Impose surcharge on renters for funds

The Linn County Board of Supervisors is raising the property tax levy 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. Supervisors need to get in touch with reality.

I still cannot believe that the supervisors gave tax abatements to the owners of the flood area. It's not our responsibility to make up the difference in revenue that was lost because another bad decision was made.

Renters get the same services that property owners get. Make them pay a surcharge on their rent. That would more than make up for any shortfall and give property owners a break.

The Cedar Rapids school board had the audacity to announce an increase in property taxes up to 12.6 percent at a time when there are still record numbers of unemployment and foreclosures. It's not the taxpayers' problem that the state cut back school funding 10 percent, the supervisors gave tax abatements and enrollment is declining. And we are being robbed with a 1 percent school sales tax. The school board also could impose a rent surcharge.

There are two ways to hit back at the people who continually raise our taxes without regard to people they hurt. First: Find out what they do for employment and boycott those businesses. Second: Clean house and throw the whole lot of them out. Maybe the message that we have had enough of their irresponsible tax- and-spend attitude will get across.

Butch Wilkie

Cedar Rapids