Google Fiber.... please come to Prescott.. (Phoenix: transplants, sales, credit)

[NC Transplants]

Will Google Fiber ever come to Prescott ??

Phoenix is on the expansion list... will we?....Woo that would be heaven send regarding all those mediocre internet providers in Prescott's mountains...

Prescott might compound some $$$$ from this instead of the city fathers planning to tax, tax, and tax us for a $26 million jail.

cheers...

[agorski]

Minor correction: it's not the "city fathers", it's the county commissioners. Voters had their chance in the last election to spread the jail tax around to a wider base, including visitors, and chose not to.

Google Fiber will never come here, but we might see the availability of Elon Musk's satellite internet. Note that this is not the slow, laggy satellite internet that uses geosynchronous satellites, but a faster low orbit constellation.

[Ex New Yorker]

A lot of the voters were under the assumption that they were voting against any tax increases. I spoke to a few in my neighborhood and they were shocked to learn that their property taxes would now be increased instead of a sales tax. It would seem that those who were opposed to the sales tax increase did a pretty good job of convincing these people that a vote against the sales tax would result in the jail not being built. At least the people who I spoke to acknowledged that had they known that they would have changed their vote, and regretted voting against the sales tax option.

[NC Transplants]

Originally Posted by Ex New Yorker

A lot of the voters were under the assumption that they were voting against any tax increases. I spoke to a few in my neighborhood and they were shocked to learn that their property taxes would now be increased instead of a sales tax. It would seem that those who were opposed to the sales tax increase did a pretty good job of convincing these people that a vote against the sales tax would result in the jail not being built. At least the people who I spoke to acknowledged that had they known that they would have changed their vote, and regretted voting against the sales tax option.

Those who convinced individuals to vote against the sales tax did a great con job. It's easier to get total moneys through mandated property taxes than a sales tax as one can shop less or refrain from shopping until needed; putting off a car purchase till next year, etc. thus less tax collection for the City.

So we'll be taxed at the maximum of $39.00 per $100,000 of home/land value? For a $300,000 home this will be $117 per annum added to your current property taxes! I know it's a tax which we abhor... but don't you think that we spends more than $117 per annum-at say StarBucks? Plus this property tax is deductible at tax filing time. So wouldn't you say it ain't that BAD.

cheers...

[Ex New Yorker]

NC Transplants:
Mine will be about $52. I'm not saying whether it's bad or not, just that some people thought by voting against the sales tax they were voting against the jail. The jail was going to be built regardless how the vote went. Personally I prefer a sales tax over property tax as everyone will contribute to the jail and not fall disproportionately on homeowners. More than likely my sales taxes would probably exceed the $52 anyway. I really can't complain about the taxes out here or much else for that matter. While in New York my property taxes were $11,000 a year on an 1100 sq.ft. house in the rundown City of Peekskill. Out here I have a 2000 sq. ft. home in a much nice neighborhood and community with a tax bill of $1,620 a year.

It's easier to get total moneys through mandated property taxes than a sales tax as one can shop less or refrain from shopping until needed

Indeed you are correct, however it is less noticeable when only a few dollars are added to your weekly grocery bill. Which fluctuates anyway.

[infocyde]

Originally Posted by Ex New Yorker

A lot of the voters were under the assumption that they were voting against any tax increases. I spoke to a few in my neighborhood and they were shocked to learn that their property taxes would now be increased instead of a sales tax. It would seem that those who were opposed to the sales tax increase did a pretty good job of convincing these people that a vote against the sales tax would result in the jail not being built. At least the people who I spoke to acknowledged that had they known that they would have changed their vote, and regretted voting against the sales tax option.

Nice strategy. Let's find out who crafted it, and run them out of local politics.

[NC Transplants]

Originally Posted by infocyde

Nice strategy. Let's find out who crafted it, and run them out of local politics.

cheers...

[Ex New Yorker]

infocyde:

Nice strategy. Let's find out who crafted it, and run them out of local politics.

Fortunately, the ones who crafted this deception are not for the time being in public office. To their credit the county supervisors and Sheriff Scott Mascher made it quite clear what the choices were regarding the need for a jail and how to fund it. I guess not too many people were paying close attention to the arguments that were being presented by both sides. At least not the ones that I have spoken to personally didn't. We can at least be thankful that the public was allowed to vote on this measure.

[NC Transplants]

Originally Posted by Ex New Yorker

NC Transplants:
Mine will be about $52. I'm not saying whether it's bad or not, just that some people thought by voting against the sales tax they were voting against the jail. The jail was going to be built regardless how the vote went. Personally I prefer a sales tax over property tax as everyone will contribute to the jail and not fall disproportionately on homeowners. More than likely my sales taxes would probably exceed the $52 anyway. I really can't complain about the taxes out here or much else for that matter. While in New York my property taxes were $11,000 a year on an 1100 sq.ft. house in the rundown City of Peekskill. Out here I have a 2000 sq. ft. home in a much nice neighborhood and community with a tax bill of $1,620 a year.

Indeed you are correct, however it is less noticeable when only a few dollars are added to your weekly grocery bill. Which fluctuates anyway.

You've been there for a while I presume, thus a pretty good property tax rate for you!

Here in NC I pay $1800/yr property tax on our 2050 sqft home. Our just purchased 1700 sqft home in Prescott commands a $1826/yr property tax. Then come the jail tax which will bring the bill to over $2000/yr. Not bad compared to your NY or Calif taxes but quite a bit more than my NC property.

Oh, well, we moved there for $$$$ El Sol ...

cheers...

[infocyde]

Originally Posted by Ex New Yorker

infocyde:

Fortunately, the ones who crafted this deception are not for the time being in public office. To their credit the county supervisors and Sheriff Scott Mascher made it quite clear what the choices were regarding the need for a jail and how to fund it. I guess not too many people were paying close attention to the arguments that were being presented by both sides. At least not the ones that I have spoken to personally didn't. We can at least be thankful that the public was allowed to vote on this measure.

Scott Mascher is a standup guy and a good man. If he laid it all out there that is all good. But someone in office or an outside consultant came up with a strategy to stop the sales tax so the property taxes would go through instead. And they deliberately made it look like voting against the sales tax was stopping a new jail effort, hinting it wasn't needed and keeping quiet about the other funding that would go through. It is again great cynical political strategy, but if we are to avoid these types of things in the future you have to zero in on these people and hold them accountable for their machiavellian games, else they will repeat.

Bad on many of us for not paying too much attention (I didn't vote on anything because I've only been up here a little while and I didn't feel informed enough to vote) and bad on those who prey on low information voters to further agendas.

What is the saying? The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. That applies even to the local level to achieve good governance.