From Susan Kniep, President
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Website: http://ctact.org/
email: fctopresident@aol.com
860-841-8032
November 6, 2006
WELCOME TO THE 90th EDITION OF
TAX TALK
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A sincere thank you
to the many contributors of Tax Talk who have been sending news articles from publications throughout
the country on tax related issues,
eminent domain, etc. Keep them
coming, along with any comments you may wish to offer.
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VOTE on
NOV 7, 2006
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FCTO extends its sincere
appreciation to Stephen Kitsock of Manchester for sharing his excellent
editorial on this upcoming election. I
know that there are many concerned taxpayers who share Steve’s position of
wanting to see new faces in the legislature after November 7. It’s important to remember that the latest
legislative session in Connecticut
ended without property tax reform, eminent domain reform or binding arbitration
reform. In fact, failure to reform the
revaluation system at the State level will result in steep tax increases for Connecticut
taxpayers. Again, we thank Steve and
invite him to be a frequent contributor to Tax Talk. Susan
From Steve Kitsock…. I know, I know,
there's an important Federal election coming up in a matter of weeks, but let's
not forget that there's also an important State election on that same day.
Local citizens ought to take some time
to consider just what they want from their State Legislature and think about
just whom they elect to represent their Town. Our State Legislature has
given us nothing but the highest tax rate in the country, a rapidly decaying
infrastructure, an out-of-control social services system, civil-unions (the
first step toward homosexual marriage), and a ridiculous piece of "junk
food" legislation. To put it simply, we, the taxpayers, pay a lot
for very little in return due to the ineptitude of many in the State
legislature.
According to the National
Taxpayers Union, in a letter written to the Connecticut Legislature dated March
22, 2005, "The tax burden per capita in Connecticut is the highest in the
nation at 33 percent of average resident's income going to taxes".
What have we gotten for this? - Our roads and bridges are still in need of
major, costly improvements. It is all too common to hear on the news of another
child brutally attacked and abused by someone known to social services, yet
allowed to "slip through the cracks" of a bureaucracy run amok.
Many of our representatives, voted for atrocious legislation which you will
never see in their literature which they send to your homes.
But, don't lose heart, folks, they did give us
the anti-fat legislation! Poor little Joey, nor his mother or father,
have the will to bypass a trip to McDonalds, so the State will do it for
him. Egad!
It is time for change in Connecticut. I do
hope that our citizens will consider a break from the norm and vote to bring in
some new blood to a new State Legislature that will bring us back to Earth!
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Kudos to
Arlene Lucian of Waterbury,
Stonewall1978@aol.com , who sent us the following
article. Arlene has
led the fight to protect the rights of property owners impacted by Group Homes. To learn more about the impact of Group Homes
visit FCTO’s website at http://ctact.org/
, subsection Group Homes. OmHom
Waterbury neighbors say group home
out!
Quote from news article:
“Blumenthal
faults the state Department of Mental Retardation for
not putting
the management of the new group home out to a public bidding process”
Thursday, November 2, 2006, BY MICHAEL PUFFER,
Copyright © 2006 Republican-American, WATERBURY -- Country Club residents met
with Mayor Michael J. Jarjura and local legislators
Wednesday to demand the politicians help remove a new group home for the
mentally retarded at 9 Country Club Woods Circle. http://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=14806
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Again, we thank Theresa McGrath, FACE0203@comcast.net , for keeping us current on
School related issues.
School tax funding has shifted
Local property taxes are paying a bigger share of public education. Consumer
complaints are rising. http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/30/State/School_tax_funding_ha.shtml
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Eminent domain and the ballot box
Numerous challenges to the
government's right to seize or regulate private property are up for vote this election day, By Les Christie, CNNMoney.com staff writer
October 30 2006: 4:22 PM EST
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) --
Eminent domain is a hot-button issue this fall - 12
states have measures on the ballot to restrict the government from taking
property for private uses. The spark for
all this activity is Kelo v. New London: The Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that the Connecticut city could
seize well-maintained private homes and give them to a developer. http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/30/real_estate/eminent_domain_on_ballot/index.htm?postversion=2006103016
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PROPERTY TAXES:
Property tax reform concept gains support, Posted by
the Asbury Park Press
on 11/3/06, TRENTON: Amending the
state constitution to require the state to annually pay part of a homeowner's
property taxes gained Republican support Thursday as legislators moved to
finalize ideas to lower property taxes.
A legislative committee debating whether the state constitution should
be amended to slice the nation's highest property taxes met privately for three
hours Thursday. Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris,
backed a plan by Assemblyman John Burzichelli,
D-Gloucester, to amend the constitution to force the state to pay some of a
homeowner's property taxes. The
Associated Press http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS03/611030369/1007/rss03
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Revaluation
in New Jersey http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0OSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Njk4MTA0NiZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTM=
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