Fwd: State Legislators Help Jack slide Tax Increase in at Last Second - Tell Your Friends

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eri Maren <eri.maren@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 1:15 AM
Subject: State Legislators Help Jack slide Tax Increase in at Last Second - Tell Your Friends
To: eri.maren@hotmail.com

State Legislators Help Jack slide Tax Increase in at Last Second - Tell Your Friends!!

HB 1132 is a sneaky bill that circumvents the TRIM Property Tax Rate cap. 

See: http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/billfile/hb1132.htm 

When Jack Johnson tried to float a repeal of the Homestead Property Tax credit last month, he also had a back-up plan: HB 1132. 

HB 1132 has been sitting untouched for weeks, but now that the Soccer Stadium excitement is over, the SAME PEOPLE are SNEAKING in a tax increase over the last weekend when you aren't ready for it!! 

See the Gazette from a month ago - it talks about all 3 of Jax Tax Grabs: 

http://www.gazette.net/stories/03052009/collnew183226_32470.shtml

HB 1132 looks uneventful - it lets the County spend WSTC Tax funds (Transit tax funds) on school busses. How bad is that? The intent is to raise the WSTC Tax rate A LOT in order to use the new funds to pay for the $100 million school bus cost - instead of using the money for TRANSIT  - its intended purpose. So, if the County is going to use WSTC money to pay for general County costs... what's the difference in raising the general County tax rate? Well, the difference is that TRIM is supposed to apply to the COunty rate and prevent run-ups in expenses. But Jack Johnson is working with Senator Muse and Delegate Griffith to pick your pocket while you aren't looking!

The WSTC tax applies to your property tax assessment. Right now, it is 2.6 cents. You see this tax on your property tax bill after the County, State, MNCPPC and Storm water  taxes. 

Only the County tax is subject to the TRIM limit. Thus, the County can circumvent TRIM by getting permission to raise the WSTC rate to whatever it wants. Jack is talking about raising it to 7.5 cents or higher! That's right, a 300% tax increase, and it doesn't even go to Transit. 

Also, this is on top of the Legislature having decided to take $60 million of your MNCPPC - (which you overpaid) - and GIVING it to the County to pay for its bloated budget. http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/billfile/hb1517.htm 

That's right, first they are going to take $60 million that you overpaid, and then they are going to raise your tax rate through the backdoor!

WRITE YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS BELOW: 

Tell them that you don't want to see the TRIM tax rate cap circumvented. 

Dear Legislator: 

I oppose HB 1132. It is dishonest to create a Transit Tax and then use the funds generated to pay for the general fund excesses of the County Executive. This is nothing more than a backdoor repeal of TRIM - which voters have repeatedly told you not to touch. Sneaking in a tax to circumvent TRIM in the last days of the session is NOT listening to voters. Tell Jack Johnson to balance his budget without raiding my wallet. Homeowners are suffering as much as anyone and we cannot afford more. 

Sincerely, 

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Senators

<jim.rosapepe@senate.state.md.us>,  <paul.pinsky@senate.state.md.us>,  <douglas.peters@senate.state.md.us>,  <nathaniel.exum@senate.state.md.us>,  <ulysses.currie@senate.state.md.us>,  <anthony.muse@senate.state.md.us>,  <thomas.v.mike.miller@senate.state.md.us>,  <david.harrington@senate.state.md.us>


Delegates


<ben.barnes@house.state.md.us>, <barbara.frush@house.state.md.us>,  <joseline.pena.melnyk@house.state.md.us>,  <tawanna.gaines@house.state.md.us>,  <anne.healey@house.state.md.us>, <justin.ross@house.state.md.us>,  <james.hubbard@house.state.md.us>,  <gerron.levi@house.state.md.us>,  <marvin.holmes@house.state.md.us>,  <joanne.benson@house.state.md.us>,  <carolyn.howard@house.state.md.us>,  <michael.vaughn@house.state.md.us>,  <aisha.braveboy@house.state.md.us>,  <dereck.davis@house.state.md.us>,  <melony.griffith@house.state.md.us>,  <veronica.turner@house.state.md.us>,  <kris.valderrama@house.state.md.us>,  <jay.walker@house.state.md.us>, <james.proctor@house.state.md.us>,  <joseph.vallario@house.state.md.us>,  <doyle.niemann@house.state.md.us>,  <jolene.ivey@house.state.md.us>,  <victor.ramirez@house..state.md.us>

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