Letters to the Editor

July 13, 2009

TEA Party participants' frustration is misplaced

To the editor:

The TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party-goers again failed to deliver a cohesive message. If taxing is the issue then where do gun rights and religious doctrine fit in that discussion? Or is it because you have to include these other fringe issues to draw a large enough crowd to make it work?

Anger from these demonstrators that they live in a red section of a very blue state and now have to deal with Democrats at every level (except the local level) must fuel some of this. Just remember the only taxes currently going up significantly are the local taxes on your real estate. Those are generated by the state tax assessments, a system that has lost its way in the current real estate market, and the local tax rates.

Assessments used to equate to about 50 percent to 75 percent of the appraised value. Due to the downturn in housing, most assessments now equal 100 percent to 115 percent of resale appraisals. And the assessment offices refuse to get into the business of rectifying their erroneous three-year computations. I have never minded paying my fair share of taxes to build, maintain and staff schools, pave roads and keep our parks attractive and safe, but part of fixing the housing market is getting these assessments back to reality.

And, as for the spending questions ... didn't I read somewhere the federal government already made a profit on the money loaned to the banks who were able to repay?

Finally, President Obama has never advocated raising taxes on anyone making less than a quarter of a million dollars a year. He also hasn't advocated taking guns or religious freedoms. So the rowdy clamoring at him on July 7 seems misplaced, unless it was just a way to vent frustrations at his presence generally.

Linda Irvin-Craig

Maugansville