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Update: Driveway Taxes and Pooches Pool Parties
August 27, 2010
You might remember this post from last week, where I discussed the new “driveway tax” passed last week by the city council in Mission, KS. This tax (assessed as a fee) will apply to nonprofits including churches, schools and governments, will charge homeowners $72 each year for having a driveway, while businesses will be charged a minimum of $3,558 per year. Some businesses, such as a fast food franchise, would owe $12,200, while larger retailers such as Target will be charged $64,750 annually.
As discussed in that article, the city of Mission will spend more than $2 million on parks and recreation this year. I just wanted to illustrate the types of programs that money provides…
Two days after the city council passed this monstrous tax increase, the city emailed this message to city residents:
Pool Party 4 Pooches
Tuesday, September 7
“Bring your dogs out and help them cool off! The Pool Party for Pooches will be at the Mission Municipal Pool the day after the pool closes for the season. We will have three sessions for you and your pooch to have a great time playing and getting wet. We even have a kiddie pool for people with smaller dogs.”
Sponsored, of course, by the City of Mission Parks and Recreation Department. Now look- I like pools and dogs as much as the next person. But really? We needed to increases taxes by such exorbitant amounts while we spend upwards of $2 million dollars on a department that (among other, more important things, yes) sponsors pools days for puppies?
For this, our founders sacrificed their lives, fortunes and sacred honor?
Special thanks to Currie Myers for passing along the news about the pooches’ day at the pool.
Well, LOL, I hate to say it, but if the city council can be seen as a reflection of the people who are willing to vote in city council elections, it should be no surprise they are doing something as nutty as this.
When the people get tired of paying those taxes, they will elect people who will repeal it.
More and more I am coming around to the idea that 1) the average American has been lobotomized by the school system and media and 2) if you try to wake him up too hard he is as likely to bit you as a rabid dog.
Saturday was encouraging in DC, though, and indicated that a lot of folks ARE waking up.
People in Mission are just stupid, I guess. Some people DO like paying taxes, I reckon. If they did not, we would not have so many kinds.
So with this tax being paid; then the city should be required to do upkeeps on all these driveways and parking lots….Right? Oh, I don’t believe a parking lot is a drveway, just the enterance is… Right?
Just a suggestion, have all the businesses close and move out of the town how much time will it take for the government elected by the people to realize the residents are not going to take this treatment.
I’m sorry, I don’t see the correlation between the insane tax assessment, and the use of the pool before they drain the water. I am a dog owner, and I think the idea of letting the dogs use the pool before they drain the water is a great idea. It would also be cost effective. Employee’s would still have to be on hand, messes would have to be cleaned up, but I can’t see expenses amounting to more than a few hundred dollars…
I agree with Edward… Take OUR country back. Politicians pay SS, Housing, And their own Transportation (N.P.the flying diva), pay all the same taxes we pay and Oh, since the economy is bad and they work for us take a pay cut if they want to keep thier jobs. They are not God(yes I said it)just employees of the People. Wake up AMERICA!!!!!
Renee said it best.. ive been saying it for weeks WAKE UP AMERICA. we are going faster and faster down the drain. if somebody doesnt get moving quickly ‘ we are done for.WAKE UP PEOPLE.
Then; ALL the businesses need to start MOVING out of this tax happy area ….
Also; As a citizen, I’d also begin to market and SELL my home … You ALREADY pay a “Driveway” Tax thru your REAL ESTATE Taxes … This is “Double Dipping” and is actually ILLEGAL .
When the town becomes a ghost town; who will these idiots tax then ?
I agree, when the people of Mission wake up and are tried of Paying these Stupid Taxes on Driveways, and the City Gov’t spending it on useless things like this. They will Wake-up, and Vote them OUT ! till then, PAY ON !
This driveway tax really sounds stupid; I pray the idiots here in my state don’t get the same idea! I love Renee’s idea about the politicians paying SS, housing, transportation, & especially the same tax we pay! If we paid most politicians what they are worth, they’d owe us!
With Arizona’s primary election results and McCain still our Big R Republican Master, I have seen the light he won by 70 some percent here in Arizona and you just can’t fix dumb. So at least in this state I have lost faith in my Republican counter parts and realized that they the voters are the Decepticons. I have said this many times, it is the Primary Elections that will drive the Politics in the proper direction or the wrong direction, and it the people that vote in these Elections are at fault, the voter has driven the little r Republicans to the Big R Republicans I despise. At least you know what a modern Democrat is. So at least in Arizona we have already lost our Liberty and the true American Dream. It cannot be saved because you can’t fix dumb.
uh oh …. I kinda’ like the pooch pool party. It is on the last day when pools are due to be closing, and private interests (like dog shelters, veterinarians ….) donate items. I’m sure there is the cost of City Employees who work there that day, but . . . I wonder what the additional cost is? I can’t imagine it is much.
Perhaps I have a blind spot: “cut the OTHER guys program; not mine”. But you could make the same argument for why the govt. owns & operates parks & pools in the first place.
It may sound egregious … but the $8000 + per head, per year govt run SCHOOLS are a worse waste of tax $$. Bring competition to the education system. That would save enough money to buy each pooch his own pool –heh.
Well everybody I got news for you this is just the icing on the cake. We pay taxes on everything and when we stop buying they panick and decide to cut all the things near to our hearts not the fat you see the important ones that we don’t mind paying. We need to reverse taxes and now,Now NOW. We need to take them back off the books and keep them off. If we as Americans in the greatest country ever are allowed to have our money we spend it and make our economy and the worlds economy move. Give us back our money and keep your hands off it in the future. And Congress join us! Remember us? We are Americans, you need to get retirement from our sources not yours, You need to get Healthcare just like ours. You Need to Listen to the People. We are this Country, right now, you are not. Your nmaes will go down in shame for these acts,and they have been going on for along LONG time. Stand up now or be taken out of power, BOTH sides are to blame.
I would cover my driveway with dirt and park on the street until someone wakes up
i was moderate
I want ALL (100%) taxes collect via 1 sales tax at the consumer level, a pay as you go plan. That way WE all get to pay. Free up business from this government and its never ending new tax scheme. Let these rats who make the laws use it to, they can have the SSA and Medicaid, bet it gets fixed then.
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