Coralville Courier

Pay as you go makes awesome sense

While I am no fan of President Obama's policies, pay as you go makes awesome sense.  For the limited-government types, this higher tax / pay as you go is not just responsible, it is also in our strategic best interest.  Now let me explain. 

First, the responsibility part.  Simply, those who vote the profligate spendthrifts into Washington should have to pay the bill and not push it off on future generations.  As a younger voter, I am angered by the irresponsibility of proceeding generations who have saddled me with the expenses of their poor government choices.  I don't want to join them in the irresponsibility.  As a bonus, by raising taxes now, we still have a chance to make them pay for some of this Big Government they have saddled us with.

Second the strategic part.  Allowing President Obama to raise taxes will force all voters to take a second look at what programs are really necessary and which are incredibly wasteful or better done by individuals.  By instituting pay as you go, Obama may actually provide the catalyst we need to make the public aware of just how much Big Spending Social Democrats and Corporate Lobby Republicans cost us. 

Exposing the Spendthrifts in Congress would break the strangle hold of the Two Party privilege and power system and allow limited government parties into the halls of government.  Even a few independent / third party candidates could join with Democrats or Republicans alternately based on which one was willing to cut the most spending on a specific bill. 

I fear many of President Obama's policies, but only because of the strength Bush and the Republicans gave him with the Patriot Act and the powerful Department of Homeland Security.

~ Thomas Rutherford, Davenport

Mandatory National Service Is Coming

In an effort to keep Courier  readers better informed as to what the Obama administration has in mind for you, listed below are two sections of HR 1444 (House of Representatives Bill 1444) which Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA.) has introduced for consideration.  Six other Democrats co-sponsored HR 1444.   

The goal of this bill is to cause a National Commission to be established in order to determine:

"(5) The effect on the Nation, on those who serve, and on the families of those who serve, if all individuals in the United States were expected to perform national service or were required to perform a certain amount of national service."

"(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds."

The complete text of this bill can be found at www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=111-1444

I hope you will take the time to ask your representative what his/her stance is concerning this bill.   I have sent Congressman Loebsack an email asking his stance on this bill.  He has replied with an answer that had nothing whatsoever to do with my email.  The man is incompetent.

The idea that any congress would even contemplate universal mandatory public service, or mandatory service only for young people, is repugnant. 

So, in addition to raising your taxes on everything else, they now want to tax your life by stealing your time and effort.

Paul Rudolf, Coralville

Yet another tax increase

Elected officials in Iowa City , Coralville, North Liberty and Johnson County are asking us to vote next week for yet another sales tax increase, and they don’t seem to care whom it hurts.

 

These officials certainly know that the sales tax is the most regressive of taxes, burdening low-income workers disproportionately.

 

The lowest-earning 20% of Iowa workers already pay nearly twice the percent of their household incomes in sales taxes as the highest 20% of income earners do.

 

Didn’t we just increase the burden of these same struggling workers only two years ago by approving the SILO sales tax increase? Now city officials, who claim to be looking out for those who need help, want us to make life even harder for those who are living paycheck-to-paycheck – to make those paychecks go even less far.

 

Our elected officials seem to have no shame about imposing additional burdens on those least able to handle it. (It’s fortunate for the officials – and no coincidence either – that our most vulnerable citizens also have the lowest voter turnout.)

 

But the rest of us, not being politicians, should feel shame at asking more from those who are less fortunate than us, during a recession when they are least able to give it.

 

It is up to the rest of us to stand up for those who, while under-represented at the voting booth, still suffer the most from the outcome.

 

Join with the rest of us in voting “No” on May 5^th.

 

~ Suzie Wheeler, Coralville

Yes For All campaign says one thing, does another

Though a significant amount of the language coming from the "Yes for All" group has been about supporting local businesses, and helping local businesses recover from the flood - they are not walking the talk.  From their over $11,000 in contributions, 20% - $2,100 has been spent with businesses outside of Iowa City.  Almost $1500 for yard signs printed in Des Moines, and another $700 for printing in Cedar Rapids.  This comes directly from their filing with the campaign and ethics disclosure board. 

 

Seems to me that we have excellent printers in Iowa City and Coralville.  Our signs were printed locally - with the Bywaters, through Bankers Advertising and Hawkeye Industries.  Their prices were good and their turnaround time fabulous! 

 

So, talk one thing - do another.  What can you expect?  That's why we're advocating "Vote No."  The current political leadership of IC/CV/JoCo can not be trusted to keep their word.

 

 

~ Debbie Thornton, Iowa City

Tax will hurt area small business

Elected officials in Johnson County want us to vote next week for yet another sales tax increase, regardless of the fact that it will hurt our area’s already-vulnerable small businesses.

These officials would like you to believe that sales taxes have no effect on sales, but that simply isn’t true. Retail shoppers have other options than in Johnson County to make their purchases.

Most of Linn County will now impose a 7% sales tax, which means that our current 6% rate will attract those shoppers, especially shoppers planning significant purchases. Raising our sales tax rate will eliminate that advantage for local retailers (our local employers).

Conversely, the extra 1% tax will drive away some unknown amount of sales to other venues: online shopping, and also other states and towns – vacation purchases, etc. Don’t our local bookstores and other specialty retailers face enough online competition, without making the playing field still more uneven?  

And worse, still, is the poor timing of the tax: Our local businesses are already suffering from the current economic downturn. Customers aren’t spending as much as they did, but costs are still rising, so businesses are squeezed in the middle. This is not the time to make things worse for them and their worried employees.  

And it’s too bad the Press-Citizen has unfairly taken the side of spendthrift government officials, against local small businesses that are the lifeblood of our local economy.

Another sales tax increase, so soon after the last one, is simply a bad idea. Please vote “No” on May 5th.

~ Steve Michel, Kalona

Tax is short-sighted

I guess it’s time to volunteer for another sales tax increase. They are trying to appeal to our base emotions to persuade us to vote for the tax increase:

 

·        Fear – that if we don’t pass the tax increase, the next flood will be far worse and we will be helplessly trapped in the city without functioning water treatment (a blatant exaggeration).

 

·        Greed: Let’s get out-of-towners, who come here to visit, shop and eat, to pay for our “needs.” (Actually, an estimated 80% of the tax will be paid by residents.)

 

·        Envy: Those towns that don’t pass the tax increase won’t get to take disproportionate advantage of Coralville’s enviable income-generating capacity.

 

·        Selfishness: The sales tax is the most regressive of taxes, burdening low-income workers at twice the rate as high earners, as a percent of income. Voting for such a hurtful tax certainly qualifies as a selfish act.

 

And how about plain, old short-sightedness? People are already struggling to pay bills, and worried about their jobs. A sales tax increase will hurt local businesses, and will also hurt the employees of those businesses. A recession is the wrong time to raise taxes.

 

We shouldn’t let our base emotions get the best of us. Choose the higher emotions: compassion for those who are unequally burdened by this regressive tax, and rational examination of the issue – do we really need the projects enough to justify their cost, at such an inopportune time?

 

Please vote “No” on May 5^th.

 

~ Cyntha Michel, Kalona

Local Option Sales Tax ‘Pitch’

Most of you are already aware of the proposed one-cent sales tax increase in Johnson County which will be voted upon in a special election May 5.  The implied need for this tax is to generate revenue ( approximately $72.8 million over a four yr period) for various flood projects in Coralville and Iowa City.  Iowa City and Coralville are two of the (11) municipalities which comprise Johnson County.

 

The psychology behind the support of this tax is intriguing.  First, it addresses compassion for those unjustly inflicted by the flood.  Secondly, it imparts our duty as citizens of Johnson County to assist our neighbors in need.  While I believe no one in our county is unsympathetic to such needs, to sell the need for a one-cent tax is questionable.

 

May I remind you that this needed tax has taken a backseat to a $80,000 statue , ‘green space’, a federal deductibility repeal, and a $450 billion earmark package without mention of flood needs from our legislators?  I digress.  The crafters of this tax cleverly designed it so all (11) municipalities would support it.  They did this by ‘paying them off.’  How?  By letting them be beneficiaries of a % of the revenues and thus eliminating the advantage(s) a given municipality may gain if they elected NOT to support the one-cent tax.   This is regional government at its worst by encouraging unwarranted spending and minimizing the need for fiscal planning or restraint. Take for example North Liberty which did not incur any significant damages from the flood yet stands to gain an estimated  $500,000/yr for the next (4) yrs.  Solon, would stand to receive an estimated $190,000/yr.  Not to mention the other (7) municipalities.  Lastly, the supporters of this tax close with, “In addition we stand to gain ‘matching state and federal funds.’  And who pays for those ‘matching funds’ pray tell?  You and me!

 

In closing, let me throw out this scenario:  Would if Iowa City voted in support of the tax and Coralville voted against it?  Due to its close proximity, would Coralville see a boost in revenue therefore benefiting from NOT passing the one-cent tax?

 

VOTE!

 

Lori Cardella, Solon

If anyone is buying lattes', it's government

It’s amazing how people like Bob Oppliger blindly support any level of taxation. 

Surely Oppliger is fooling when he argues that the costs of taxation amount only to the cost of a latte’ or a pair of designer shoes.  

Surely he is joking when he suggests that we must automatically ok higher taxes simply because officials ask for it.  We’re not supposed to ask questions?  We’re not supposed to hold officials accountable for the money they’ve already been given? 

Perhaps Oppliger missed the news story about how Mayor Regina Bailey foolishly gave her approval at a recent council meeting to spend $80,000 taxpayer dollars on art.   That’s a lot of latte’s.  Perhaps Oppliger missed the news story about how the council spent $62,000 on a survey conducted by an out-of-state firm that told us nothing we didn’t already know about the downtown area.  That’s more than just a few pairs of designer shoes.  Perhaps he missed the story about $10,000 taxpayer dollars being spent on Wii consoles and games.  Did he read the story about how the city council now wants to spend $15,000 on a survey, a survey that will tell the council how to spend our hard-earned money? 

Surely Mr. Oppliger realizes it’s the government spending money on the proverbial lattes' and designer shoes - and not the taxpayer.

Susie Wheeler, Coralville

 

State gave $750,000 of your money to Planned Parenthood

Last year the Iowa Legislature gave $750,000 of our tax money for family planning.

Planned Parenthood expects to give away l,400 implantable birth control devices.

The Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, and Implanon cause early abortions, they also devalue women by allowing for their easy exploitation by sexual predators.

The devices will make healthy women infertile (unhealthy). 

Planned Parenthood calls this “HEALTH CARE?”

Unmarried women should not be engaged in sinful sexual relationships and our government should not be promoting promiscuity.

Married women should trust God for the number of children that they have. We do not know who we are excluding. God can plan our families better than we, and certainly better than Planned Parenthood. 

Reads Deuteronomy 30:l9 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live.”

We cannot solve human problems by stomping out human life. A baby is God’s opinion that the life should go on.
 

Donna Holman

Stopp of Iowa (Stop Planned Parenthood), Keokuk, IA.

Taxed Enough Already

I'm not a tax expert, but it seems to me that repealing a tax deduction is a tax increase.  A "promised" $36 reduction in my state income taxes is not a lot to get excited about, especially when my property taxes already went up by $50 from the Conservation Bond.  Taxes are going up by another $70 to pay for schools.  Additionally, I'm already paying over $80 in new sales taxes for school buildings, and I'm probably going to pay another $70 in new sales taxes after May 5. 

A tax on a tax is not fair.  And repealing a deduction is not a tax cut.  Maybe the problem with our elected officials is that they were brought up on "new" math.  The only thing we can do is Vote "No" on May 5 and then call Representative Mary Mascher and tell her that repealing federal deductibility is a "tax on a tax." 

Further, tell her that we didn't elect her to go to Des Moines and raise our taxes. 

Email: Mary.Mascher@legis.state.ia.org 

Phone: 319-351-2826.

Debra Derksen
Iowa City