Letters: Rolling taxes a bad public policy

In last Tuesday’s Advocate, Belinda Creel Davis said that the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge “will target for defeat any Republicans in elected office who vote to roll forward millages.” That statement is untrue.

The parish Republican Party took a strong position against the roll forward of property taxes because it is a tax increase without a vote of the people.

The Republican Parish Executive Committee is elected by the Republican voters of the parish in March of each presidential election year. Before each election, any Republican candidate may seek the endorsement of the Republican Parish Executive Committee, which researches the candidates’ records and interviews those seeking endorsement. After interviews, the 17-member executive committee votes on whether to endorse a candidate. If a candidate gets a majority, that candidate is endorsed. More than one candidate can be endorsed. If a candidate does not seek the endorsement, the GOP takes no position on his candidacy.

In no case does the Republican Party of EBR “target” a Republican candidate for defeat.

Regarding Operation Stop the Roll Forward, the parish Republican Party was successful in stopping $2.1 million in new property taxes this year, or $8.4 million over four years.

The statement by Davis that the Republican Party supported the sheriff’s roll forward is not true. The party opposed in principle the roll forward by all agencies. However, we focused on trying to defeat those we had a chance to defeat. Out of more than a dozen roll forwards, we actively testified against about half. In the sheriff’s case, we met with him and asked him not to roll forward his millage. He explained his office’s budget shortfall and his efforts to hold down costs in the face of a massive crime problem. Our members believe the Sheriff’s Office is doing an outstanding job and that the funds are much needed. So we publicly stated that we understood the need for the funding but disagreed with the method of raising it.

The Republican Party continues to maintain that rolling forward property taxes without a vote of people is bad public policy. All tax increases should be submitted to the voters for their approval. We intend to propose a state constitutional amendment that will stop the practice of rolling forward property taxes without a vote of the people.

Woody Jenkins, chairman

Republican Party of East Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge

Comments

1) Comment by Being_Stupid - 11/09/2012

Stealing and taxing property and forcing an Individual Property Owner to pay mandatory dues to a Self Appointed, Non-Elected Neighborhood Property Collective is okay, if it is done via a "Crime Prevention District".

2) Comment by Being_Stupid - 11/09/2012

The EBR Republican Party has done more to raise property taxes via these new "Crime Prevention" Taxing Districts being imposed onto middle class neighborhoods by RINO State Legislators Dan Claitor, Steve Carter, Franklin Foil, Hunter Greene and the Federation of Greater Baton Rouge Civic Associations (FGBRCA). Dan Claitor recently introduced a new bill that will require any newly proposed Non-Municipal-Taxing Districts to advertise and notify the public, except those Taxing Districts that are used to fund "Crime Prevention". YOU WILL BELONG TO THE GREATER PROPERTY COLLECTIVE AND FORFEIT YOUR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN THE NAME OF "CRIME PREVENTION".

3) Comment by DMJ - 11/09/2012

Lighten up, phil. Just a joke.

4) Comment by phil - 11/09/2012

DMJ - you are putting words into my mouth AGAIN. I do not hate CATS and I actually support public transit when it is handled efficiently. What I am against is a 10 year gigantic tax that will hurt more people than it will help in the long term. It seems like people who are against what I say here always have to go to the personal attack method to justify their positions..

5) Comment by DMJ - 11/09/2012

On phil's tombstone, it'll say.... "hated CATS"

6) Comment by phil - 11/09/2012

Speaking of CATS, what about the fact that voters were sold on a municipal tax that excluded the homestead exemption and now it turns out that is not true. Bait and Switch? Concerning property taxes and roll forwards, some people get priced out of their own homes because of increases in property taxes that they do not even get to vote on. In addition, when you sell your home you probably will have to pay capital gains taxes, so that seems to be double taxation just for one more thing. The law needs to be changed on these roll forwards and that will have to be done by the LA Legislature I believe. I plan on writing an e- mail to my representative.

7) Comment by DMJ - 11/09/2012

Gee. 8.6, I'm guessing Woody was against it.

8) Comment by 8point6 - 11/09/2012

" All tax increases should be submitted to the voters for their approval." Woody, since you are talking about property taxes, what is your opinion of the CATS property tax proposal which allowed only property owners who live within the BR city limits to vote on? What about the property owners who live outside the city limits, but, own property within the city limits and were not allowed to vote on this tax?