Its a terrible shame none of us did an in-depth story on this. We failed the public, including me. All I can do is join the other gadflies and ask, do we know that fire classes will not be offered in Ukiah? Just because there is a fire academy coming in Willits doesn't mean Measure A cant help with Willits? . For sure it doesnt mean they wont have them at Mendocino College in Ukiah as a result of the measure. In fact, it would be good to have electives available for those not willing or able to get right into fire training. Its VERY competitive. I'm sure the college will be expected to pony up for the new center in Willits. It would be great if people could do some of their prep classes for that in Fort Bragg, too. From what I see, that is not precluded by Measure A. Also, the statement However, because of the structure of the tax, people who purchased property within the last six years could pay substantially more has me wondering- does this refer to the fact that every tax hits new property owners harder than us older ones, thanks to Prop 13. Or is there something else? I wish I had spent some time on this myself. Thanks for putting this out to make us think and go and read it for ourselves. The College should have invested in reaching out to the media as well.
Honestly the headline is incorrect as the fire academy is only partially paid by the state not fully. The college is still on the hook for like 5 million funding still.
The headline doesn't say whether the academy is fully or partially paid for — it's a headline, and it is correct, but it also begs the question of how much IS paid for. MendoLocal.News has asked for an interview with the college. It's an opportunity for them to talk about how much of the $98 million is needed for the new academy, as well as other Measure A related info they might want to impart.
All those “additions” are what make a campus livable and attractive to students and prospective students. They are not superfluous, nor are they anathema to the idea of creating an inviting and vital campus.
How would you feel about paying for the improvements with a parcel tax, versus a bond? Critics of the measure point out that more than half of the bond money will be going to pay bond holders (and also the financiers who will also get their fee).
I’m fine with that if it has political support. All I care about are projects that redound to the positive benefit of the community and bring life to a future here.
Yes, bond measures are one of the most expensive ways to do this, but in the vacuum of any other current alternative, I am willing to pay the cost.
But are you willing to force someone else to pay a cost that isn't even known? Homeowners are going to find out how much they owe on the bond only after it passes. Also the cost of the bond is not being allocated equally, it's being allocated according to assessed value — which is determined by Prop 13. So one neighbor will pay 5x what another will pay in some cases. And once the bond passes, there is no rolling it back if the money is misspent — or if people belated realize that more than half of their taxes are going to pay the financing cost. For the next 35 years that money will be redistributed outside of Mendocino County, there will be no reallocating it to pay the wages of actual firefighters. We don't want to suggest how anyone should vote, but it's important that people understand what they are voting for and what other options exist that could deliver the same result, for example, if they would like to help raise $98 million to support the college.
As I read the TEXT of the proposition, it specified $24/100k of assessed value. I don’t know where the other figures you quote come from. I also don’t understand if there is this much concern, why no one filed a “con” argument to the bill. I see that amount as a reasonable investment in higher education.
But then I am a guy jealous of Northern Europe, where taxes may be substantially higher but in exchange there is universal healthcare that includes dental, hearing and mental health care, free education through college, and a robust, relatively inexpensive public transportation system that includes thousands of miles of high-speed rail that makes private vehicle ownership and related expense redundant for most.
I don’t think in terms of “forcing” higher taxes on my neighbor, but providing opportunities for them. And I say this as a homeowner on a fixed income well below the 200% poverty level income level. And as I have argued elsewhere, if someone has a home assessed at a million dollars, one would think $240/yr should not be an extraordinary burden, much less one at all. Prop 13, created and advocated by the hardcore conservative anti-tax zealot Howard Jarvis, has been a far greater burden on the state than benefit to the population in my opinion.
Its a terrible shame none of us did an in-depth story on this. We failed the public, including me. All I can do is join the other gadflies and ask, do we know that fire classes will not be offered in Ukiah? Just because there is a fire academy coming in Willits doesn't mean Measure A cant help with Willits? . For sure it doesnt mean they wont have them at Mendocino College in Ukiah as a result of the measure. In fact, it would be good to have electives available for those not willing or able to get right into fire training. Its VERY competitive. I'm sure the college will be expected to pony up for the new center in Willits. It would be great if people could do some of their prep classes for that in Fort Bragg, too. From what I see, that is not precluded by Measure A. Also, the statement However, because of the structure of the tax, people who purchased property within the last six years could pay substantially more has me wondering- does this refer to the fact that every tax hits new property owners harder than us older ones, thanks to Prop 13. Or is there something else? I wish I had spent some time on this myself. Thanks for putting this out to make us think and go and read it for ourselves. The College should have invested in reaching out to the media as well.
Honestly the headline is incorrect as the fire academy is only partially paid by the state not fully. The college is still on the hook for like 5 million funding still.
The headline doesn't say whether the academy is fully or partially paid for — it's a headline, and it is correct, but it also begs the question of how much IS paid for. MendoLocal.News has asked for an interview with the college. It's an opportunity for them to talk about how much of the $98 million is needed for the new academy, as well as other Measure A related info they might want to impart.
Wow! Thanks for getting that word out. Another tax scam on all of us.
Sure adds to the mistrust of Local Government.
All those “additions” are what make a campus livable and attractive to students and prospective students. They are not superfluous, nor are they anathema to the idea of creating an inviting and vital campus.
How would you feel about paying for the improvements with a parcel tax, versus a bond? Critics of the measure point out that more than half of the bond money will be going to pay bond holders (and also the financiers who will also get their fee).
I’m fine with that if it has political support. All I care about are projects that redound to the positive benefit of the community and bring life to a future here.
Yes, bond measures are one of the most expensive ways to do this, but in the vacuum of any other current alternative, I am willing to pay the cost.
But are you willing to force someone else to pay a cost that isn't even known? Homeowners are going to find out how much they owe on the bond only after it passes. Also the cost of the bond is not being allocated equally, it's being allocated according to assessed value — which is determined by Prop 13. So one neighbor will pay 5x what another will pay in some cases. And once the bond passes, there is no rolling it back if the money is misspent — or if people belated realize that more than half of their taxes are going to pay the financing cost. For the next 35 years that money will be redistributed outside of Mendocino County, there will be no reallocating it to pay the wages of actual firefighters. We don't want to suggest how anyone should vote, but it's important that people understand what they are voting for and what other options exist that could deliver the same result, for example, if they would like to help raise $98 million to support the college.
As I read the TEXT of the proposition, it specified $24/100k of assessed value. I don’t know where the other figures you quote come from. I also don’t understand if there is this much concern, why no one filed a “con” argument to the bill. I see that amount as a reasonable investment in higher education.
But then I am a guy jealous of Northern Europe, where taxes may be substantially higher but in exchange there is universal healthcare that includes dental, hearing and mental health care, free education through college, and a robust, relatively inexpensive public transportation system that includes thousands of miles of high-speed rail that makes private vehicle ownership and related expense redundant for most.
I don’t think in terms of “forcing” higher taxes on my neighbor, but providing opportunities for them. And I say this as a homeowner on a fixed income well below the 200% poverty level income level. And as I have argued elsewhere, if someone has a home assessed at a million dollars, one would think $240/yr should not be an extraordinary burden, much less one at all. Prop 13, created and advocated by the hardcore conservative anti-tax zealot Howard Jarvis, has been a far greater burden on the state than benefit to the population in my opinion.
Apparently that makes me a bad guy.