POLL: Higher Taxes or Lower Services.

[BridgeTroll]

Exactly!  A referendum!  The people decide exactly what they will or will not pay a higher tax for rather than letting an administration change course due to funding shortfalls in other areas. 

[mtraininjax]

Sales taxes would require that the Florida State Statutes be revised. I think we should for the next governmental session, after all, they want to give me a property tax break, even though I did not ask for one, and the mayor wants to raise my property taxes, which I CERTAINLY DID NOT ASK FOR.

Raising sales taxes is the only FAIR way to generate additional revenue. If you spend, you pay, its a consumption tax, everyone who spends pays. I'd like to see a sales tax of 10% and eliminate all other BS corporate taxes, just make the tax across the board on everything, including internet sales for companies based here in Florida. Then divy up the revenue based on county sales as they pertain to the counties themselves. 67 counties living off of what their populations spend. Utopia.

[lindab]

It certainly would have a dramatic effect on spending on consumer products.

[fatcat]

I do not like either of the choice. What about cutting expenses and improve efficiency? In an economy down turn, companies that unable to cut overhead expenses cannot survive the crisis and get replaced by efficient ones. What happen to government services? They get to bully us into paying higher taxes for less service. D#$%. Oops, the last word is for the other thread.

[Springfield Girl]

Our city government is playing on our fears by exploiting the property tax shortfall. Where is the discusssion regarding what was done with the windfall during the property boom? I didn't see much improvement, if any, of services or ammenities while the city was reaping the benefits of increased taxes due to higher property sales prices. The noticeable improvements like the Baseball Grounds, Coliseum and Main Library were funded by the Better Jax Plan. It's time government tightens their belt like the rest of us are having to do. IMO government needs to get out of the church, social service, entertainment, art, parenting, etc business. Government cannot continue to be everything to everyone. It seems the more government involves itself in societies issues the worse those issues become.

[thelakelander]

Jacksonville aside and with the government being efficient with both options, I'd probably go the low taxes "with decent services" route.  However, this is too broad of a topic to go either way without more information.

[fatcat]

the assumption of an efficient government is as valid as the assumption of high moral of general population. The formation of government (think back when we used to be hairy and live in caves)  is to for the benefit of scale. If the government is efficient, the government is larger the better. Unfortunately, absolute power corrupts absolutely. It does not matter we are talking about a human government , a bee hive or a pack of dogs. The size/tax/service must always strive for the fragile dynamic equilibrium that changes with time and place.
In short, the assumption of the poll is not valid therefore the poll itself is not valid. 

[lindab]

Huh??

[Lunican]

Since I prefer NYC and Chicago over Callahan and Yulee, higher taxes and services is my preference.

[thelakelander]

Lake.  There are only two options.   Higher taxes with great services, or Low Taxes with few services.   Its just about general preferences.  Not trying to find all the various shades of grey in between.

Then I can't say I really have a general preference.  While higher taxes can bring you a NYC, they can also bring you a Detroit, Stockton or Bridgeport.  On the other end, lower taxes can bring you Maclenney or a Fargo, but also an Austin, Seattle or Honolulu.  Unfortunately, the reality is in the various shades of grey somewhere in between.

[thelakelander]

^Compared to NYC, Boston, San Fran, Providence, etc., they are low.  Compared to Jax, they could be considered high, which would place them in that grey area. 

Seriously though, its no big deal, I understand the poll, I just don't have a black or white preference.  My neutral preference could shift either way, depending on additional circumstances.

[Dog Walker]

If you toss in big European cities the picture just gets muddier.  Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Geneva, Madrid are wonderful places to live.  Much better than NYC or Chicago, but MUCH higher taxed.  Then there's Rome or Berlin or Amsterdam that have the taxes and are worse.

[kramer2k]

I'll take fewer services and lower taxes everyday.

And the question shouldn't read No Services.  Maybe Fewer Services would not be as loaded.

[thelakelander]

I'll go fewer services with lower taxes.  However, on a case-by-case basis things could change depending on the situation.

[ChriswUfGator]

I think the truth, given the history of this administration, is that no matter what we're probably going to wind up with higher taxes and lower services.