Survey Raises Hackels of Tax Payers

This local story, an extra from The American (see bottom of article), is on how taxes in Tacoma, WA are climbing every year. (You'll want to see this brief video about what's happening in Olympia now that the Democrats are in power.)

Volume 7, Number 2.1 February, 2018

In This Issue. . .

I'm Angry and I'm Not Keeping Quiet About It! By Paula Lonergan

Today, I received a very pleasant email from our editor, Richard, and was very nice hear from him. After reading his email and while still sitting at the computer, I received a phone call about 10:25 AM from a professional surveying company and you'll never guess what it was about (or, maybe you can guess).

 

After I was invited to participate in the survey, I learned the 

caller wanted to know my receptivity to a new 0.1% of a city 

sales tax, and boy did I let the caller have it. Here's the 

premise for this year's early request. You see, we have a 

new mayor. One that isn't real sure if she has a BA or an AA 

degree, but she promised to do more for the poor of our city 

so those who support the arts that believe I should too, want 

to make an absurd case that the poor need to increase their 

exposure to the arts and someone needs to cough up 

another tenth of one percent to help pay for it! 

 

I heard the caller's rationale for the proposed tax increase 

and the need to increase the exposure of the poor, 

especially poor students, to the arts. The caller wanted me 

to feel a moral obligation to voluntarily vote for another sales 

tax increase, in spite of the fact that I'm still reeling from the 

last set of tax increases, to include now having an 

outrageous 10.4% sales tax thanks to ST3! I distinctly 

remember getting angrier and angrier, speaking a little more 

tight-lipped as usual, as the caller continued his line of 

questioning. He almost seemed to project a sense that if he 

could only somehow appeal to sense of duty to help the poor 

that I would be unable to see through the 'bull crap' and 

finally agree that if the newly formed city council could 

somehow wrap another smelly, repugnant tax package in 

shiny Christmas paper that it would never occur to me that of 

all the things a poor person might want me to pay for, the 

arts are the very last thing a poor kid might ask for!

 

Now, I can believe that the arts community may want to glom 

on to more tax dollars to help pay for stupid art projects and 

programs, or to support museums that cannot make it on 

their own as well as upgrades to the Pantages, Chihuly's 

Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum and/or the LeMay [Car]

Museum (that was, now that I think about it, specifically 

mentioned), nevertheless, I was still able to hold my ground 

and say that no matter what the answer is still, “No.”

 

All of a sudden, in the midst of the call, I remembered my 

friends, the Sims. I could see quite clearly why they may 

have felt compelled to sever ties with this city and state, sell 

their home, pack up and leave everything they've known and 

loved behind. As the song goes, “I can [see] clearly now, the 

rain is gone...” Well, that's it! I don't usually do this but now 

that my son, Joe, is off of the city council I may actually have 

to go down to the next open forum and let them know I know 

what they're up to and I'm not going to stand still for it! 

What's so reprehensible to me is that the new mayor is 

already trying to placate her financial constituency by 

promising to use more of my resources--competing with cars 

tabs, increased sales tax as well as the increased property 

taxes, too.

 

Before closing out this article, I invite you to give a great deal 

of thought to what's coming down the pike and channel your 

anger wisely to make your thoughts known about increased 

taxes for the arts--oh, yeah, and let's not forget, this is for the 

poor and you can certainly take that to the bank (or, rather, 

someone wants to dip into your account for that).

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“The American” is published before the first week of every month aimed at the voters of the 27^th Legislative District and Tacoma, WA. The focus of the publication is to identify some of the issues that affect our district mixed with opinion, commentary and humor. The subscription is free. To subscribe to this newsletter, please send your email address with a request to Richard Sims ragsims 1544@gmail.com. Those who contribute articles will receive full credit for their contribution.