45 replies to this topic

[Cotuit]

TheAnk, on May 6 2009, 02:16 PM, said:

I have been away from UP for too long.. So many things have changed.. Gays can now biologically reproduce? Science really is building a better tomato..

Yes, we have genitalia.

[Lowerdeck]

Wasn't sure if this was the right topic, or if this already hasn't been mentioned.  Forgive me if I missed/goofed.

Front page of Yahoo right now includes an article: "Providence mayor wants $150-per-semester tax on students".  Would apply to students at the private colleges: article most specifically mentioned Brown but there's three others.

I saw this proposed a couple of months ago in Worcester, and it was immediately laughed at and dropped quickly.  And even then, it was only 100 dollars - forget if it was year or semester.  

This can not seriously be a good idea.

[runawayjim]

Lowerdeck, on May 13 2009, 07:24 PM, said:

Wasn't sure if this was the right topic, or if this already hasn't been mentioned.  Forgive me if I missed/goofed.

Front page of Yahoo right now includes an article: "Providence mayor wants $150-per-semester tax on students".  Would apply to students at the private colleges: article most specifically mentioned Brown but there's three others.

I saw this proposed a couple of months ago in Worcester, and it was immediately laughed at and dropped quickly.  And even then, it was only 100 dollars - forget if it was year or semester.  

This can not seriously be a good idea.

It can't be legal either. What do they do about students who live in Providence and are already paying property taxes either by way of their landlords or their parents? That's double taxation. Cash strapped families will choose other schools instead. Private colleges are having a hard enough time attracting students these days.

What they should be doing is taxing the colleges on non-academic buildings (dorms, for instance) or partially taxing them on properties that house "money making" ventures (college owned bars, coffee shops, sandwich shops, convenience stores, restaurants, bookstores).

[brick]

So apparently selling out to parking lot developers with his corrupt building inspector wasn't enough to destroy the city, now David wants to see how he can start stripping away anything that makes Providence attractive, while still tacitly supporting a grossly overpaid and underworked city staff (esp. parks dept who outside of about 10% of the people don't do jack crap).

I was saying to a friend the other day, I took a bike ride to Bristol on the East Bay Bike Path and was thinking about what a lovely state Rhode Island is...and yet the politics have and will continue to destroy it.  We seriously need a reboot in thinking and ideas.  Or, I guess we can continue to beg the Feds for money in exchange for being the welfare state of the union.

Edited by brick, 14 May 2009 - 05:34 AM.

[TheAnk]

Staggering drop in taxation values. I'm really shocked that the city didn't hire some jamoke to say ppty values are still at 2006 prices. But the Rilo Kiley Silver Lining of the whole thing is rent actually goes in your pocket instead of gov coffers again. What a novel concept. In hindsight jacking BOTH vals AND the res rate at peak most likely accelerated the crash wave of forecs. Actually, that's pretty much what caused it.

So slowly but suredly the smart contractors have been buying up O'ville for short money. The hood is marketly improved.

Honestly, with the rate only going up 0.51, and some places shedding 150k in valuation, I have no idea how the city is not going to go bankrupt. My only thought is that my area will get the benefit of lower taxes at the expense of othere areas?

[TheAnk]

Well, now I know.. These people will stop at nothing to destroy this city. Illegally taking away the homestead "exemption"? I can honestly say that even I didn't think these thieves would stoop this low.

It will be overturned, but how can anyone in their right mind support this government after this? On one hand they jack taxes up in gigantic times of need. They don't even CONSIDER cutting spending, and the very people that their illegal tax levy will effect are poor multifamily residences..

Sad to say, most non-owner occ buildings are in low income areas. Just a fact of life. So since the values in these areas were destroyed during the meltdown, the city decided to make up their budget shortfall by taxing evil cold, dead fish hands landlords in low income areas.. A proper villain, correct? Everybody hates the landlord.. The Coup has an album called Kill My Landlord. The Police & Sting, same thing (just minus the egregious violence)..

But the truth is, it will be a pass through cost borne by the very people these "democrats" in office act to serve, the poor and working poor.. First, the tax levy will be a direct cause of an increase in rents.. That's self explanatory.. But secondly, it will increase the dilapitation of properties in these areas.. Can't raise rent, no blood from stone? Let the property go. Paint the trim? Can't do it, taxes too high.. Pave driveway? No funds.. And of course, worst case, pay mortgage? Why when taxes are 7k per year? I'm working to pay the taxes, and my former "profit" is solely going to pay taxes of which evil LL receives no services..

So nice work, Finance Committee & City Council.. Well done.. You thought no one would notice if you tax the evil landlord.. But we are stronger than you think. We are armed with information.. We can tell the truth, that this levy will directly and indirectly make the lives of the residents of Providence's lower income hoods markedly worse..

Nice try though.. You thought you could sneak it through with little to no opposition.. I admire the plan, levy the villain, sneak it through.. Tell the rest of the city that these profiteers have went unchecked for too long, and this is untapped revenue..

But the truth is, you did your property assessments.. You found that the vast majority of 33% non-owner occs were in the areas where price depreciation was ~55%+.. You saw an opportunity to recoup this cost.. And The Villain, is landlords.. But it backfired.. Because the real people you targeted, were the low income backbone and soul of the city.. Disgusting that a democratic government would seek to destroy the QOL of its very voter base through deception and 3 card Monte.. Vote 'em out, they aren't who you think they are.. Unlike Denny Green.............

Ank