Montgomery Co. budget calls for 8.7 pct. tax hike

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sadly, this is what happens when you have one-party ruling. Look at the big cities, poor Southern states, CA and IL (both parties). Look at the disaster of the Silver Spring parking garage. There is zero opposition to the elected leaders in MOCO. Look forward to a future of more non-accountability and more tax hikes to cover crony-capitalism and incompetence in MOCO

Are you talking about the Silver Spring Transit center? It is helpful to list the ACTUAL structure that is faulty when you are mud slinging....

Yes, d-bag, you figured it out. Let's see how Ike gets further fleeced on this by the contractor's lawyers. You must be David Dice or one of his minions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Responding to a MoCo tax hike by complaining about immigrants is nonsensical. As if the County Council controls federal policy. MCPS has to play the demographic hand they're dealt.

You know, if more localities complained to the federal government about the cost of supporting illegal immigrants, maybe, just MAYBE, they would start enforcing our laws.
It is ridiculous. I view this as an unfunded mandate by the feds.
And, this is precisely why Trump is rising in the polls.
A Clinton presidency will mean no illegal immigrants deported, which in turn, will mean more illegal immigration.

Has she actually said this? You know that a lot of illegals have been deported under the current administration, right? For all the criticism of Obama this always seems to be ignored.

Yes, she has actually said this.

Hillary Clinton’s pledge not to deport any illegal immigrants except violent criminals and terrorists represents a major break from President Obama, and it could vastly increase the number of people who would be allowed to stay in the country.

The declaration this week from the Democratic presidential front-runner drew praise from immigrant rights groups, which have largely given up hope on pushing legislation that would create a path to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants. Many activists have sought in recent months to push Obama and his potential Democratic successors for stronger executive actions.

Clinton’s position, which she described during Wednesday’s Washington Post-Univision debate, gives her an effective way to energize Hispanic voters, particularly in contrast to calls by Republican front-runner Donald Trump for mass deportations. But it was not clear Thursday whether, as president, she would be able to keep the promise.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clintons-stance-on-immigration-is-a-major-break-from-obama/2016/03/10/6388a1f8-e700-11e5-a6f3-21ccdbc5f74e_story.html

Yes, he has deported illegal immigrants, but he has also taken action that encouraged more illegal immigration. Remember his executive action and the absolute flood of illegals that came following that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"This is also how it is done in their home country which is also straining with an influx of immigrants - the children need to speak the native language before being allowed to attend the public schools. "

So what happens to the ones who are not ALLOWED to attend the public schools? They are exempt from mandatory attendance? They roam the streets? Or work in factories? In this country we have universal public education.

We could still require schooling for kids under 18, but you need to learn to speak English first either by paying for language class or designating one or two schools in the area to accommodate only ESOL students. This will be a much more efficient use of resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of towns in the mountain west and south and midwest that are cheaper. if youdon't like it, you can always leave

So you don't care that your property taxes are going up to throw money at issues that can be solved in other ways? You are good with paying more and getting less? Or you just live in your perfect bubble and don't notice or care.

[Anonymous]

So let me get this straight.

The tax rate in the County has been flat for years. And the increase is partially to offset lost revenue due to the income tax structure being ruled unconstitutional last year. Yet some y'all still bitch and bring in all these tangential issues. On a $500,000 house, you will be paying an extra $350 a year. Cry me a river.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately the price we pay for the best schools in the area. Sorry Fairfax peeps.

There area handful of good schools - the ones my kids go to are awful (crowded, too diverse in terms of SES (yes, that causes it's own issues), too many fights and not enough parent involvement. Our community refers to the middle school as the jail. I want to know specifically how the money will be used. But they never tell you that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Responding to a MoCo tax hike by complaining about immigrants is nonsensical. As if the County Council controls federal policy. MCPS has to play the demographic hand they're dealt.

You know, if more localities complained to the federal government about the cost of supporting illegal immigrants, maybe, just MAYBE, they would start enforcing our laws.
It is ridiculous. I view this as an unfunded mandate by the feds.
And, this is precisely why Trump is rising in the polls.
A Clinton presidency will mean no illegal immigrants deported, which in turn, will mean more illegal immigration.

+1. The cost of educating undocumented students need to be funded by the FEDS and sadly, this is a trend that will not stop until we do something about illegal immigration. It is amazing that in our elem school (a FOCUS school I add), is seeing an increased number of hispanic ESOL students year after year. Classes are overcrowded, 5th graders are all in those lovely trailers, but yet they have decreased school budgets and continue to deny requests to add additional classrooms and teachers. I know that this situation is not limited to our school and in fact is pervasive throughout the county. But wait, we live in liberal MOCO so the solution to everything is to hike up our taxes. This my friends, is why I'm no longer voting DEM.

I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight.

The tax rate in the County has been flat for years. And the increase is partially to offset lost revenue due to the income tax structure being ruled unconstitutional last year. Yet some y'all still bitch and bring in all these tangential issues. On a $500,000 house, you will be paying an extra $350 a year. Cry me a river.

Serious question. At what point do property tax increases become untenable? $350 this year $350 next, who cares? Wake up people and see what this is being spent on. Demand accountability. Your $500K house already costs you plenty, look at the County budget and see what value you are getting in return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of towns in the mountain west and south and midwest that are cheaper. if youdon't like it, you can always leave

So you don't care that your property taxes are going up to throw money at issues that can be solved in other ways? You are good with paying more and getting less? Or you just live in your perfect bubble and don't notice or care.

I'm not in moco anymore - moved to seattle. However, I definitely see that the public services back east are better than in the west.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight.

The tax rate in the County has been flat for years. And the increase is partially to offset lost revenue due to the income tax structure being ruled unconstitutional last year. Yet some y'all still bitch and bring in all these tangential issues. On a $500,000 house, you will be paying an extra $350 a year. Cry me a river.

Serious question. At what point do property tax increases become untenable? $350 this year $350 next, who cares? Wake up people and see what this is being spent on. Demand accountability. Your $500K house already costs you plenty, look at the County budget and see what value you are getting in return.

Fine...but how do YOU think the County should account for the lost revenue due to the income tax structure ruling? Other counties just appear to be cutting budgets. not trying to make up for the shortfall.

And we have not had a significant property tax rate increase in YEARS! So, yea if it happens again next year, I would be right there with you. If does not happen for another 5-6 years, I am not so concerned.

Sorry...I just do not subscribe to the theory that every tax increase is bad. And as far as illegal immigration, you are not collecting property taxes from a lot of them because the majority rent. In which case, you are STILL collecting taxes from their landlords. And even the ones who have purchased ARE paying property taxes.

[Anonymous]

I doubt most people will make this link but

Fairfax County residents this will be us in less than five years unless we wake up

Thankfully we don't have total one party rule

[Anonymous]

In these times where property values are increasing, there is already a built-in property tax increase - this 8+% is on top of that.

The standard of living in the county is going down and taxes are going up. This isn't good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I doubt most people will make this link but

Fairfax County residents this will be us in less than five years unless we wake up

Thankfully we don't have total one party rule

Unless they want to abolish the personal property tax, I cannot see how they would implement a local county tax upon us.

[Anonymous]

I meant the overall decline

more people who demand more services higher taxes a board who can't say no more people leave rinse and repeat

[Anonymous]

p.s thanks for the top income tax by O'Malley

Got some corporations and high income folks that came to Virginia, helps us out so its taking longer to turn into Montgomery