As is typical with the school districts they have set yet another stealth property tax vote during the election off-season and have done little to publicize the vote.
In less than one week the Meridian School District will ask voters to approve a $10 million supplemental tax levy that is set to expire.
Several NewsChannel 7 viewers wondered why there has been no promotion of the election – which is now just days away.
The Meridian School District did not want to raise the amount of the levy in this economy, so they didn’t. But if voters don’t pass the levy – they would actually see their taxes go down.
The Meridian School district holds a supplemental levy election every two years and now the district is asking voters to approve a current levy of $10 million that is set to expire this year– so it requires the same amount of taxes, people living in Meridian have paid the past two years.
Yep, in the height of the some of the worst economic times this nation has ever seen the politicians are trying to keep a tax vote out of public discussion.
Elections like this are the exact reason people have come to distrust politicians, taxes and the system in general. Elections like this are the perfect example of why Idaho needs to adopt uniform election laws so that all election matter would be held on the primary or general election days.
There is no excuse to hide tax votes from the public. It is unacceptable to skirt your responsibility as a public official and not inform people they could lower their taxes in this property tax vote.
Oh, but don’t worry, the Meridian Trustee’s have been gracious to you.
From KTVB:
“The levy is $58 of $100,000 of assessed value,” Meridian School District spokesman Eric Exline said. “Although we know we are going to see a budget decrease we didn’t think it was fair to go to our community and say ‘make up the difference because we know there are a lot of people struggling themselves.’”
Exline says the district has done its part in getting the word out.
Too bad most homes in Meridian start at $250k. That’s an additional $145 to your property taxes.
And who are they getting the word out to? The teachers and school attendants, so they can go vote in favor of the tax levy on their lunch breaks?
Because, as usual, from KTVB:
People who live in Meridian can cast their votes at all schools except for the alternative high schools and middle schools.
The polls will be open next Tuesday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
How convenient for the teachers.
Well Being my first year as a home owner in Texas I think my property tax is going to hover around $2500 or so. Ive heard some horror stories about how much it fluctuates year to year so I don’t know exactly how bad its going to be. I’m hoping its continues to be manageable. Property values haven’t nosedived here as bad as everywhere else so I’m sure I’m not going to get much relief.
Comment by MIchael -TX — 02.25.2009 @ 20:53:30