Thursday, September 29, 2005

My God, my property taxes are going to go up by WHAT?

I am still researching the proposed increase to my property taxes by The Northwest Allen County School Board. I have heard that they are proposing raising taxes by 14%. You have got to be kidding me.

My property taxes went up 63 percent two years ago...

I think I am going to have to dig out my property tax payments for the last 5 years and post them on the internet. You will not believe it...

I bought my house about 5 years ago, and as of next year I think my property taxes will have doubled...

I may have to run for School Board...

5 comments:

Mike Kole said...

Mike- If you run for school board on the basis of being completely unwilling to set policy leading to property tax increases, you'll probably get elected.

No pressure!

Jim Wetzel said...

I must advise caution about running for school boards. If you put yourself in a position in which you might be elected, you're apt to get elected. This happened to me in East Allen County Schools, in 1996. It's a four-year term. (You'd probably have to be convicted of at least your third burglary or so, to get that much time as an "ordinary" criminal.)

You would be absolutlely amazed to see just how little difference you can make -- about anything important -- as a school board member. The structure and broad outlines of your budget are mandated by the state. Same deal for curricular requirements (mostly the state, and increasingly, the Federalistas). And you may realize at some point, as I did, that to have government at any level running schools is a profoundly bad idea that must predictably end up with what we have now -- an institution that is ruinously expensive, horribly ineffective, and a highly potent source of public strife, as people with a large diversity of worldviews and philosophies are herded together into one common pen where the only thing for them to do is get at each other's throats about what is taught, and how. And yet your duty, as a member of the governing body of such an institution, is to advocate for that system to other bodies of government. It wasn't a job I could wholeheartedly do, so I decided to retire undefeated. I guess my final cautionary word to you is: don't assume that you're immune to being elected. Your neighbors will likely rise up and pin the tail on you, whether you actually enjoy being the donkey, or not.

LP Mike Sylvester said...

Wow, you actually were on the EACS School Board. I really, really appreciate your advice.

I do not doubt that if I get motivated I could possibly get elected to the NWAC School Board. We are on the verge of having a property tax revolution.

The AVERAGE house in my neighborhood will have had a property tax increase of over 90% in the last 5 years... (Part of that is getting annexed into the City and part is re-assessment.)

I will definately consider what you say, I amy even send you en email with some more questions about your experience!

Mike Kole said...

One thing Mike has going for him is a good relationship with the press. Being on the Board may have been a frustrating experience for you, Bartleby, but I have to believe that if elected and experiencing the kind of frustration you describe, Mike could well use the media to express the frustration. "I have a burning desire to make the system better, but I'm handcuffed by the rules."

Right now, I'm not hearing school board members (at least where I'm at) complaining about the rules. I believe that if people on the Boards started to, you could hope to begin to see a change.

Also, having been elected before is good resume material for later being elected to a higher office. On those grounds, Bartleby, I would urge you to consider running for office in 2006.

Jim Wetzel said...

To change the schools, get elected to the state legislature. Then plan on a multi-decade career there, to get yourself influential and "established." At the end of that process, you'll find yourself part of the problem ... refer to that famous virtuous outsider, Marky Mark (Souder) and the Funky Bunch.

If anyone wants to email me, I'm reachable at: jcwetzel[at]mchsi[dot]com.

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