago by Michael Waldo.

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[heartless]

Hm. $80 more a year with funds going mostly to subsidizing preschool education?

The plan sounds fine to me.

But yes, absolutely, if the extra $80 a year is enough to break you–sell your house, make a ton of money and move some where cheaper.

ps
What percent of the money is going to “fund college”? 7%? Yeah.

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[KatherineL]

They keep saying it’s “only” a few dollars more for this and “only” a few dollars more for that…for years and years. It’s all added up. How many more “onlies” before it breaks my back? It’s not that I don’t agree that education is important; I’ve voted for the levies for years. And paid for them. They were “only.”

Now I’m voting for TSE: Tax Somebody Else.

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[heartless]

Sure, it’s fine if you think that education is not important enough to fund with an extra $80 a year.

But it’s worth it to me. The bulk of the money is going to preschools, and real estate prices keep rising–I am more than happy to share some of the wealth with children and those less fortunate.

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[935]

In RE: heartless – have you ever heard of a “death by a thousand cuts”?

I’m with Michael Waldo – the taxes in the Seattle area are almost reaching the tipping point for this (and these) family of 4, long time resident with deep roots.

One can downplay the “it’s only $80″. Or whatever “percentage”….but truth be told – too many trips to the well and you start running out of water…Then what?

If the levy makes the ballot, this property owner will be voting NO. Again… but the sheer lunacy/idiocy of the Seattle Voter will rear it’s hideous head again and property taxes will rise, again. Maybe someday (probably not – but maybe) enough WILL be enough for you. What then?

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[JoB]

isn’t it time we started asking what is worth paying for?

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[Also John]

I agree with Michael. Where did the $80 came from? The newspaper and local TV news stated an increase of $240/yr. Enough is enough. I believe it’s time for parents to start pitching in a little extra to educate their children. If not…the world really can use more blue collar workers.
I made a decision to not have children, because of cost to raise them (now estimated at $280,000 to age 18). But I seem to be continuing to pay for others who elected to have them.

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[heartless]

Hi Also John,
The $80 that me and others have mentioned is the (average–based on median home value) increase this measure would cost. Two older levies are expiring, which cost about $170 a year. The new one is $250 a year so the difference (increase) is 80 bucks.
Here is a link to a Seattle Times article about the whole thing: https://tinyurl.com/ycmq22y2

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by heartless.

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[JanS]

Also John…remember, someone paid for you once, too

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[JanS]

Imagine…you don’t have kids, so you don’t want to pay taxes for them. I don’t own a house, I rent. Yet, I pay property taxes. What’s that, you say? Yes, landlords pass those expenses on to us. Right now, in the atmosphere of this country, education is probably the most important thing we should all agree to pay for. Of course, that’s my opinion only. No one has to agree.

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[JanS]

hey, Michael Waldo….that headline should read $3,000,000. I doubt she’s asking for $300 million dollars ;-)

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[Michael Waldo]

Oops! Got it all wrong. Even worse. From the Seattle Times:
$636 million over 7 years

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by Michael Waldo.

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[heartless]

Yeah, you got the number WAY off. Hope you’re not an accountant.

Still voting for it! Lucky enough to be able to easily afford an extra $80 a year, and access to preschool seems a worthwhile cause.

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[JoB]

here’s the thing.. next time you complain to yourself or someone else about the latest idiot you just encountered… remind yourself that you didn’t think education was important enough to fund.

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[Michael Waldo]

A new report. Seattle is the 18th largest city in the U.S. and yet we are number 4 in city spending per citizen. What are we getting for all the taxes we already pay? Homeless camps and hypodermic needles every where, roads full of pot holes. I believe people can go to community college like I did: Pell grants, scholarships and loans. Nobody here has convinced me I should raise my taxes any further. It’s nice heartless you can afford the extra taxes but you seem to have no empathy for the folks that cannot afford it.

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[heartless]

With apologies to Shakespeare, the quality of empathy is not strained, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.

I have empathy for many.

But it is true, Waldo, that I have more empathy for those who cannot afford to send their children to preschool than I do for those who own a house in Seattle and cannot afford $80 a year.
I am sorry that you cannot afford that increase–I really am. But I hope (and believe) that most homeowners can afford it. And I think the money goes to a decent cause.

ps
Send a link to the new report you found and I’d be happy to discuss it with you.

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[JoB]

Michael Waldo

we can agree that our tax dollars are not being spent effectively…
but i am betting we would disagree as to what to prioritize

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