When was the last time a cop saved someone from crime in Pensacola?  [quote]

You make an interesting point.  Your comment makes me think of the Virginia Tech massacre, and watching video of the police hunkering down outide the building where the shooting was going on...and you could hear/see this on the video...until the shooting stopped, then going in to find the dead and wounded. 

Going back to Columbine High School, I remember the video of the police doing the same thing while kids were being slaughtered in the school. 

Recently, in Omaha's West Roads Mall there were police in the immediate area but it took over six minutes from the time 911 was called until an armed officer entered the mall.  By then the shooter had run out of shells and put the final one in his own head. 

Some of you might be old enough to remember watching live video of the Las Angelas riots following the first Rodney King decision, and seeing a line of LA police officers standing in the streets literally watching people being assaulted, property being destroyed, and businesses being looted, and not lifting a finger to stop it.

Younger people will most certainly remember New Orleans police officers abandoning their posts and live video of other officers participating in the looting stores after Hurricane Katrina. 

The point here isn't to "dog out" the police.  Certainly there are a great number of wonderful police officers across the nation.  But it does make one stop and wonder what's going on when we see so many high profile incidents across the nation where the on-scene police seem to be a bit cautions about getting involved in the business of "protecting." 

If you vote yes you will not only take away funding for all emergency services fire, ems, and police, but you lose the protection from local municipalities to adjust your home values at will. The bill presentedto us from the state doubles our homestead but it also allows countys and cities to raise our taxable value without restrictions. No more 3% maximum increase per year. I know this real estate market is not exactly on fire right know but it will hopefully be back in a few years.  Imagine if your home value shot up 75,000 bucks. It won't be 3% of that added to your taxable value it will be the entire 75,000 dollars added to your home value IN ONE YEAR.  In my opinion if this passes we will be paying alot more 2-3 years from know.

Is your families fire protection, police protection, and emergency medical services not worth the extra 10-20 bucks a month.

I am voting "no".

 

A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.

                                         -Thomas Jefferson

Xanadu (1/17/2008)

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DoneDeal2 (1/5/2008)

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If this passes ,Police and fire will have to cut back drastically on their services as well as manpower. If you dont think a couple hundred bucks a year is worth it, let this thing pass and you will see a bad difference. Sheriff's departments alone will have to cut 25% of thier personell and respond to only certain types of complaints...VOTE NO!!!!!!!!...This will also be detrimental to fir services. Charlie Crist said his tax cuts would not affect first responders or emergency personall. Now that they endorsed him, he decides to stab them in the back first. All this does is help him be a viable candidate for Vice President and make him look like he has the state of Florida vote sewn up when the time comes to pick a VP....He's a real disappointment.

BS, but if it is true, then good.  I'm sick of 100k cop cars with computers so the guys can eat donuts and respond to missing cat calls.  There are too many cops doing nothing and too many people think that we're going to be unsafe without them.

When was the last time a cop saved someone from crime in Pensacola?  Why do the cops need to spend so much on equipment?  Shouldn't they just get raises and use 3 yr old cars?  Can't they police the same size city with the same size budget they had in 02 - before they doubled the budget in the city and county due to the real estate boom and hurricane sales tax windfall?

I'm not law enforcement but know several who are....and people like you and who think like you really piss me off! becasue you will stand on your little soap box all high and mighty preaching on how horriable they are and they arent doin enough and they are wasting the county money and all the BS you can think of...but what happens when somebody steals your stuff of vandelizes your property or commits some other kind of unlawful action who do you call...it sure as hell aint ghostbusters...thats right ladies and gentlemen its the police department or the Sheriffs office...and you want them to find the person or persons who did it...i mean hell who is next the military? you gonna say that they arent good enough to die for this country? you might not agree with the war but support the troops! and that goes for the officers of the city, county, and state...just becasue you dont like the job they do...they are doin it becasue your sure as hell scared to do it and they are passoniate about what they do...

Hey Yall Watch this!!!!!

2) I've been told by the propety appraiser's office that this amendment will not abolish Save Our Homes. This amendment will be additional provisions -- mainly 10% cap on non-homestead, increase in homestead for assessments between 50-75k & $25,000 exemption on tangible. Early in its conception, this amendment was an either/or -- either the SOH or this amendment. A court struck that down and this amendment was re-written. If you believe differently AND KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, please post soon......

3) Speaking of tangible taxes, there has not been any discussion about that.... businesses paying taxes on their equipment. Would any of you amendment bashers like to stand up and banter why the lawn service should pay taxes on their mowers & trimmers??????


"Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good." Eccl. 9:18

thats the way I understand it.  However, the school tax assesment does not limit nonhomestead assesments to 10%.  Don't know how they can have two assements, but it sounds like they can.  Also, the nonhomestead 10% limit expires in 10 years.

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/initiatives/pdf/2008pppContAmend01-09-08.pdf

This is from page 3 towards the bottom

I'm not law enforcement but know several who are....and people like you and who think like you really piss me off! becasue you will stand on your little soap box all high and mighty preaching on how horriable they are and they arent doin enough and they are wasting the county money and all the BS you can think of...but what happens when somebody steals your stuff of vandelizes your property or commits some other kind of unlawful action who do you call...it sure as hell aint ghostbusters...thats right ladies and gentlemen its the police department or the Sheriffs office...and you want them to find the person or persons who did it...i mean hell who is next the military? you gonna say that they arent good enough to die for this country? you might not agree with the war but support the troops! and that goes for the officers of the city, county, and state...just becasue you dont like the job they do...they are doin it becasue your sure as hell scared to do it and they are passoniate about what they do...[/quote]

Big guy, you're wrong.  I'm good with the cops.  I don't expect anything more from them than they already give.  But I would rather they get paid than buy more brand new computerized cruisers.  I don't care about the new gps computers in each rig when the guys are so obviously strugglint to make ends meet.   Quite frankly, I find it disgusting that they're on side jobs to make ends meet, but they re-paint 200 cars because they want to update to black colors.  It's wasteful. 

And, more importantly, Pensacola is smaller now than 3 years ago.  The county has doubled its revenue in 5 years and I was safe enough 5 years ago.  I can live with the cuts in cops, cars, capitol improvements, etc.  I'm sick of paying more every year for the same items.  Disagree all you want and post your little emoticons.  I don't care, but I'm sick of my taxes going up for the same services and when business slows down, we all cut back. 

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I dont believe this. Xanadu , what kind of work do you do ?



2007 Bowtech Guardian/Spot Hogg Hunter Hogg-It/B-Stinger/Fuse Satori Quiver/Trophy Taker Rest/Easton ST Axis Nano 400/Rage 2 Blade/Tru-ball Copperhead Release

Don't know if its smaller, but escambia county hasn't grown much.  According the US census, EC only grew 0.3% between 2000 and 2006

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/12033.html

I thought they had already ruled them out. 

Anyway, I was told by one of our county commisioners that Pcola and Esc Cty had shrunk very slightly since Ivan.  If we've actually grown 0.03% since 00, then there is absolutely no good reason for government to have increased in cost over 100%.  Inflation has been low and we are an area full of "conservatives" who prefer limited government and low taxes.

All you who proclaim conservatism and Republicanism should be voting against any expansion of state, county or local taxes.

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I don't understand that.  Isn't it for business owners?  if so, thats probably why I don't understand it. 

If I were to vote yes on this amendment it would be because of hte 10% cap on non-homestead value increases.  I do think thats a good thing.  I don't own any other property, but I could.  I see alot of people who do own property where their taxes can get really out of hand because of no cap.

Builder and Consultant.  Thanks for your pm, I hope you have a better understanding of my thoughts now.  But suffice it to say I'm not anti-cop.  I am anti waste and owning some non-homesteaded property has proved to be a huge rip-off due to the BS tax system we've got.  There is no way taxes should have escalated as they have over the past 5 years.  You cops ought to be investigating the malfeasance at the state, county and local levels to figure out where all the money went.

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Taxes are way way to high

"I thought they had already ruled them out.  "

That was the intangibles tax, like accounts receivable and, I believe, some types of investments. (Yes, you used to pay taxes on what people owed you). Intangible tax was abolished (thanks Jeb).

Tangible taxes are taxes on items used in the course of business -- PCs, furniture, equipment, but not on items that are taxed already individually, like vehicles.....


"Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good." Eccl. 9:18

I don't understand that post. I paid taxes last year on my PHONE, FAX, CPMPUTER, COOLERS, FRIDGE, FREEZER, DESK, CHAIR, BLEACH, Test STRIPS and all the other items I had to have to run my business. I HAD TO PAY TAX ON MY PAPER TOWELS, yes PAPER TOWELS.

That was a county thing I think and not state but the less, I had to pay taxes on them.

The logical thing would have had each item voted on seperately as opposed to putting it all together.

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Located in Navarre just north of the bridge.

www.sosmarineservice.com

Dealer for www.stickitanchorpins.com and Sea Tow

I really like the non-homestead cap.

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Jon

Because these "bosses" don't want to hear from them!!!! You make a good point, but this is exactly what needs to come from the citizens and informed voters; not the City/County/State employees.  If you want to reduce taxes, get involved and let your elected officials know what you are willing to pay for and what you don't approve of.....things like roads, sidewalks, grass cutting both in parks and on right of way.  Do you want more or less code enforcement?  How about boat ramps, sidewalks, more parks, lighting in those parks?  The list goes on and on.  There are too many pet projects that get funded and everyone has what they consider "needs" or "essential services."   It isn''t being passive, but it's not the employees job to complain or present a case to the elected officials and honeslty would not be received very well if they did. 

- James Madison

That is a very good point and something people should pay attention to.  However, it is my belief that people should have choices and they should pay for the services they demand.  If you want a boat ramp, pay for it.  Need garbage pick up, then pay for it.  Anyway, your point is very good.  For those of us who own multiple properties and pay tax on all of them, it will still save us money because we don't have water bills at every property or garbage, sewer or other services.

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The relief on the tangibles tax is a huge deal to small businesses - and the primary reason I'm going to vote yes.  Small businesses pay way too much in BS taxes, unemployment, Payroll taxes - Social Security, Medicare, etc.  Combine all of these with the regular overhead, and it's very hard for successful small businesses to hire additional employees.  Every break helps!

This is the type of savings, not cuts in service nor layoffs, that we who are in favor of amendment 1 are supporting.

It is a shame that a threat of decreased revenues is what it takes to start saving some tax dollars. Now let's start reducing the tax burden.

How's this for a novel idea: Make it law that the millage rate is reset to the "rollback rate" (maybe with a 2% increase) every year unless a super majority of the county commissioners approve a tax hike (and of course advertise their intention and make it explicit that it is a tax hike).


"Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good." Eccl. 9:18