PROPERTY TAXES ARE TOO HIGH!

In response to our announced plans to initiate a citizens tax revolt, we received the following message from Rep. Cynthia Davis. She represents District 19 in St Charles County, Missouri and, at our request, has graciously given us permission to publish her response... Ed
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Chuck,

I filed a bill nearly identical to California's Prop 13.  It was going to freeze real estate taxes.   After additional input, I made a substitute for my bill, HJR42 that also included a spending limit on local governments as well as doing away with reassessments altogether.  My bill also rolled back the assessment to whatever the land was valued at in 2005.  Local growth, improvements and inflation could be added to the value. 

The Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee (Mike.Sutherland of Warrenton) is not taking a vote on my bill.  I also could not get the policy development committee to support this as a Republican Caucus position.  While this is a bill that would never get any Democrat support, I am really disappointed that I cannot seem to get the Republicans to move this to the floor.

John Sonderegger interviewed me and Scott Rupp (State Senator, MO District 2) on his show a couple of weeks ago. He asked Scott if he thought my bill had any chance of passing.  Scott* said "No.”  If the Legislature cannot get real estate tax relief on the ballot, the people can do it through the initiative petition process.

Would you like me to get you in touch with a list of people who may be interested in this issue?  It takes a lot more work for the citizens to get it on the ballot, but after my bitter experience with the legislators, this is probably the only way it will happen.

Cynthia *
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*In conversing with Mrs Davis for this article, we arrived at the distinct impression that Senator Rupp was against the introduction and/or passage of her proposed real estate tax relief. In the interest of disclosure concerning our research for this article, we have not interviewed Sen. Rupp. Then again, according to Rep. Davis, Republican leadership has refused to allow a vote on her Bill.
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ADDITIONAL EDITORIAL COMMENTARY:
RITEON WILL SHORTLY LAUNCH A TAX REVOLT INITIATIVE. IT IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT - SO WATCH FOR IT SOON!

Along with many, we thought that Republicans were the Party interested in lowering taxes. Many voters seem to believe that the label “Republican” means someone who favors lower taxes. As we can easily see, that doesn’t apply to the majority of Republicans in the State Legislature. If it did, they’d be eager to pass Rep. Davis’ tax relief proposals. We know Democrats will raise taxes so how does the besieged property owner obtain tax relief? The last paragraph of Mrs Davis’ message tells us what we must do!

With this in mind, it pays to recognize that lower, more tolerable property taxes that don’t drive people out of their neighborhoods and that citizens can live with, don’t exactly interest politicians whose election campaigns are supported by big money interests and large corporate developers!