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Hernando Today

Monitor Government Spending, Not Neighbors' Business

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

In regard to Ron Rae's fool's golden egg opinion, I would like him to donate his $240 to charity since it means so little to him.

To Mr. Rae's complaint of paying more taxes than his longtime neighbors, his envy is misplaced. Simply put, he paid more for his house than his neighbors who bought 10 years or 20 years ago. If someone recently paid $400,000 for a house and a long-term neighbor paid $100,000 (10 years ago), why should the longer term resident pay higher taxes? The increased valuation of his home did not increase his income nor did his service usage increase.

What happens in another 10 years when someone buys a house in the same neighborhood for $800,000? Should we jack up the other residents' to the new buyer's rate? Save Our Homes was passed to prevent the scenario of long-term residents being taxed out of their homes because new buyers were driving home prices up.

Mr. Rae's time spent poking into his neighbors' business would be better used monitoring government spending habits and electing representatives who are fiscally conservative. Government spending outpacing population and income increases is the real problem here. Taxing people out of their homes is not the solution.

I also want him to know that all of my friends and family who were not retirees voted "yes" on Amendment 1 to curb overzealous government spending. His snide remark that only retirees voted for it was rather insulting.

Christopher Miles

Brooksville

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