Hap Connors' Attempt to Raise Taxes Fails; Republicans Fight for the Tax Payers

from the Free Lance-Star:
A majority of Spotsylvania County supervisors expressed concerns last night about raising the personal property tax rate by the amount recommended in the proposed budget.

But they voted to advertise the rate at the recommended level, though they can pass a rate later that is lower.

Interim County Administrator Doug Barnes recommended supervisors increase the personal property tax rate on cars, trailers, boats, motorcycles and RVs from $5 to $6.33 based on 50 percent of the assessed value of the property. He said property values have declined 21 percent. Business vehicles pay 100 percent of the rate.

If this proposal is approved, a majority of county residents will see an increase in their bill, some as much as $90 or more. But 30 percent will see a decrease in the bill.

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Hap Connors failed to get any support to raise taxes, though he tried and tried to argue that the county needs more "income"; a term used by businesses who sell a product or service and would obviously look to sales or spending cuts to increase revenues and unless you're a big bank or AIG, you can't just get 'free money'.

But a county can't 'sell' more like a business, it has to take more to sustain its appetite for cash.

Could the era of "we democrats see the public tax roll as an ATM machine" be coming to an end in Spotsylvania County? Possibly!

The federal government and its cash-grabbing Democrat majority surely hasn't learned this lesson. Maybe if we find another $30,000,000 for the study of field mice in San Diego, the economy will rebound and pay back all this debt so our children don't have to?

Spotsy won't be feeling a (significantly) greater tax pain in the coming year.

...For now.