Hijacking Property Tax!
Good Afternoon!
It's about that time again. Tumultuously humid days, followed by sweaty pillow nights. Daily torrential downpours, followed by steamy sunsets. Shark sightings. Shark bitings. It's all fun under the scorching, unrelenting, conflagrant beast that is the sun. Ah yes my friends, it's summer in Florida! Along with the incapacitating heat of the summer's sun, is the boiling rage of Floridians who receive their property tax bills.
I am one of approximately 5 million homeowners in the Sunshine State. Ask any home-owning Floridian about his or her feelings about property tax, and you're bound to receive a glimpse at the primal nature of man. I have a 1,158 sq. ft. condo in Ybor City and my property tax bill this year sums a horrid $5,190... An optimist would frame this atrocity in terms of my great fortune in enjoying ideal weather and some of the country's best beaches 8 months out of the year at an insignificant average of $14.22 a day in property tax..
Where does the money go?
1/3 - City of Tampa Government
1/3 - Hillsborough County Government
1/3 - Hillsborough County School Board
Notice the money isn't going to the State of Florida; however, it is the legislators in Tallahassee that are deliberating on correcting the property tax situation. As to be expected, every city and county government official is blanketing the airwaves with "woe is me" speeches that use fear tactics from "government workers will lose jobs" to "the sky is falling and we'll have no police and firefighters left to prevent the chaos that will ensue!"
Cash Money!
In a nutshell, there are three options; obviously, all three of them negatively impact local government funds. Bottom line: the impact of the three proposals in the legislature will cut between $46 to $217 million dollars of funding for Hillsborough County Government; directors and county leadership prefer to illustrate that this represents the loss of 100 to over 500 jobs in county government. Just for reference, the county's budget is normally $800 million and it employs 11,000 monkeys; for those mathematicians out there, that's potentially a 27% cut in budget and about a 5% cut in the workforce. Since there will be a loss of funding and workers, our great county leaders warn that there will be a decline in many public services; keep in mind county government includes the water resources, parks & recreation, aging services, children's board, property appraiser, fire rescue, sheriff's office, planning & growth management, public works, health & social services, library services, among many others. As tax payers in this country, we expect the government to provide services and programs for the benefit of our communities. However, we don't want to waste our money on the bureaucracy and inefficiencies associated with government; we want more bang for our buck.
Don's Smackdown
If there is a vote for this property tax reform, I will vote for the largest cut possible. The inefficiencies and bureaucracy of government have bittered me to the very core. The attitudes of deservingness, "use it or lose it" budgeting, and supervisory ego, have built a culture of low-educated, low-paid, mediocre employees who are led by even more mediocre supervisors that have created a departmentalized hydra of dysfunctional government.
I believe we can do better than 11,000 mediocre employees. If government had higher quality employees at higher salaries, supported with appropriate and integrated technology, we could provide the same or better quality service with fewer people. Although higher pay and better technology would cost money, the increased savings in efficiency, quality of service, and employee health care with fewer employees would outweigh the costs; saving millions. It's time for local government to start running this bitch like a business and stop pissing money away on inept out-of-date employees. I don't mind paying property tax, I just want the most impact for my money.
It's about that time again. Tumultuously humid days, followed by sweaty pillow nights. Daily torrential downpours, followed by steamy sunsets. Shark sightings. Shark bitings. It's all fun under the scorching, unrelenting, conflagrant beast that is the sun. Ah yes my friends, it's summer in Florida! Along with the incapacitating heat of the summer's sun, is the boiling rage of Floridians who receive their property tax bills.
I am one of approximately 5 million homeowners in the Sunshine State. Ask any home-owning Floridian about his or her feelings about property tax, and you're bound to receive a glimpse at the primal nature of man. I have a 1,158 sq. ft. condo in Ybor City and my property tax bill this year sums a horrid $5,190... An optimist would frame this atrocity in terms of my great fortune in enjoying ideal weather and some of the country's best beaches 8 months out of the year at an insignificant average of $14.22 a day in property tax..
Where does the money go?
1/3 - City of Tampa Government
1/3 - Hillsborough County Government
1/3 - Hillsborough County School Board
Notice the money isn't going to the State of Florida; however, it is the legislators in Tallahassee that are deliberating on correcting the property tax situation. As to be expected, every city and county government official is blanketing the airwaves with "woe is me" speeches that use fear tactics from "government workers will lose jobs" to "the sky is falling and we'll have no police and firefighters left to prevent the chaos that will ensue!"
Cash Money!
In a nutshell, there are three options; obviously, all three of them negatively impact local government funds. Bottom line: the impact of the three proposals in the legislature will cut between $46 to $217 million dollars of funding for Hillsborough County Government; directors and county leadership prefer to illustrate that this represents the loss of 100 to over 500 jobs in county government. Just for reference, the county's budget is normally $800 million and it employs 11,000 monkeys; for those mathematicians out there, that's potentially a 27% cut in budget and about a 5% cut in the workforce. Since there will be a loss of funding and workers, our great county leaders warn that there will be a decline in many public services; keep in mind county government includes the water resources, parks & recreation, aging services, children's board, property appraiser, fire rescue, sheriff's office, planning & growth management, public works, health & social services, library services, among many others. As tax payers in this country, we expect the government to provide services and programs for the benefit of our communities. However, we don't want to waste our money on the bureaucracy and inefficiencies associated with government; we want more bang for our buck.
Don's Smackdown
If there is a vote for this property tax reform, I will vote for the largest cut possible. The inefficiencies and bureaucracy of government have bittered me to the very core. The attitudes of deservingness, "use it or lose it" budgeting, and supervisory ego, have built a culture of low-educated, low-paid, mediocre employees who are led by even more mediocre supervisors that have created a departmentalized hydra of dysfunctional government.
I believe we can do better than 11,000 mediocre employees. If government had higher quality employees at higher salaries, supported with appropriate and integrated technology, we could provide the same or better quality service with fewer people. Although higher pay and better technology would cost money, the increased savings in efficiency, quality of service, and employee health care with fewer employees would outweigh the costs; saving millions. It's time for local government to start running this bitch like a business and stop pissing money away on inept out-of-date employees. I don't mind paying property tax, I just want the most impact for my money.
My questions for y'all:
For those homeowners, how much is your property tax bill?
Do you believe in big government that employs more people, has more departments, and provides more services to the general public? Or do you prefer small government with fewer employees, departments, and services?
What traits, personalities, knowledge, skills and abilities come to mind when I say "government employee?"
Come on people, let me hear you...
All right, click the "comments" link below to read the responses of others, as well as share your own responses. "NO" you don't have to be a member of Blogger to put in your $0.02; Just select "Other" for your identity, type in your name, and post your comments... that's it.... it's as easy as indigestion!
P.S. - if you're a Floridian, here is a link to some really good information about the property tax issue and its context: http://www.floridataxwatch.org/news/propertytax.php
posted by Don the "Head Chimp" at
12:42 PM
4 Comments:
Well said my favorite government chimp, well said...
I am impressed with the blog and it has become a necessity of the corporate monotony of my world.
From you favorite Corporate Placement Chimp
By
Anonymous, at 4:30 PM
What will those 500 non-welfare and non-unemployment collecting (those are positive descriptors) county employees do when they lose their jobs? Do you think they're going to cut it in the private sector? Maybe if they're employed as Professional Eaters or Professional Sleepers or Professional Complainers or Professional Maintaners of the Status Quo. I heard a lot of corporations are looking for those job titles.
By
Anonymous, at 7:04 PM
Loved your article!
Actually, it made me really sick. My south Tampa property taxes were around $1.5k and then it went up to $3k for my Seminole Heights house. Now, you're telling me over $5k for a tiny condo in the hood?
I think I'm going to throw up.
By
V, at 8:03 PM
Move to LO if you don't like high property tax. Mine is 1.5k
By
Anonymous, at 12:20 PM
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