Ok, people. The elections are over and now we can focus on local issues. What successes or problems in our community do you think are important now?
November 6, 2008
Open Session, Thursday
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I think the most important issue for me this month will be the arrival of my property tax bill and the amount due.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — November 6, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
Good reminder, Susie. If you live in the urban renewal district (which I know you do not) your tax bill should show the break-out of the taxes that go to LCDC. For the rest of us in the city of CdA, and the whole of Kootenai County, our taxes are higher because of the property taxes siphoned off to LCDC. Those in the County pay about 4.2% more and in the city of CdA it’s an extra 6.6%.
Comment by mary — November 6, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
READERS: ATTENTION SPAN TEST: LET ME REPEAT WHAT MARY JUST SAID.
COUNTY RESIDENT TAXES WILL BE 4.2% MORE BECAUSE OF LCDC!
CITY RESIDENT TAXES WILL 6.6% MORE BECAUSE OF LCDC!
Comment by Gary Ingram — November 6, 2008 @ 6:31 pm
I was driving north from the downtown area on Northwest Blvd. today and noticed that the Dollar Rent-a-Car (I think it was Dollar) is closed, the lot is vacant, and the property is for lease. There will be more.
Comment by Bill — November 6, 2008 @ 7:05 pm
Well, about 3.1% for the LCDC. The rest are from other URDs.
Comment by Dan — November 6, 2008 @ 8:48 pm
My wife and I voted for all three ballot initiatives because we believed they were all needed. We live in the county so we’re going to pay about $100 in taxes that go to the URDs. My wife and I have decided that we will never again vote for any tax, levy or whatever they want to call it until the URDs go away. It doesn’t appear to be getting any better either, now Harrison wants a URD, more money siphoned from the taxing districts. What little wide spot in the road is going to form the next URD, taking yet more money from the taxing districts. We could have had a Taj Ma-Jail if all the URD money over the last 11 years had gone to the proper taxing districts rather than being siphoned off as a slush fund for private developers.
Comment by Will Penny — November 7, 2008 @ 5:34 am
It would be interesting to see how many of those who voted against the Jail and Facilities initiatives were motivated by anti-tax fervor or anti-URD fervor or a mixture of both.
The LCDC will be taking more and more money. The City will suffer. Indeed, we might even see the City of Coeur d’Alene start raiding its enterprise funds to help shore up its budgets in the future. The stupid thing is that they know they’re hurting themselves. But the luxury of having a bucket of cash that they can spend without public input or approval, and reward (or buy) their friends, is just to great. Apparently that bucket of cash is more important to the Mayor and City Council than serving the citizens they’re paid to represent.
Comment by Dan — November 7, 2008 @ 6:58 am
LCDC has a new board member, does anyone know anything about him? I thought it was illegal for the city to take money from enterprise funds such as the water department to fund general obligations. A definition of an enterprise is an entity that pays for itself. Maybe this is why Coeur d’Alene residents were rewarded with such a substantial increase in water rates; making certain that the enterprise operates while at the same time providing a little something extra for the city budget.
Comment by doubleseetripleeye — November 7, 2008 @ 9:21 am
Joe the Plumber has a web site starting Nov.10, http://www.secureourdream.com. This has the potential to be the watchdog organization we need to see to it that the CHANGE promised is grounded in republican values. He certainly is positioned to raise a lot of money to do good. So let’s engage him. His site proposes to blog with him personally, and for a subscription get a news letter. He’ll make a lot of money. What a country, we have! OK BHO, let’s see your stuff. We’re watching!
Comment by Gary Ingram — November 7, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
“COUNTY RESIDENT TAXES WILL BE 4.2% MORE BECAUSE OF LCDC!” so that means that for about $134 per year i get riverstone movie theater and all the restaurants and shops, the pond where they have summer concerts in the evening, the new library, the soon-to-be kroc center. what a deal!
Comment by reagan — November 8, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
And the police, fire, parks, NIC, sheriff, and other government-funded and necessary institutions must get by with $134 less from the reagan household. Remember: urban renewal is always a sacrifice. Is having a movie theater more important than having that extra policeman?
Comment by Dan — November 8, 2008 @ 1:52 pm