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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---
Contact:
Mark Nelson | info@opt4better.org | 563-340-2597 TUESDAY
JANUARY 17, 2012
Local
Option Sales Tax Revocation on the November Ballot Considered If
Locally Elected Don't Take Action Now
DAVENPORT,
IOWA - Citizens seeking residential property tax relief in Scott
County announced a weeklong online and printed petition blitz at a
late morning news conference hosted at the Davenport Public Library.
The City of Davenport is holding its public budget hearing Jan 18th
and is slated to vote on that budget January 25th. Numerous
additional taxing authorities, including cities, schools and the
county will be following suit this month.
The
announcement included a presentation from the founder of
Opt4Better.org, Mark Nelson, where he outlined how the statewide
mandated allowable taxable valuation on homes in Iowa, aka the
Rollback, has increased in each of the past four years. And, overall
tax rates have increased each of the past five years.
"When
the state rollback is increased, local taxing authorities enjoy a
windfall of revenue before any budgeting discussions are had,"
said Nelson. "We see that as a clear opportunity for local
taxing authorities to live within their means and lower the tax levy
rates. This is not found money nor is it a license to increase
spending."
Nelson
addressed three primary concerns on behalf of property owners in
Scott County.
1)
A need for increased awareness about the complex and overlapping
taxation documentation home owners receive in the mail about their
property tax assessment and tax bills
2)
Local governments need to acknowledge publicly the significant
increase in revenues due to state Rollback increases and pursue a
genuine reduction in expenditures, not a reduction in the rate of
future growth
3)
State legislators need to simplify the tax system and freeze
residential taxable value percentages and provide stability to
homeowners. The state needs to give municipalities the tools to
reduce their costs and cease the mandates that take away flexibility
in negotiating with unions.
Nelson
forecasted that the trend in future Rollback %'s will only increase
for the next seven years and that this will mean a taxable valuation
as high as 60% in the future for Iowa homeowners.
"It's
too late to do anything when you get the tax bill in August,"
said Nelson. "Now is the time to act, while local governments
and schools are determining their budgets for the next fiscal year
which begins in July. And we won't get the bill for that fiscal cycle
for another 18 months. Taxpayers must act now to secure their future
financial health.
Nelson
outlined areas that local governments and schools need to cut
including one unpaid day every two weeks for upper management staff
and privatizing services where the private sector competes such as
the composting in Davenport, golf courses in Davenport, Bettendorf
and Scott County, garbage service and sewer operations in all
communities, and cafeterias in the schools.
Nelson
presented how, due to the Rollback increase from 48% to 50%, each
taxing body in Scott County is going to receive a 4.58% increase in
residential taxing revenues. "Any business that can't live with
a 4.58% annual increase in primary revenue source is poorly managed,"
says Nelson.
Opt4Better
is calling for every elected official in Scott County - municipal,
school boards and county - to support and effect a lowering of the
tax levy rate back to pre-recession 2008 levels. This effort
includes an online petition and social sharing tool at
www.Opt4Better.org as well as printed petitions that organizers hope
to deliver to each elected official in Scott County prior to their
finalization of 2012-13 budgeting numbers.
Nelson
explained that if the lowering of tax levy rates is not seriously
pursued, Opt4Better is willing to move forward with a new petition to
get the Local Options Sales Tax removed by the tax payers via the
November general election ballot.
"Taxpayers
need to treat their governments like a teen-ager at home. If they are
spending beyond their means and misbehaving, you reduce their
allowance."
The online petition is available in PDF form as well as an email
signature and social sharing tool at Opt4Better.org
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About
Mark Nelson:
In
March 2009, Nelson, a successful regional commercial appraiser and
Davenport resident and taxpayer, led the effort to educate the local
electorate in support of defeating the Davenport Promise entitlement
program referendum. Details on that campaign are available at
www.Opt4Better.org
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