ARE YOU A FROG? Jump out (of the tax pot), call DC Council!

In the previous blog I point out how much money we have lost personally since we gained Home Rule. This was simply because our elected leaders were not paying attention. Yesterday, after reading his bi-weekly Newsletter, I sent a long email to Councilmember Jack Evans. Here is a portion .

"I am glad to see that some increase in Deductions and Exemptions, as well as the Homestead Exemption has been proposed [by the Mayor]. However, until the D&E is coupled with the Federal rates as I proposed to Mr. Catania in 2004, and he submitted as a bill [actually in Committee where it failed] in 2005, we will remain far behind where we were in 1974 when these figures were comparable. I realize we did some kind of deal [with the Federal government] back in 1996, but did it work out to our advantage? Somehow, it does not appear that it has. More information needed here. Our Class 2 business tax, which is much higher than the surrounding jurisdictions, despite the fact it was the intent of Congress that our tax rates should be comparable [DC Code, Paragraph 47-817], really needs a major fix. Please check out my new blog for more details on these issues. "

We have been like the frog who was put in a pot of water which was then slowly brought to a boil. Because the process was so slow, the frog did not notice and was cooked. We have been like that frog as our tax rates gradually became so high. Now, it's time to jump out and demand that our leaders turn off the heat. Here are the email addresses for the City Council: Chairman pmendelson@dccouncil.us; At Large dcatania@dccouncil.us, dgrosso@dccouncil.us, abonds@dccouncil.us, vorange@dccouncil.us; Ward 1 jgraham@dccouncil.us, Ward 2 jevans@dccouncil.us, Ward 3 mcheh@dccouncil.us, Ward 4 mbowser@dccouncil.us, Ward 5 kmcduffie@dccouncil.us, Ward 6 twells@dccouncil.us, Ward 7 yalexander@dccouncil.us, Ward 8 mbarry@dccouncil.us. For other information, like your member's phone number, contact the main Council office: phone, 202-724-8000 or contact www.dccouncil.us.

Let them know we're mad as hxxx and are not going to boil any more!!