Toilet paper and Texans: Dealing with less, Hoping for the future, Property tax increases and those who disagree.

Today is election day for some school districts across the state of Idaho.

I'm not certain what the results of today's election may bring, but if those who oppose tax increases lose, it will be somewhat like the Alamo...with the Battle of San Jacinto directly next on the calendar pages. The Alamo's loss was the clarion call of those who fought and won at San Jacinto. Make no mistake, the Tea Party folks are not going away. The spirit of old-CA's Prop 13 (property tax relief) lives on in Idaho.

And Idaho citizens are still in a position to impact elections, contrary to new-CA's inability to manage even the simplest of financial obligations. (Children in many schools have to bring their own toilet paper to school - I observed this recently in Sherman Oaks, CA. What a fitting metaphor...).

Much has been made of the property tax vote (bond levy vote, to some...). The argument by those in favor of it is that it's only a small amount of money per property owner to help the schools.

Those who oppose the property tax increase (for isn't that what it really is?) are simply sick and tired of paying more taxes, no matter how small the amount is. It's no longer an amount of dollars, it's an amount of principle to those who think this way.

And today it will be decided.

The greater question is "Are we even capable of dealing with less?" As individuals, as a nation, as a state.

Can we as a people cut our expenses to successfully keep ourselves from being upside down? In business this is done, even as a company is failing due to less income, those who are in charge are attempting to cut expenses. In many fields of government, those who suggest tax increases seem to think they are immune from the natural economic laws; that somehow those laws are suspended because children's educations are at stake.

But are those laws suspended, really?

Homeschooling scores across the nation disprove the presupposition that more tax money for education equals more education. No other field works this way, does it? The costs per child are astronomical. Taxpayers are saying "no more" on many levels.

People are sick of this. Many people. Idaho citizens get to do something about it.

And these same people are sick of seeing folks in local government who seem somehow "immune" to the deep cuts that the rest of us have to live under.

That is no longer the case. Idaho's budget HAD to be cut. Butch Otter did a good thing. So did Tom Luna.

Self government precedes civil government. Idaho will be better for it, having come through these very difficult days.

Then, hope can be restored. If the Alamo does occur today, the battle of San Jacinto is just around the corner.

Den

Comments

[Dennis Mansfield]

A theoretical question, indeed.

[Bubblehead]

So what excuse do you plan to use if the tax increases pass? That turnout wasn't high enough? That the districts didn't spend enough tax dollars to publicize the elections?