To The Editor:

Now comes the logic of our elected and un-elected bureaucrats at the BOE. Quotes printed in the Citizen from Superintendent Bennett and BOE member Howard instruct us (whether more revenue collection or not) that raising the millage rate is not raising our property taxes. For the sake of simplicity (or logic) a property owner paid $1,500 in tax for 2011 on property assessed at $200,000. In 2012 the property owner pays $1,500 on an asset assessed at $150,000 (worth $50,000 less). Apply a bit of critical thinking here; pay the same amount for two different asset values on value higher and one value lower, paying more for an asset of lower value is, by definition, a property tax increase. Property taxes for the BOE have increased 5 mills since 2008 while property values have plummeted, the value of the dollar has shrunk, unemployment has risen, wages have shrunk, (except for government employees), business income is way down and investment portfolio value has taken a big loss.
Calling it a “Rollback Rate” or saying “we aren’t collecting any more revenues” is putting lipstick on the pig makes it something other than a pig. These bureaucrats are taking a greater portion of our asset values and this is not a tax increase? Hmm! Wonder what sorts of math, logic and critical thinking skills are being taught in the Morgan County Schools.

Mark Grubaugh
Buckhead
Via e-mail

Printed in the August 16, 2012 edition