In the rural West, residents choose low taxes over law enforcement

[alarimer]

https://www.revealnews.org/article/in-the-rural-west-residents-choose-low-taxes-over-law-enforcement/


Josephine isn’t the only county in trouble. The federal government has been helping keep swaths of rural America on economic life support for years. Since 2000, it’s paid billions of dollars to 41 states hit hard by the timber industry’s decline. But that money, which has been decreasing steadily, could dry up soon. And if it does, Daniel and his department will be walloped by the fallout.

A countywide tax levy could help stave off a public safety emergency. But efforts to pass one have gone nowhere, thanks to a right-leaning populace ardently opposed to an increase. In fact, since 2012, a proposed levy has failed four times, most recently in May 2015. This year, it didn’t even make the ballot.

Residents, meanwhile, enjoy the lowest property tax rates of any county in Oregon: 58 cents per $1,000 of assessed value – less than a quarter of the state’s average.

I listened to this Reveal episode while running just now and I am completely infuriated. This is a small county, but the same thing has happened in Kansas, for example. We used to have a social contract: taxes were the price we paid for a civilized society; now we have people hellbent on destroying that. And the Democrats never really make a very good case (or maybe they are too afraid of being voted out) that higher taxes are a good thing. Or at least adequate taxes for funding basic services.

[SheilaT]

1. Sadly, in many places people choose low taxes over

things that are socially good. Schools come to mind.

[alarimer]

4. They seem not to see the connection.

In the podcast, one guy called the police repeatedly about a burglary, yet I'd bet you he voted against the tax levy. These people are so unbelievably selfish.

[Travis_0004]

2. I guess it depends how rural they are

No amount of police precence will get a response time less than 30 minutes where I live. Because the station closes overnight, response time may be an hour, but we dont have any crime here anyway. People have guns, they will take care of the issue themselves before calling the police.

[alarimer]

3. I don't know much about this place

But the report said crime had risen a lot, that criminals waited until after hours to do their crimes when they knew no one would respond.

[greymattermom]

5. so what will happen

when they call 911? Will every rich person need a body guard? Probably cheaper to pay taxes.

[alarimer]

8. In the podcast, they would have to call back in the morning.

Seriously, that was one of the messages given to a guy who called about a robbery. Which was considered a lesser emergency, since it was just stuff. I'm not sure what happens in a true emergency.

Many have decided to take the law into their own hands, with guns.

[freebrew]

6. It's the economy...

people's wages are stagnant. They can't afford more taxes.
The cops are going to demand a certain $$ to do the work.

If wages had gone up in relation to costs, we would be in much better shape.
At this point, sales taxes are replacing monies from businesses. Regressive.
Add that to the low wages, rising health coverage costs, fuel.

Is it any wonder? Crime is up, every other cost is up.

[alarimer]

9. No, it has the lowest rates in the state.

Because they lived off the largess of federal taxpayers. Typical selfish conservatives: they take and take and take but never feel any responsibility for things. Now that things are starting to happen to them, maybe they'll change their tune, but I doubt it.

[bemildred]

7. People in such places don't have a lot of cash, and they don't want much "help" either.

They kind of move there to get away from the help and advice we all get all day long, see?

[alarimer]

10. Again, they wallowed at the federal government trough for years.

They were not "self-sufficient." They pretty much had all the thing normal communities had, but it was paid for, not by them, but by national taxpayers. Which was fine because it was federal policies that caused the loss of jobs (And I mostly agreed that it was necessary to protect these forests), but, instead of taking responsibility, the opted out. Typical selfish conservatives. They are all "self-made" even if they take a SBA loan, or federal contract or some such.

[bemildred]

11. So what? How does that make them different from the rest of us living on the tab?

Who the fuck else is planning to take responsibility? Are you? What do you plan to take responsiblity for? The deficit? The F-35? Trumps' legal bills?

If these guys are parasites they are the least expensive and demanding in the country.