# I Pit money grubbing local politicians **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 16, 2007, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769 "2007-08-16T02:14:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/1 "2007-08-16T02:14:55Z")
The local school board implemented a tax increase four years back, with voter approval, of 31 cents per $1000 of assessed value the first year, and 14 cents per $1000 of assessed value the next three years. In the interim, assessed values increased substantially more than anticipated, resulting in an surplus of funds for the district. Since the tax increase was intended to raise “X” number of dollars, but the actual result was to raise “X-plus” dollars, the board is considering rebating the “plus” portion of the taxes to the, wait for it, taxpayers. Sounds reasonable and fair, doesn’t it? Not so fast. According to tonight’s local newspaper, the board is also considering keeping the $$, as one board member stated, and I quote: “The public has said ‘here’s the money,’ so let’s take it. That’s the kind of of school board we are.” No, the public said here’s “X” money, but you want to keep “X-plus” money. Of course you want to take the money, you gob-smacking, soul-stealing, brain-dead, maggot-infested, vampiric twit. BUT ITS NOT YOUR MONEY TO TAKE. STAY BACK!!! Gah, I almost literally choked on my dinner reading that quote. I’m off to find out when the next school board election is. Grrr. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/2 "2007-08-16T02:28:00Z")
I’d say ‘unbelievable’, but it’s typical. Some years back, I was a school board member at a fairly large district in IL, and we had a similar thing happen. Right as I was getting off the board, they had to do their levy - which in very simple terms is to tell the local assessor how much of their allowable tax base they were going to ‘access’. They did the same thing your board did, and the outcry was… Oh, there was no outcry. Good luck in the next elections. BTW - is your username a hint to your location? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/3 "2007-08-16T02:51:36Z")
If assesed values had underperformed, so that they had raised _less_ than “X” dollars, would you have volunteered to make up the difference? Anyway, good luck in your crusade to take money away from schools. You’ll go far with that, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/4 "2007-08-16T03:36:03Z")
The school board would probably just waste all that surplus money on booze and hookers anyway. Seriously, though, do you not think that the school can put this additional money to good use? It sounds like this whole rebate concept didn’t exist when the taxes were originally raised, so why the big fuss? (IOW, would you have preferred that the idea of a rebate had just never come up?) LilShieste ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/5 "2007-08-16T03:51:47Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] If assesed values had underperformed, so that they had raised _less_ than “X” dollars, would you have volunteered to make up the difference? [/quote] If the assessed values had underperformed, the Board can go before the taxpayers and request another increase, straight-up, fair and square. > [@](#): > > Anyway, good luck in your crusade to take money away from schools. You’ll go far with that, I’m sure. That’s just it. I’m not talking about “taking money away from schools”. Quite the opposite, the Board is considering taking money from the taxpayers, in what I consider to be bad faith. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/6 "2007-08-16T03:53:24Z")
[QUOTE=LilShieste] The school board would probably just waste all that surplus money on booze and hookers anyway. Seriously, though, do you not think that the school can put this additional money to good use? It sounds like this whole rebate concept didn’t exist when the taxes were originally raised, so why the big fuss? (IOW, would you have preferred that the idea of a rebate had just never come up?) [/QUOTE] It depends on the school district. In Philadelphia, for example, they’d have twelve ways to piss it away without even getting to something good like booze and hookers. 😛 All of the suburban Philly districts are busy trying to assrape their tax base harder than the next crew of gonnifs. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/7 "2007-08-16T03:57:33Z")
Have you considered making your case at the next school board meeting? Why, if you’re even half as pleasant and reasonable in person as you are on this message board, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble bringing them around to your point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/8 "2007-08-16T04:03:05Z")
[QUOTE=LilShieste] Seriously, though, do you not think that the school can put this additional money to good use? It sounds like this whole rebate concept didn’t exist when the taxes were originally raised, so why the big fuss? (IOW, would you have preferred that the idea of a rebate had just never come up?) LilShieste [/QUOTE] No, I would prefer that the Board did the right thing. Look, if they sold the tax increase as “We need $50 million over the next four years to meet the budget shortfall”, and the voters approved, that’s one thing. But if the tax increase passes on that basis, and they then receive $70 million, they shouldn’t just “take” the difference, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/9 "2007-08-16T04:07:12Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] Have you considered making your case at the next school board meeting? Why, if you’re even half as pleasant and reasonable in person as you are on this message board, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble bringing them around to your point of view. [/QUOTE] Ha Ha. Not taking your bait, though. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/10 "2007-08-16T04:12:34Z")
I do see what you’re saying here. You would think that the school board would be logical and see the biggest downfall for their potential decision: sure, you’ve got the money this time, but next time the voters aren’t going to trust you and will say no. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/11 "2007-08-16T04:28:06Z")
[QUOTE=DiosaBellissima] I do see what you’re saying here. You would think that the school board would be logical and see the biggest downfall for their potential decision: sure, you’ve got the money this time, but next time the voters aren’t going to trust you and will say no. [/QUOTE] Exactly. The local library recently pulled some stunts of their own, e.g. removing shelves so that the Trustees and taxpayers would think the library was “overcrowded”, to get their tax increase. Resoundly defeated, of course, once it was exposed. More grrr. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/12 "2007-08-16T04:32:50Z")
You are wrong in your analysis. The taxpayers passed in increases in their taxes of x cents per thousand dsollars to go to the schools. That is what the school board got. They estimated what total revenue the tax would raise, just as they would have estimated the expenses that needed to be covered. What if part of the reason they had money to spare is that they negotiated a good deal on building a new school, or a major donor stepped up and provided one. There are many reasons why it might be that there is a surplus, and assuming the original estimates were made in good faith on the available information, they don’t “owe” any back to the taxpayers. Why aren’t you screaming at the city or county property tax assessors? Surely they are more to blame than the school board. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/13 "2007-08-16T04:45:31Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] You are wrong in your analysis. The taxpayers passed in increases in their taxes of x cents per thousand dsollars to go to the schools. That is what the school board got. They estimated what total revenue the tax would raise, just as they would have estimated the expenses that needed to be covered. What if part of the reason they had money to spare is that they negotiated a good deal on building a new school, or a major donor stepped up and provided one. There are many reasons why it might be that there is a surplus, and assuming the original estimates were made in good faith on the available information, they don’t “owe” any back to the taxpayers. Why aren’t you screaming at the city or county property tax assessors? Surely they are more to blame than the school board. [/QUOTE] I disagree, especially with the board member who basically said, “it’s our money now, let’s take it”. I’d guess the original estimates were made in good faith, but “taking” the money when the estimates prove wrong is not ethical. And I’m curious, why would any of this be the assessor’s fault, i.e. that property values rose over the period in question? ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/14 "2007-08-16T05:52:10Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] No, I would prefer that the Board did the right thing. Look, if they sold the tax increase as “We need $50 million over the next four years to meet the budget shortfall”, and the voters approved, that’s one thing. But if the tax increase passes on that basis, and they then receive $70 million, they shouldn’t just “take” the difference, IMHO. [/QUOTE] I don’t see anything ethically wrong with them keeping the excess funds. It may change the way taxpayers vote on tax increases like this in the future (as **DiosaBellissima** mentioned), but it’s their prerogative. The target wasn’t a maximum, otherwise this whole rebate thing would have been worked out in advance. That all being said, the statement made by the board member (re: “taking” it) was _really_ stupid, and paints the district in the same light as the the one described by **danceswithcats**. LilShieste ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/15 "2007-08-16T06:36:53Z")
Don’t think of it as being robbed by some > [@Carol Stream](#): > > gob-smacking, soul-stealing, brain-dead, maggot-infested, vampiric twit , think of it as being future-proofed against further rate hikes (for awhile, anyway). Another point, you do realize that the board doesn’t get to keep that money for themselves, don’t you? It’s not like campaign contributions or wedding presents. Your duty as a solid, tax-paying citizen is to make sure they spend that windfall responsibly so as to improve the quality of education in your community. Some people might think of that as the school boards job or something. OTOH, the board member who twirled his mustache and cackled “We’re keeping ALL of **Carol Stream’s** money, Mwaa haa haa!” should probably not get re-elected and could possibly be embarrassed into resigning early. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/16 "2007-08-16T17:30:23Z")
I’m not sure I get your outrage. The voters approved a tax increase that was a percentage of assessed value. The school board got that money. If the voters wanted to cap the amount going to the school board, the law could easily have been written that way. “The minimum tax increase, in whole cents per 1000 of assessed value, as necessary to provide to the school board with _X_, unless the number of whole cents per $1000 would be more than _y_, in which case the tax will be _y_.” But that’s not what they did. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/17 "2007-08-16T18:08:43Z")
[QUOTE=Rhubarb] Another point, you do realize that the board doesn’t get to keep that money for themselves, don’t you? It’s not like campaign contributions or wedding presents. Your duty as a solid, tax-paying citizen is to make sure they spend that windfall responsibly so as to improve the quality of education in your community. Some people might think of that as the school boards job or something. [/QUOTE] Bwah AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA _snort_ _choke_ Right. Oh, that was a good one. Oh… you were _serious_. :eek: Bwah AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I fully agree with OP. If you’re setting upa atrget tax fun, you don’t claim anything beyond that. That’s just simple justice, honesty, and integrity, regardless of the method used to collect the funds. Governments have miscollected funds for eons; the honest fellow gives back what took extra and requests (politely but firmly) that any undercollection be made up. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-money-grubbing-local-politicians/415769/18 "2007-08-17T15:03:19Z")
[QUOTE=smiling bandit] If you’re setting upa atrget tax fun, you don’t claim anything beyond that. [/QUOTE] Because you’ve already gone far enough in claiming taxes are fun! 🙂