I believe you misstated this in your original premise:
"Yet Oakland intends to ask voters to give even more."
'Taxpayers' are but a small subset of Oakland 'Voters'.
And therein lies the problem.
If they were the same folks, the voting would likely be more prudent in regard to taxes, as we see in many other cities and counties.
But for better or worse, a large percentage of Oakland voters do not pay property taxes, business taxes, etc. So voting for these taxes for them is a 'free kick' and a chance to raise money from others for government programs they are told will benefit them.
I support everyone voting on sales tax because everyone pays it.
But why do so many citizens get to vote on property taxes when they don't have to pay them?
(Rent control effectively insulates them from the effects of property tax increases on their apartment buildings. No, owners do NOT get to pass it along to renters!)
Hi RJ, thank you for your comment on our article, "Death and taxes: Oakland City Council is the one who knocks." We would like to publish your comment in our next Letters to the Editor column. Our standard is to sign letters with the writer's name and city. Would you please be so kind as to let us know your city of residence? You can let us know through private message. Thank you--
Yet more priceless content from Oakland Report. Thank you for this excellent work. How do we get this to the rest of the people in Oakland? Property owners need this information so they can show up for themselves in the election for a change. And perhaps an AI-generated short video that nails the highlights for all the non-readers? Not kidding!
What an extraordinary piece of reporting. Thank you so much for doing this!
I believe you misstated this in your original premise:
"Yet Oakland intends to ask voters to give even more."
'Taxpayers' are but a small subset of Oakland 'Voters'.
And therein lies the problem.
If they were the same folks, the voting would likely be more prudent in regard to taxes, as we see in many other cities and counties.
But for better or worse, a large percentage of Oakland voters do not pay property taxes, business taxes, etc. So voting for these taxes for them is a 'free kick' and a chance to raise money from others for government programs they are told will benefit them.
I support everyone voting on sales tax because everyone pays it.
But why do so many citizens get to vote on property taxes when they don't have to pay them?
(Rent control effectively insulates them from the effects of property tax increases on their apartment buildings. No, owners do NOT get to pass it along to renters!)
Hi RJ, thank you for your comment on our article, "Death and taxes: Oakland City Council is the one who knocks." We would like to publish your comment in our next Letters to the Editor column. Our standard is to sign letters with the writer's name and city. Would you please be so kind as to let us know your city of residence? You can let us know through private message. Thank you--
Will Oakland need a new bond to pay $624 million in addition for reneging on the Oakland Terminal project? How much will this cost the taxpayers?
Yet more priceless content from Oakland Report. Thank you for this excellent work. How do we get this to the rest of the people in Oakland? Property owners need this information so they can show up for themselves in the election for a change. And perhaps an AI-generated short video that nails the highlights for all the non-readers? Not kidding!
Another story that is important & interesting & you won't see in the old "news" outlets.