Fla's local governments got a costless chance to cut taxes and spent the money instead; a Democrat "rising star" lands in an Alabama jail; and the Times insists we mustn't check for election cheating.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved living in a state with Gov DeSantis! I still wouldn’t go back to the liberal blue hell hole we left 6 years ago no matter what.
But.
I’m severely disappointed in the property tax issue. Yes, we are happy to even get the crumbs we are getting if this passes with the voters. Keep in mind…even Florida has ignorant and stupid voters who have zero clue about reality. So we’ll see what happens.
At the rate our assessed property value skyrocketed…the homestead exemption won’t scratch the surface of what we are being forced to pay in prop taxes. It is theft. Pure and simple. We are all being forced to pay unrealized capital gains and we’ve allowed it for far too long. The fact that Florida did what it did with OUR TAX DOLLARS as described by Jeff is shameful.
Is it a step in the right direction? A little. But not even close to what we should be getting in every single state of America. PROPERTY TAX IS THEFT!
It really is theft. And few get your point about taxing unrealized gains. The government gets to tell us what our largest asset is worth, how much it has appreciated in value, and then tax us on the results of *their* math. This economic manipulation is what Gen-Z should hate, not so-called "oligarchs" who dream big dreams, do great things, and make a lot of money doing it.
And it was glaringly obvious when the housing market tanked back on 2008. We went underwater with our home in the blue state. Would have lost money if we sold it. But not one time did our property tax bill get lowered to reflect the lower assessed value!!!! Explain that!!! They steal money we don’t even have on money that isn’t even there! That should’ve woke people up…but it didn’t. 😞 We’re still ignorant. It’s why coofid was so successful against us. We only have ourselves to blame.
It’s for the children…and gullible people swallow it hook, line and sinker.
How will we ever pay for fire and police and schools. Waaa waaa waaa. How about spend the money responsibly in the first place! I go insane with the financial stupidity that people excuse. You wanna be financially stupid? Do it with YOUR OWN MONEY -not mine!
Sunny, we are also in FL, political refugees from the hellhole of the DMV area. We are in THE MOST R+ congressional district in FL (CD-01) and even in this red area there are wayyyyy too many RINOs that are in elected office at the state level!!!
I would submit that it is not DeSantis's fault that this is as good as he / we could get. It's the fault of the scummy RINO STATE REPRESENTATIVES. I'd urge you to jump in to your county GOP party and learn who the RINOs are at the county AND state levels and work your ass off to ELECT MAGA people.
I think Jeff may have missed a few well run municipalities. We’re in the Panhandle, in Gulf Breeze, and our property taxes actually went DOWN last year! My husband was at a meeting yesterday and our City Manager told the group that they’ve been looking at the property tax issue over the past 3-4 years and are now at a point where property taxes only account for 20% of our overall spending needs! We’ve got superb leadership and our town is so well run.
Hey! And there’s another C&C commenter in Pensacola and we’ve been in touch via chat. She’s great! At some point, the three of us should meet for lunch. Destin would be a nice meeting place.
Maryland taxes have to be obscene. I grew up here but only returned in 2020 (in time to make my vote count for Trump!) as I was going crazy with the authoritarianism in MA - thus my “handle”, Free in Florida. 🇺🇸
I can understand that. Actually, Ivan in 2004 was the worst and we haven’t had anything so bad since then - if that helps. 😊 We would welcome you back!!!
Haha, YEP, I can see that!! FWIW, and I have NO idea if there is any credibility to this!, but our realtor who helped us buy our house in Freeport, and she is a local to Panama City, she claims that the general Emerald Coast from about Destin to PC has very deep ocean very close to shore so it helps kill the energy of hurricanes. Or something like that! 🤷♀️ In any event, in our first 3 years and counting, we are ok so far. 🤞
(But we took down big trees closest to our house, just in case!) 🤣
I think DeSantis did what he could to make it happen. I know this bill has been stripped down to the crumbs that it is because of POS Rinos. I’m worried for who we get next. Florida is only free if we can keep it free.
I totally agree. I'm going with Byron Donalds because he's TRUMP's endorsed candidate. And I support Trump 100%. WRT RINO pieces of @#$% I also totally agree w/ you about that and the only suggestion I have is to make sure your STATE LEGISLATORS (state senator and representative or whatever they call them) are not RINOs. We have to make sure the LEGISLATURE is as MAGA as possible, as much or even more than the gov.
Donalds?? Seriously??? The man talks the talk but when it comes to actually doing anything useful, he ain't walkin' the walk. Be very afraid if he is the candidate. Because it will be all about Byron and his next step - which he, like Newson, sees as the Presidency. Lord save us! He is our district's congressman and he's done zilch - particularly after Ian.
Update: DeSantis has not endorsed Jay Collins yet. C&Cers last week led me astray on that. I should have checked for myself 🤦🏼♀️
Still leaning toward Collins for my vote though.
We’re leaning toward Jay Collins. I’ve heard Donald’s speak and he’s been wishy washy at best. Beats the podium when it suits him and then quiet. One minute he’s against abolishing property tax and then when he saw people not happy he changed his tune. I haven’t seen him step out as an actual leader. DeSantis endorsed Collins and to be honest that means more to me than Trumps endorsement for here. But. Once the primary is over I will support whichever conservative wins.
FYI, Trump sometimes endorses RINOs, so it would be wise to do your own research.
DeSantis removed some black history stuff from the curriculums of schools and/or colleges. And I read that Donalds had a problem with that. Just saying.
NOOOOO!!! Please don't vote for Donalds! He's a past druggie too. And a George Floyd fan. PLEASE do some research on him. He is awful. So is Fishback. He groomed a 16 year old girl, has some legal issues and had to pay some of his debt off by having his Tesla repossessed. None of them are stellar but Donalds and Fishback are thee worst!!
My mom, in Redding CA, disputed her tax bill after the tanking of 2008. The value of her home went down by about 150K. They lowered the bill accordingly for about 5 years, then it went back up with the market. And, she just died last year at the age of 97. Go mom!
@Sadie- smart woman! We lost my stepmother last year, too. Buried her on her 98th bday in October. Best stepmother anyone could have ever asked for .Honest.
Our small town of ~5K used to have one, then 2 cops. Now over 20. It takes 4 people in a pick up to water the hanging baskets in town. About 5 years ago, they replaced all of the street signs with Rams (local HS ) purple signs. Repaved the roads, then tore them up to replace the sewage lines, Repaved. Then tore them up to replace the water lines. Repaved. I'm sure this is typical of all governments.
When I met with the tax folks to appeal my valuation (for which I had five comprables to show my house was overvalued), the Assessor merely said, "Well, it could go up." We're screwed. County sets its budget, approves the levy, assessors go find the property to make the math work.
That sounds like a bluff. Of course it COULD go up, but it also COULD go down. It sounds like they’re just trying to scare you to get you to not go through with it. But if the facts are on your side, and you’ve got valid comparables and maybe some photos of some defects or something, I don’t know why it would go up.
I shouldn’t have had to. They had no problem taking it - they should refund it. Besides….see David Nelson’s comment below. If they lack integrity anyway….
It's not just in FL. My brother, who has lived in AL all his life, had his property tax DOUBLE in one year. That is, after the 5 county commissioners voted themselves a hefty raise of $200,000 per year - in a county of less than 100,000 people. Yes, he lives in a mostly country area.
Has anyone else ever worked a job where you were allowed to give yourself an enormous raise in pay?? That ought to be absolutely illegal when it comes to our tax money!! Same for Con-gress, as well!
Is there a provision to petition the state to reduce taxes to match the deflated value? I know there is usually a process to inquire about a raise of value.
@Sunny- and we in our WNY (Western NY) town just got reassessed. It WAS at 40% assessed value. Now it's 100%. You can't tell me the state doesn't have a fingertip in that.
DMV - did you know a. DMV branch in RTP, North Carolina closed because of a BED BUG infestation!???! This is what we are getting for all our increased taxes (and illegal immigration!)
If your daughter has another class outbreak - look up Licekiller.com - seriously - all natural oils to kill those infesting pests! And won't give cancer like the stuff OTC (that doesn't work either! Ask me how I know! "3 times head lice mom of 5" .... Ugh!)
It’s even worse than that. They also increase the tax rate! So higher valuation and higher percentage taken. The results? Roads are worse. Schools are mid (many of my neighbors choose private school). Police, who I consider pretty good in my area in FL, don’t seem to be getting that windfall of cash -they are stretched thin. My county budget has increased at 3x the rate of population growth. Still not at insane levels of New Jersey, New York, etc. but heading that way.
The Two Parts of Valuation is the shell game. Go in and complain about the valuation, and they point you to the EXTREMELY REASONABLE mil rate: "We're only taking a very few dollars for EVERY THOUSAND OF YOUR HOME'S [artificially declared] VALUE. If you want to complain, we could re-assess, but you understand there's a 50-50 chance your valuation COULD GO UP!" Threat.
Go in and complain about the mil rate: "Yes, I suppose it could be lower, BUT look at how LOW your house has been assessed, compared to what houses have been selling for in your neighborhood! If you want to complain, we could re-assess, but..."
It's DESIGNED to blunt all appeals. The TRUTH is, the mil rate and assessments are RIGGED to raise the money they already know they want. Fairness has nothing to do with it. The tiger is hungry. The tiger makes the rules. The tiger bites.
I can appeal a valuation and we get an informal conference to explain why it's too high. I had just bought a house that needed some fixing up. I took close-ups of everything that needed repair, and things that would likely need to be replaced soon because they were old, like air conditioner, water heater, etc. I brought estimates for the work along with the photos. They lowered the valuation. Take into account, though, that the county assessor is an elected position.
And I'm not really talking about that, Elaine, in that the biggest problem is that assessments go up even when the house stays in the same condition. I have intentionally done only the most minimal repairs on my house because ANYTHING that looks like "improvement" is an invitation for a raise. Even so, my taxes go up, no matter what I do.
Same here. It's unfair. They were raising the valuation because I paid more for it than the previous owner, who had been in it for at least 20 years. But every locality is different in how things work.
In residential real estate, the heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, and electrical—are primary drivers of the final appraisal value. Perhaps the laws vary from state to state.
THERE IS A FIX: Pass legislation REQUIRING assessing agencies to PURCHASE PROPERTY, on demand, at the assessed price, anytime within 30 days of the assessment--which naturally needs to be "at market value."
Nothing like "overbought inventory" to wake up assessors to the reality of "markets" and the subsequent losses taken as the cash-strapped assessors liquidate their holdings, at market price, will self-correct their future enthusiasms for over-valuation.
Right after we moved, into a renthouse, in overpriced and overassessed Wisconsin, in a blue suburb of the bluest Madison (a 'burb that loves nothing more than adding "yet another Olympic-sized pool" to their high school's "sports complex"), there was an article from the mayor or city administrator in the local paper.
The farmer who owned the farm adjacent to the voracious bedroom community came to complain that his property was an active farm, and not a development, and in exasperation, shouted, "If you think it's worth so much, why don't you buy it from me?" The, uber-proud and arrogant *̴s̴s̴h̴*̴l̴e̴ city officer BRAGGED in the paper, concerning the CITIZEN'S frustration, "I told him, 'I will!'" and that's the story of So-and-so Park! He didn't think I'd do it, but I surprised him!" And I'm sure that *̴s̴s̴ went to the grave telling herself "what a great job she did 'providing a park(!)' for the community" and not, instead, sorrowing over how she'd taken advantage of a free man who gave up his property to escape a relentless and insatiable bureaucracy.
On the flip side, In another article in a different paper but in the same month, a local council bragged about having "prevented" a farmer from selling his property to a developer and thus had "preserved 'green space'" for the community! The farmer bitterly complained to the *̴s̴s̴h̴*̴l̴e̴*̴s̴ members of the council that "that farm was our retirement; we'd always planned that, when we were done, we'd sell it to someone who'd make it a nice golf course for the community. Congratulations: you stole our retirement; who's going to provide for it now? Certainly not you sorry b*st*rds."
One wonders how these victimized farmers had voted before.
Funny how the city officer was so proud of using city (taxpayers’) money, not her own, to buy the overpriced property to “surprise” the farmer. Bet the farmer would as thrilled!
Correct. And the people who determine the "gain" also know how much tax revenue they need for their budgetary wish list. Somehow the property tax levy always matches the spending needs. Like magic.
The problem is, our School Systems! They don't teach about taxes because they are funded by property taxes. Most Democrat voters say that they don't mind paying more in taxes to get better services. The problem is, that we don't get better services for our property tax dollars. What we actually get is fewer services for the actual payers of the tax. Most of our property taxes go toward ever growing governments and their cushy pensions! Meanwhile, many of the people paying the taxes must save and invest a portion of their income toward their own retirement. How is this fair?
Our dismal Education system is why we have such top heavy government and budgets never get cut. The schools and Universities operate much the same. Use all your budget regardless of whether or not you need the funds.
In my opinion, the problem is too many people who don’t own a home want people who own a home to pay more so they will not vote to reduce property taxes because they are too stupid to realize that that those property taxes are reflected in their rent.
There will be other assets taxed if Dems continue to win elections. People like Rep. Ro Khanna are now advocating for tax on assets of $50 million or more. Some are advocating for a national wealth tax. They want stop here, but will keep lowering the threshold until anyone who owns anything pays annual tax on it. It’s one way to destroy private ownership.
@Mary- however, taxes pay for services. For us it's unlimited snow plowing, trash pickup once a week (and they take everything), foliage , leaf, and grass pick up every couple of weeks, mowing roadsides, etc.
School taxes? The reputation of our local school district has gone way down. We have people moving in from the city that so desperately want our zip code that they put all their money into their mortgages which leaves no money to take care of said houses or their cars (think loud mufflers) and they bring their 'city' mentality into the community AND the school. We pay too much in school taxes. It's a shame because we live in the house my in laws built so that means not only my husband went there but so did our kids. Our daughter and her family just moved into that district and their soon to be 5 year old will start Kindergarten. I have said I will volunteer as Classroom Gramma just so I can keep an eye on things.
Voters aren’t going to go for it 😡municipalities and counties are campaigning hard against it 😡😡with lies- they know their cushy grifting coffers will be drained. Unfortunately avg voters too stupid to seek independence or freedom- they love being owned by government
When a critical mass of voters are uneducated, don’t pay any taxes and are dependent on government handouts they will always vote for the socialists, especially when they hand over their unfilled mail in ballot to them.
It's going to be REAAAALLY hard to get homeowners to vote against this. They will have get renters to vote against it, and then cheat to get the margin of victory.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
Or in the First Nations Version translation
19 “Take care not to store up possessions on earth that can be spoiled by worms, eaten by moths, or stolen by thieves. 20 Instead, give away your possessions to the ones in need, and then you will be storing up great possessions in the spirit-world above, where nothing can be lost or stolen. 21 For where you store your valued possessions is where your heart will be.”
We left the Panhandle of FL 7 years ago. For 14 years our property taxes were an outrage. You are correct about taxing unrealized gains. Our first assessment was during the "bubble" years before 2008. It never went down to reflect our loss of value. The millage rate continued to rise. County government continued to expand yet delivered no services. I understand that nothing has changed there.
Most property owners are vacation homes or investors. They don't even get to claim the homestead exemption.
It all boils down to the fact that we don’t “own” ANYTHING. We’re just tax slaves, pure and simple. Stop paying the property taxes and you’ll find out real quick who owns what. You are a tenant of the government.
We got our real estate law from England. I was surprised to learn that you really don't own your real property. You have the exclusive right to use and enjoy it. Quaint, right?
As an example, I made a mistake paying our property tax this past March. The amount was X dollars and 55 cents. My mistake was, I paid X dollars and 50 cents. Last month, we received a notice of delinquent taxes for $.05. In that notice, was the date they had scheduled for auction which was in February of 2027! To my surprise, they had not yet added any penalty or interest charges. We could talk about the stupidity of spending the cost of whatever their postage was to send us that notice and my cost to mail them a check for $0.05 versus just increasing my October tax bill by $0.05, but we know that's a waste of more energy. Since then, we constantly get spam calls from tax relief companies. Use your imaginations to think about all that has been thought and said in our household regarding this situation.
Ha! Already had the auction date set over a measly five cents. It really is criminal. We have zero property rights. I’m 66 and I keep wondering where are the pitchforks or tar and feathers?!?!
Our property taxes now, in retirement, far outstrip what our mortgage payments were - and here it is mandated that it go up 3% a year, in addition to all the measures that are passed which increase taxes.
Same for us in Illinois. Our monthly property tax is way higher than our principal/interest. We will never be able to afford living here on my husband’s pension when he retires. We never thought 30 years ago when we bought our first home at that time that we would have to carry a mortgage in retirement. We were building equity but housing prices kept rising so steeply all it did was keep us in mortgages no matter that we also make extra payments every month and two extra payments every year to knock it down. Now when he retires in a few years, the equity we gained may be a nice down payment on a retirement house, but they are so expensive now we will have to have another mortgage. 🫤 I had dreamed of paying cash for the next house and being mortgage free. I don’t know where to go to get that.
Paula, we live in the Panhandle, in Gulf Breeze which is across the bay from Pensacola, and most homes are nowhere near being rentals. Not sure where you’re talking about?? The beach is heavily rental but even there there are many privately owned homes, not second homes.
Let me say it as clearly as I can. Property taxes which tax the home a person lives and eats and sleeps with his family but does no business - is unconstitutional. Businesses are to be taxed, which is why they are taxed for rental properties which they pass through to their tenants. In fact business taxation is the only way the government is supposed to get revenue from pass through when a Citizen does business with them. But we've let them walk on our power over them, and they have used the power they have stolen to enforce their unconstitutional property tax with lawfare and with putting liens on home they have no right to touch. Its literally tons of money they are stealing for their retirements, insurance, plush offices, free cars they drive around on our dime, etc etc etc.
At least one person in each of the 3000+ counties in the USA, needs to take this on at the County level. First check your state's constitution for how Citizens do Initiatives. A Citizen can do an INITIATIVE for ANYTHING in Arizona at either the State or County or City or School District, etc level. There is a process to follow. You have to inform the government of your initiative, then you must seek the signatures of a percentage of electors in your county, usually 10% or 15%. If you get the minimum number of signatures required (always get at least 10% more than required) the county MUST put the Initiative on the ballot. Then it goes to the rest of the electors in the county to vote. You gotta get the word out and remember those people who bitch about it? They are in on the grift. If you get a majority to vote yes, you win, neither the county, nor the state can undo the initiative, they must implement it in your county. Guess two Initiatives you can do in your county:
a. an INITIATIVE to stop property taxes for people I have described above.
b. removal of mail in ballots for use in elections, removal of programmable machines that "count" them, and implementation of proven hand count procedures so we Citizens can count OUR elections - instead of what we presently have where govs have stolen the process from us and tell us their "results" and not allowing us to verify their "results".
The truth of the matter is we ARE the Sovereigns of this country, a fact they have spent decades and billions convincing us that we aren’t. At some point we have to take our sovereignty back from them. By INITIATIVES or by FORCE. We should undertake to do INITIATIVES first, once we get the process started we can reclaim our power. The alternative, FORCE, is going to be a bloody mess. The other alternative, doing nothing and allowing them to increasingly make us their subjects, is completely unacceptable - and it is happening.
Thats exactly how they see it. They claim they will represent us, constitutionally, if we elect them. As soon as they are elected that promise goes out the door and the conspire with the rest of them to rape, pillage, and burn us. We've let them get away with it for too long. And they have done a magnificent job of dividing us against each other.
The problem, as I see it, is that they get more money from the lobbyists than from their employer (us). If campaign contributions were strictly prohibited, and members of Congress could accept nothing of value from any other person, the conflicts of interest would disappear. Each member should have his finances audited every year.
Been tried every which way in Michigan. Ax the Tax was an initiative that popular but got hung up in the ballots being screened. A requisite number of signatures is required. The SOS’s office is called in to validate signatures. When you have a corrupt SOS office signatures are thrown out. One signature off they will throw out whole batches. Wording of the initiative can be questioned after the ballots are printed. Signatories can be questioned and ballots thrown out. Once a ballot may clear a hurdle of signatures the SOS can slow walk the ballot to the canvassers, and then before a judge to decide if it is all hunky dory. There are a thousand ways to stop a ballot initiative, but if the “right” party wants a state constitutional amendment on the ballot, it can be done in a few months.
I was thinking just why you described. Oregonians tried twice that I know of to recall Brown back in 2020. Not a shocker to find out that she and her puppet SOS had the distinct pleasure of validating the signatures. Would you know and u lucky for the state she threw out so many signatures we didn’t come close to meeting the requirement. Huh. Imagine if they would screen voting signatures and verification of citizens as closely as they monitored the recall. Things would look very different. And FYI the recall signatures were from people who don’t cheat. Her ballots? - nuff said.
One other clarification, for a county initiative, the signatures are verified by the county recorder not the SOS. But it is a critical moment in the process and that is why every signature must be validated and verified to be a current elector in the county. Too many initiatives fail because of this. The person conducting the initiative must be prepared to go to court over this. We were able to remove a convicted drunk from the office of the county attorney because he did not have enough signatures on his petition to run for office. It works both ways.
I agree with everything you said, still it can be done with highly motivated people, who understand the law, write the Initiative constitutionally and make damn sure they've double and triple verified and checked electors who signed the petition. Its relatively easier to do initiatives at county level and below. But, yes, your stuff has to be wired tight. And then you still have to get it through the election process. And ultimately you may have to go to court if they violate laws - and Im not talking about civil court, but rather a criminal complaint.
Best to start with an initiative which is not controversial to build the process which can overcome all of their corrupt processes and efforts to undermine. And remember a good portion of these people are not all that smart, they are lazy con-artists who simply need to be taken on.
SD, I have the same view as you on this subject. I posted on FB a meme about property taxes being theft and my brother posted a response "YOU .. bought into this system!,
YOU suport the benefits it offers , not only for YOU , but others in the community .
If you don’t like it , sell your property get all your money back ,plus more. …. Then quit the club YOU wanted to join…. unrealized gains?? … give your head a shake , look around you , society has big maintenance costs". I guess you could say he and I "agree to disagree".
Well yes and no. If you’re willing to give up the gains you made on the property to steep taxation when you walk away, you will be left with a LOT less, but … if you’re also willing to live in a broken down cabin in the wilderness with an outhouse and struggling to keep clean water and have electricity when you need it most - yeah, you could remain free from all of this. There really doesn’t seem to be an in between and I hate our government for that.
If taxed at all, property valuation should remain at the price you paid for it. This "unrealized gain" is nonsense. What if the real estate market falls sharply? You should get a big rebate.
When I was a kid, property values remained stable. Being a homeowner was not a gambling bet.
You paid a down payment when you bought a house, then you paid the mortgage long enough to "get equity", that is, if you sold the house eventually, the part that you had paid off was a nice chunk to apply to a new down payment.
It wasn't until the 80s, when they took off the laws restricting S&Ls and cut taxes on the rich, that property speculation went wild.
Flipping houses became a sport. And when Blackrock entered the game, the whole thing went sky high.
The people who were penalized by the ongoing property speculation are the ones who bought a house to live in, paid it off, and now face increasing property taxes every year because of the speculators. The house shouldn't be worth more, due to depreciation, but the FIRE industry makes it so.
I watched house flippers destroy the market in my area in NC in just a few short years. Now you can't even buy a house with a tree growing out of a hole in the living room floor for under a hundred thousand... After that the new home builders came in with their low paid Mexican work force and rapidly constructed the lowest quality homes possible for huge profit... Oh Yeah, and in Florida, these same people have already said they'll raise prices at least equal to any property tax break homeowners receive... And now a third of all children between the ages of 18 and 30 are returning home because they can't afford a home or high rent payments... In the end the average Joe is just a greedy as the large Corporations. It's almost like we're supplying the noose for our own hanging... The Trump Administration is doing their part... but unfortunately, the me, me, me generation is alive and well... and not just in Government.
@Tom- I was just in a suburb of Portland OR visiting a family member. There are three homes being built across the street from her. All I heard was Spanish (Mexican Spanish) all day long. However, they did good work and I have a feeling they have been together for quite awhile. They worked in sync.
I agree. The company we hired for our roof hired all Mexicans. Only one spoke English, but they were polite and did a great job; and our new windows were installed by Hispanics, and they too did a great job... The large neighborhoods being constructed in the area, however, (with minority labor primarily) are horrible and scream profit, profit, profit... I think my point was more of an economic one, and it's not the Mexicans or Hispanics fault, (although it would be nice if they could speak English if they're going to live and work here.) My thought was more that modern day businesses are designed for profit only, (at everyone else's expense) which is why Mexican and Hispanic labor is so common... Then again, a company like Amazon abuses everyone straight across the board... I suppose I was just thinking out loud and rambling... and I'm thinking humanity is still headed down a very bad road regardless of the good the Trump Administration accomplishes.
In my state of PA, reassessments have to be revenue-neutral. That means the county, and the municipalities and school districts that collect property taxes can’t collect more — as measured in dollars — in property taxes than they did before the reassessment.
I think that all states that have property taxes should have a law like this.
Sunny, hi! When I retired about 21 months ago, I decided I would rent until I found my forever home to purchase or build. At this point, I'm staying put in my rental. It's turning out to be a better deal than purchasing a home, and it's a lot less work to maintain.
The reality of the crazed politicians and officials is mostly pervasive throughout our nation and World. If we could fire every one of them, a new bunch of bad actors would soon fill the ranks. The reality of the Biblical Truth is always in full view if we look.
Property taxes prove that the government really owns & rents out the property that you live in because if you don’t pay those taxes, you are evicted pronto..
Of course, Barack Obama and Oprah campaigned for Gillum in Florida when he ran against DeSantis. Not because he would have been a great governor, but because he was black.
It's called Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Basically a sociopath. "A pervasive pattern of disregard for the rights, safety, and feelings of others." A bit of a problem if you're supposed to be governing a state..
The left is "these jerks". The democrat party has become "these jerks". God willing, and we should pray for his willingness, the people who are moderates in the democrat party will realize the monster which has been created and continue to leave. The evil and sick people who have taken it over will use any means possible to impose their monstrous ideas on the rest of us - including stealing elections - which is why you have them so vociferously fighting having to prove they have legitimate elections. They do not! There is another problem and why they scream so loud and hate Trump and his admin so badly. He is cutting off most of the grift they have come to rely on by the redistribution of our tax money to them (in at least 1000 different ways), for votes. Which is why we must support his every effort, it is all for us. And finally, they have created this uniparty of s_Elected "representatives" to keep it all in place. Why in the hell wont Thune do away with the filibuster - because it allows them to keep all the grifts and unconstitutional actions - like s_Elections in place. 80%!!! Yes, 80% of Americans want the SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSED and Thune and the rest of those corrupt uniparty criminals will not get it done.
Just called his office and unloaded about his refusal to get the SAVE Act passed and taking out the part of Trump’s investment accounts for children that prohibited illegals from having access to the accounts.
Donna, You just said something I was not aware of! Thune removed the legislation preventing illegals from taking part? Where did you see this, I need to read about it too.
So, the good news is that it is not passed legislation, it is only the Senate version. The House version has the language. And the President could still potentially veto the whole thing, then requiring an over ride vote.
Thune is a rotten RINO, he is not doing the work of the country, he is doing the work of those who want to stay in power over us, like himself. He is reprehensible and I hope his state primaries him for failing to end the blue notes and filibusters which allow them to do nothing and without accountability.
So, due to 'Smalwell' running for Governor, then being forced out of the race, his seat is up for grabs. They had a special election June 17, but are holding another in August for the same seat! $$$ wasted yet again! Smalwell was basically anointed to his first term when the previous holder moved on. The guy is an dolt and the people running for his seat are female Socialists. Ugg!
He looks like a Russian and sounds like a Silicon Valley female who grew up in a wealthy family! His cadence and breathlessness, his smirking and head tossing while laughing is his way of dismissing his responsibility in the matter. Nothing ever touches these types, because they were never held accountable and have zero empathy and compassion for their fellow citizen!
Great article, Torrance! Love this: “ the entire Democrat Party should be either in prison or a mental institution, especially if you look at the folks they push to run for public office.”. Amen to that. I also learned a new word, “facinorous”, which according to my 1989 Webster’s Unabridged, means “atrociously wicked”. We can’t have too many words these days for wicked and evil. So thank you!
He forgot one. Democrat and nurse practitioner Susanna Gibson ran for office in VA while her side gig with her lawyer husband was livestreaming their fuzz bumping for "tips." Consider that they have children. When this became public, the dems doubled down on supporting their porn star.
We really need to hear the whole truth and facts about Byron Donalds versus Jay Collins as next FL Governor. I’m not liking the gut feeling I’m having right now…
And also bisexual. It would be interesting to find out if he and his tolerant wife attended the same church as bho and Mike. That pastor was known for uniting “unmarriable” women with homosexuals who were looking at political positions.
I seem to vaguely recall some controversy regarding Gillum family members voting in Florida while claiming residency in other states. I wonder if they were part of his near win?
Compared to before I took a break, now there are a zillion more ads and I have more followers with less reach and fewer reactions because FB just wants me to pay for ads.
Just go to my @WordsBeyondMe page. Never anything icky there. 😁 But I get it -- FB throws some pretty ridiculous things in my feed with some very stupid suggested pages to follow.
Jesus is the son of God... part of the Trinity! He died on the Cross as foretold in prophecy to take the punishment for the sins that we have committed so that we can be reconciled to God the Father!
Ok I have to say… I worked at a ‘fat camp’ in NY state, the Catskills, during summer. I didn’t last the whole summer, these poor kids were coming back year after year because they’d lose weight and then go back to their habits when they got back home. The food was good, not terribly restrictive except for snacks, but the kids weren’t taught how to cook, or how to measure an appropriate portion size, or even just make better choices. They were active. It was crap like aerobics (it was around 1988), not something a kid would want to do for fun when they got home. Such a missed opportunity!
Jeff’s comment about Russian fat camps made me think about it. My apologies to anyone who isn’t as interested in my nostalgia as I am. 😂
Get yourself 'fat-adapted' on a Keto/carnivore diet - or through time restricted eating and your body will re-learn how to metabolise your fat stores. Having previously eaten the recommended 6/7 meals a day I went through it - and now I can go days without eating - doesn't impact my mood or my training (weights/ running) or ability for physical work. It is very freeing!
I was always the kid who ate more than everyone else, yet never gained a pound. I was teased for being thin! I desperately hoped I would keep some of the baby weight that most women complain about, but no luck. Eventually, in my fifties, I began to gain more than was comfortable and did not like the idea of having to purchase new clothing, so I decided to eliminate those foods that no longer agreed with my metabolism.
It wasn't particularly difficult, because I was ready to challenge my older self to the task of mastering tasks that my younger self wasn't good at. I mastered the game of Sudoku, even though my young self was terrible at math, anxious around numbers in general. So if I could excel at Sudoku and not hyperventilate over the prospect of timing out or messing up (flashback to grade school and timed multiplication tests), I could handle an elimination diet! Finding your trigger foods, the ones that put on pounds or cause bloating and aching joints, is very freeing.
The simple act of not eating a sandwich (bread) daily, was good for 5lbs! I had already given up added sugar, for other reasons, so going without cream in my coffee (took a while to master) and minimal ice cream, another 5 pounds. The last 5 pounds came off when I stopped eating pasta. It was tough at first, but I'm able to smell sugary foods long before I reach them in the store, they usually turn my stomach, but fruit and veg taste better than ever!
@Valerie- my daughters (not son) always battled with their weight. Younger daughter now has a (almost) 5 yr old son and is teaching him healthy snacking, meal and cooking habits. He chooses fruit over candy or similar crap, is the best egg cracker I've ever seen, and eats anything. He's going to be huge so it's important he eats properly.
The American Revolution was fought over “Taxation without Representation”. American Citizens are once again being unfairly taxed. We are discovering that the majority of tax revenue, funds fraud, waste and incompetence. Our votes are nullified by the multiple forms of Election Fraud. Time for a new American Revolution!
For those who say, we do have elected representatives….I spit on that fake notion. We do not have any representation. We have robots who get paid to do what they are told regardless of what constituents want. Game players. Bought and paid for scum.
Wake up!!! There are 3 separate areas of election integrity that MUST be verified:
1. The voter (are they legal citizens, who reside in the state, at legitimate addresses, are they alive, etc)
2. The machines (did they count the vote the way the ballots were intended to be counted, I.e. sent to adjudication without proper oversight, vote weighting, etc. Are the machines connected to the internet?
3. The ballot process - were ballots handled with proper chain of custody? Received on time, postmarked and counted within legal timeframe, etc.
Fraud, malfeasance and incompetence can impact each or all of these areas!!! Just because voters (number 1) are legit doesn’t mean the ballot was counted properly or handled properly - ALL three aspects of the election must be intact to make the vote LEGAL!
There WON'T be election integrity until _I_ can go in to my county office and VERIFY, MY SELF, that MY VOTE WAS RECORDED FOR MY CANDIDATE. I don't want to see that "I voted." I want to see "MY EFFECT."
I can appreciate the stick of withholding 20% annual FEMA Homeland Security grants if States don’t return to paper ballots. But it’s purely performative, to draw attention. The $ withhold threat is chump change.
Here are the 8, all mail-in voting States, and the ‘20%’ they would lose for non-compliance:
California: $11M ($55M grant)
Oregon: $3M ($15M)
Washington: $1M ($5M)
Utah: $800K ($4M)
Nevada: $3M ($15M)
Colorado: $5M ($25M)
Hawaii: $800K ($4M)
Vermont: $1M ($5M)
This new measure is part of the thousand paper cut approach.
“Andrew Gillum — former Tallahassee mayor, former Democrat gubernatorial candidate, former ‘rising star’ of the Democrat Party, is currently vacationing at the Baldwin County, Alabama jail.” This whole story is a laugh a minute! 😆😆
I'm really pleased President Trump is, "working on microscopic Postal Service tracking of mail-in ballots." At the same time, I hope they'll watch Postal workers, and track any anomalies in their current assets. 😏
@Karmy- yes. Same. Daughter getting married this year. I'd better tell her stamps are going up but she went on the USPS website and THERE WERE NO WEDDING STAMPS!!! Like...what??
Thanks Jeff for covering EI and paper ballots. We in AL (you met us at the PUP Event) have been working on eliminating the ES&S Voting machines and returning to paper ballots for the last 3.5 years.
This includes researching, giving educational presentations on the subject as well as traveling to Germany for meetings with Election Officials.
A few pointers. . . France reports precinct election results within 1-2 hours of polls closing. They start counting the ballots 1 hour after polls open and throughout the day. At close, they only need to count the last hour's worth of cast ballots.
In Germany, they also report precinct totals within 1-2 hours. Counting starts after polls close but they have more poll workers per precinct's registered voters.
Besides getting untampered results, another important factor in eliminating the machines is cost per vote. In Alabama, the current cost is ~$7.73/vote cast. Hand Count Paper Ballots would be $2.71/vote cast. A four year election cycle savings of $35M.
Follow the money. HAVA provided billions to states to switch to computerized voting.
I'm sure that there were kickbacks that incentived election officials to ignore the cost differential.
"On October 29, 2002, President Bush signed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) that was authored by Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd into law. The federal legislation created many new mandates for state and local governments and provided $3.9 billion in federal funding. To date, Congress has appropriated $3.1 billion in funding. Connecticut has received $32.7 million in federal funding that has been set aside for future electronic voting."
The 20% withheld is chump change. So, no checkmate. It’s meant to draw attention and scrutiny. California penalty would only be $11M. Oregon’s penalty would be $3M. Washington State, $800K penalty. These are 3 West Coast States currently with 100% mail-in voting.
Jeff drew your attention to State of New York, who would stand to lose $40M.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved living in a state with Gov DeSantis! I still wouldn’t go back to the liberal blue hell hole we left 6 years ago no matter what.
But.
I’m severely disappointed in the property tax issue. Yes, we are happy to even get the crumbs we are getting if this passes with the voters. Keep in mind…even Florida has ignorant and stupid voters who have zero clue about reality. So we’ll see what happens.
At the rate our assessed property value skyrocketed…the homestead exemption won’t scratch the surface of what we are being forced to pay in prop taxes. It is theft. Pure and simple. We are all being forced to pay unrealized capital gains and we’ve allowed it for far too long. The fact that Florida did what it did with OUR TAX DOLLARS as described by Jeff is shameful.
Is it a step in the right direction? A little. But not even close to what we should be getting in every single state of America. PROPERTY TAX IS THEFT!
It really is theft. And few get your point about taxing unrealized gains. The government gets to tell us what our largest asset is worth, how much it has appreciated in value, and then tax us on the results of *their* math. This economic manipulation is what Gen-Z should hate, not so-called "oligarchs" who dream big dreams, do great things, and make a lot of money doing it.
And it was glaringly obvious when the housing market tanked back on 2008. We went underwater with our home in the blue state. Would have lost money if we sold it. But not one time did our property tax bill get lowered to reflect the lower assessed value!!!! Explain that!!! They steal money we don’t even have on money that isn’t even there! That should’ve woke people up…but it didn’t. 😞 We’re still ignorant. It’s why coofid was so successful against us. We only have ourselves to blame.
It’s for the children…and gullible people swallow it hook, line and sinker.
How will we ever pay for fire and police and schools. Waaa waaa waaa. How about spend the money responsibly in the first place! I go insane with the financial stupidity that people excuse. You wanna be financially stupid? Do it with YOUR OWN MONEY -not mine!
I’m sorry. I can’t seem to stop myself. 😂
Sunny, we are also in FL, political refugees from the hellhole of the DMV area. We are in THE MOST R+ congressional district in FL (CD-01) and even in this red area there are wayyyyy too many RINOs that are in elected office at the state level!!!
I would submit that it is not DeSantis's fault that this is as good as he / we could get. It's the fault of the scummy RINO STATE REPRESENTATIVES. I'd urge you to jump in to your county GOP party and learn who the RINOs are at the county AND state levels and work your ass off to ELECT MAGA people.
It's only a REPUBLIC, IF WE CAN KEEP IT.👍👍
I think Jeff may have missed a few well run municipalities. We’re in the Panhandle, in Gulf Breeze, and our property taxes actually went DOWN last year! My husband was at a meeting yesterday and our City Manager told the group that they’ve been looking at the property tax issue over the past 3-4 years and are now at a point where property taxes only account for 20% of our overall spending needs! We’ve got superb leadership and our town is so well run.
Oh my goodness Free, we're almost neighbors! We landed in Freeport. Do you ever go into Destin for anything?
I'm not sure about Walton Co prop tax other than knowing rthat we pay far less than we did in Maryland!
Hey! And there’s another C&C commenter in Pensacola and we’ve been in touch via chat. She’s great! At some point, the three of us should meet for lunch. Destin would be a nice meeting place.
Maryland taxes have to be obscene. I grew up here but only returned in 2020 (in time to make my vote count for Trump!) as I was going crazy with the authoritarianism in MA - thus my “handle”, Free in Florida. 🇺🇸
Loved living in Gulf Breeze for 15 yrs! Three major hurricanes made my husband unlove it.
I can understand that. Actually, Ivan in 2004 was the worst and we haven’t had anything so bad since then - if that helps. 😊 We would welcome you back!!!
Haha, YEP, I can see that!! FWIW, and I have NO idea if there is any credibility to this!, but our realtor who helped us buy our house in Freeport, and she is a local to Panama City, she claims that the general Emerald Coast from about Destin to PC has very deep ocean very close to shore so it helps kill the energy of hurricanes. Or something like that! 🤷♀️ In any event, in our first 3 years and counting, we are ok so far. 🤞
(But we took down big trees closest to our house, just in case!) 🤣
Good God almighty!!!
Still at 20%%%%
Mine are well under 2% of spending.
Florida had hurricane "tax" i get it...
But that's just a bullshevic excuse. Wow! 20% !?
I know people there too.... they just didn't tell me this
I think DeSantis did what he could to make it happen. I know this bill has been stripped down to the crumbs that it is because of POS Rinos. I’m worried for who we get next. Florida is only free if we can keep it free.
I totally agree. I'm going with Byron Donalds because he's TRUMP's endorsed candidate. And I support Trump 100%. WRT RINO pieces of @#$% I also totally agree w/ you about that and the only suggestion I have is to make sure your STATE LEGISLATORS (state senator and representative or whatever they call them) are not RINOs. We have to make sure the LEGISLATURE is as MAGA as possible, as much or even more than the gov.
Donalds?? Seriously??? The man talks the talk but when it comes to actually doing anything useful, he ain't walkin' the walk. Be very afraid if he is the candidate. Because it will be all about Byron and his next step - which he, like Newson, sees as the Presidency. Lord save us! He is our district's congressman and he's done zilch - particularly after Ian.
Update: DeSantis has not endorsed Jay Collins yet. C&Cers last week led me astray on that. I should have checked for myself 🤦🏼♀️
Still leaning toward Collins for my vote though.
We’re leaning toward Jay Collins. I’ve heard Donald’s speak and he’s been wishy washy at best. Beats the podium when it suits him and then quiet. One minute he’s against abolishing property tax and then when he saw people not happy he changed his tune. I haven’t seen him step out as an actual leader. DeSantis endorsed Collins and to be honest that means more to me than Trumps endorsement for here. But. Once the primary is over I will support whichever conservative wins.
FYI, Trump sometimes endorses RINOs, so it would be wise to do your own research.
DeSantis removed some black history stuff from the curriculums of schools and/or colleges. And I read that Donalds had a problem with that. Just saying.
NOOOOO!!! Please don't vote for Donalds! He's a past druggie too. And a George Floyd fan. PLEASE do some research on him. He is awful. So is Fishback. He groomed a 16 year old girl, has some legal issues and had to pay some of his debt off by having his Tesla repossessed. None of them are stellar but Donalds and Fishback are thee worst!!
My mom, in Redding CA, disputed her tax bill after the tanking of 2008. The value of her home went down by about 150K. They lowered the bill accordingly for about 5 years, then it went back up with the market. And, she just died last year at the age of 97. Go mom!
@Sadie- smart woman! We lost my stepmother last year, too. Buried her on her 98th bday in October. Best stepmother anyone could have ever asked for .Honest.
You are not alone…
Thank you for expressing what many of us are feeling.
Our small town of ~5K used to have one, then 2 cops. Now over 20. It takes 4 people in a pick up to water the hanging baskets in town. About 5 years ago, they replaced all of the street signs with Rams (local HS ) purple signs. Repaved the roads, then tore them up to replace the sewage lines, Repaved. Then tore them up to replace the water lines. Repaved. I'm sure this is typical of all governments.
@Roland- Good God Almighty.....
Couldn’t you have filed to have it reassessed back in 2008?
When I met with the tax folks to appeal my valuation (for which I had five comprables to show my house was overvalued), the Assessor merely said, "Well, it could go up." We're screwed. County sets its budget, approves the levy, assessors go find the property to make the math work.
That sounds like a bluff. Of course it COULD go up, but it also COULD go down. It sounds like they’re just trying to scare you to get you to not go through with it. But if the facts are on your side, and you’ve got valid comparables and maybe some photos of some defects or something, I don’t know why it would go up.
I took it as a threat and caved as the weenie I was, would.
I shouldn’t have had to. They had no problem taking it - they should refund it. Besides….see David Nelson’s comment below. If they lack integrity anyway….
👍
😂😂👏
It's not just in FL. My brother, who has lived in AL all his life, had his property tax DOUBLE in one year. That is, after the 5 county commissioners voted themselves a hefty raise of $200,000 per year - in a county of less than 100,000 people. Yes, he lives in a mostly country area.
Has anyone else ever worked a job where you were allowed to give yourself an enormous raise in pay?? That ought to be absolutely illegal when it comes to our tax money!! Same for Con-gress, as well!
Is there a provision to petition the state to reduce taxes to match the deflated value? I know there is usually a process to inquire about a raise of value.
Heads I win
Tails you lose
@Sunny- and we in our WNY (Western NY) town just got reassessed. It WAS at 40% assessed value. Now it's 100%. You can't tell me the state doesn't have a fingertip in that.
Expecting taxes to go down is like expecting the DMV line to move faster because you made eye contact with the clerk.
The most important thing a person can do is inform your children of how taxes work and that they should NEVER vote for a single tax in their lives.
Especially ones where they manipulate the strong emotion of "protecting/benefting" children.
Also there is no such thing as a temporary tax.
DMV - did you know a. DMV branch in RTP, North Carolina closed because of a BED BUG infestation!???! This is what we are getting for all our increased taxes (and illegal immigration!)
Why are there beds at the DMV?
Because you practically have to stay overnight to get your business done.... Unless you are an illegal - then you go to the front of the line.... 😑😜
@Velvet- I nearly said the same thing. Thanks for taking the hit.
LOLOLOL!!!
@Jan- LOL!!
ewwwwwwwwwww
Bedbugs are also bird lice. Will never get rid of them.
@Lame- my daughter is a Pre-K teacher. She said "Want to know what scares teachers more than anything? Lice."
If your daughter has another class outbreak - look up Licekiller.com - seriously - all natural oils to kill those infesting pests! And won't give cancer like the stuff OTC (that doesn't work either! Ask me how I know! "3 times head lice mom of 5" .... Ugh!)
Yes, I remember a year of volunteer parents combing the heads of some immigrant school children some years ago.
@Ryan- the DMV comment....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Which animated movie is it that used a sloth as the DMV rep? Hysterical.
https://youtu.be/Aaaeij-oc-18s
Zootopia. I took my twins to see that when they were young and we just cracked up
It’s even worse than that. They also increase the tax rate! So higher valuation and higher percentage taken. The results? Roads are worse. Schools are mid (many of my neighbors choose private school). Police, who I consider pretty good in my area in FL, don’t seem to be getting that windfall of cash -they are stretched thin. My county budget has increased at 3x the rate of population growth. Still not at insane levels of New Jersey, New York, etc. but heading that way.
The Two Parts of Valuation is the shell game. Go in and complain about the valuation, and they point you to the EXTREMELY REASONABLE mil rate: "We're only taking a very few dollars for EVERY THOUSAND OF YOUR HOME'S [artificially declared] VALUE. If you want to complain, we could re-assess, but you understand there's a 50-50 chance your valuation COULD GO UP!" Threat.
Go in and complain about the mil rate: "Yes, I suppose it could be lower, BUT look at how LOW your house has been assessed, compared to what houses have been selling for in your neighborhood! If you want to complain, we could re-assess, but..."
It's DESIGNED to blunt all appeals. The TRUTH is, the mil rate and assessments are RIGGED to raise the money they already know they want. Fairness has nothing to do with it. The tiger is hungry. The tiger makes the rules. The tiger bites.
Yep. I experienced the thinly veiled threat.
I can appeal a valuation and we get an informal conference to explain why it's too high. I had just bought a house that needed some fixing up. I took close-ups of everything that needed repair, and things that would likely need to be replaced soon because they were old, like air conditioner, water heater, etc. I brought estimates for the work along with the photos. They lowered the valuation. Take into account, though, that the county assessor is an elected position.
And I'm not really talking about that, Elaine, in that the biggest problem is that assessments go up even when the house stays in the same condition. I have intentionally done only the most minimal repairs on my house because ANYTHING that looks like "improvement" is an invitation for a raise. Even so, my taxes go up, no matter what I do.
Same here. It's unfair. They were raising the valuation because I paid more for it than the previous owner, who had been in it for at least 20 years. But every locality is different in how things work.
@Elaine- mechanicals aren't usually used for valuation. You were lucky to get a sympathetic clerk.
In residential real estate, the heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, and electrical—are primary drivers of the final appraisal value. Perhaps the laws vary from state to state.
THERE IS A FIX: Pass legislation REQUIRING assessing agencies to PURCHASE PROPERTY, on demand, at the assessed price, anytime within 30 days of the assessment--which naturally needs to be "at market value."
Nothing like "overbought inventory" to wake up assessors to the reality of "markets" and the subsequent losses taken as the cash-strapped assessors liquidate their holdings, at market price, will self-correct their future enthusiasms for over-valuation.
Every time my husband calls to challenge our property assessment, they hear me in the background shouting, “I’ll sell it to you for that price!”
Right after we moved, into a renthouse, in overpriced and overassessed Wisconsin, in a blue suburb of the bluest Madison (a 'burb that loves nothing more than adding "yet another Olympic-sized pool" to their high school's "sports complex"), there was an article from the mayor or city administrator in the local paper.
The farmer who owned the farm adjacent to the voracious bedroom community came to complain that his property was an active farm, and not a development, and in exasperation, shouted, "If you think it's worth so much, why don't you buy it from me?" The, uber-proud and arrogant *̴s̴s̴h̴*̴l̴e̴ city officer BRAGGED in the paper, concerning the CITIZEN'S frustration, "I told him, 'I will!'" and that's the story of So-and-so Park! He didn't think I'd do it, but I surprised him!" And I'm sure that *̴s̴s̴ went to the grave telling herself "what a great job she did 'providing a park(!)' for the community" and not, instead, sorrowing over how she'd taken advantage of a free man who gave up his property to escape a relentless and insatiable bureaucracy.
On the flip side, In another article in a different paper but in the same month, a local council bragged about having "prevented" a farmer from selling his property to a developer and thus had "preserved 'green space'" for the community! The farmer bitterly complained to the *̴s̴s̴h̴*̴l̴e̴*̴s̴ members of the council that "that farm was our retirement; we'd always planned that, when we were done, we'd sell it to someone who'd make it a nice golf course for the community. Congratulations: you stole our retirement; who's going to provide for it now? Certainly not you sorry b*st*rds."
One wonders how these victimized farmers had voted before.
Funny how the city officer was so proud of using city (taxpayers’) money, not her own, to buy the overpriced property to “surprise” the farmer. Bet the farmer would as thrilled!
@Donna- We said the exact same thing when our new valuations came in!!!!!!
Impossible, but just makes me giddy thinking about it 🤔 😆
Whether you have a loss or gain can't be determined unless you sell it. Any other valuation is just opinion.
Correct. And the people who determine the "gain" also know how much tax revenue they need for their budgetary wish list. Somehow the property tax levy always matches the spending needs. Like magic.
They must really breathe a sigh of relief when the numbers balance. 🙄
And if you're Trump, you could be prosecuted for your opinion.
Mrs. RW
Ha! Good one!
John G. You need to teach high school civics and moonlight as a law assistant with Jeff.
The problem is, our School Systems! They don't teach about taxes because they are funded by property taxes. Most Democrat voters say that they don't mind paying more in taxes to get better services. The problem is, that we don't get better services for our property tax dollars. What we actually get is fewer services for the actual payers of the tax. Most of our property taxes go toward ever growing governments and their cushy pensions! Meanwhile, many of the people paying the taxes must save and invest a portion of their income toward their own retirement. How is this fair?
Our dismal Education system is why we have such top heavy government and budgets never get cut. The schools and Universities operate much the same. Use all your budget regardless of whether or not you need the funds.
In my opinion, the problem is too many people who don’t own a home want people who own a home to pay more so they will not vote to reduce property taxes because they are too stupid to realize that that those property taxes are reflected in their rent.
Sadly, there’s a real epidemic of stupidity. Or is it a pandemic? 😝
Must be a pandemic because they are still wearing masks 🤣🤣🤣
Property taxes are blatantly unconstitutional . There are no other assets that are taxed on unrealized gains.
There will be other assets taxed if Dems continue to win elections. People like Rep. Ro Khanna are now advocating for tax on assets of $50 million or more. Some are advocating for a national wealth tax. They want stop here, but will keep lowering the threshold until anyone who owns anything pays annual tax on it. It’s one way to destroy private ownership.
@Mary- however, taxes pay for services. For us it's unlimited snow plowing, trash pickup once a week (and they take everything), foliage , leaf, and grass pick up every couple of weeks, mowing roadsides, etc.
School taxes? The reputation of our local school district has gone way down. We have people moving in from the city that so desperately want our zip code that they put all their money into their mortgages which leaves no money to take care of said houses or their cars (think loud mufflers) and they bring their 'city' mentality into the community AND the school. We pay too much in school taxes. It's a shame because we live in the house my in laws built so that means not only my husband went there but so did our kids. Our daughter and her family just moved into that district and their soon to be 5 year old will start Kindergarten. I have said I will volunteer as Classroom Gramma just so I can keep an eye on things.
Voters aren’t going to go for it 😡municipalities and counties are campaigning hard against it 😡😡with lies- they know their cushy grifting coffers will be drained. Unfortunately avg voters too stupid to seek independence or freedom- they love being owned by government
When a critical mass of voters are uneducated, don’t pay any taxes and are dependent on government handouts they will always vote for the socialists, especially when they hand over their unfilled mail in ballot to them.
They don’t have to be uneducated. The educated choose grift.
@Pam- THIS!!!!!!!!!
This!!
It's going to be REAAAALLY hard to get homeowners to vote against this. They will have get renters to vote against it, and then cheat to get the margin of victory.
Theft of money -> Theft of property -> Theft of Constitutional Rights and freedom (think Mandami, et. al.)
Do you know what REAL freedom is? Belief in Jesus Christ.
Things aren't falling apart. They are falling into place. Knowing this is real freedom.
We need another Great Awakening. That's what helped create our country.
Amen!
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
Or in the First Nations Version translation
19 “Take care not to store up possessions on earth that can be spoiled by worms, eaten by moths, or stolen by thieves. 20 Instead, give away your possessions to the ones in need, and then you will be storing up great possessions in the spirit-world above, where nothing can be lost or stolen. 21 For where you store your valued possessions is where your heart will be.”
Matthew 6:19-21 (FNV)
We left the Panhandle of FL 7 years ago. For 14 years our property taxes were an outrage. You are correct about taxing unrealized gains. Our first assessment was during the "bubble" years before 2008. It never went down to reflect our loss of value. The millage rate continued to rise. County government continued to expand yet delivered no services. I understand that nothing has changed there.
Most property owners are vacation homes or investors. They don't even get to claim the homestead exemption.
Ditto. We left California as we saw no way to retire there. The property taxes had quadrupled over a 10 year period and showed no sign of abating.
It all boils down to the fact that we don’t “own” ANYTHING. We’re just tax slaves, pure and simple. Stop paying the property taxes and you’ll find out real quick who owns what. You are a tenant of the government.
Mike, you just summarized the entire problem in one small paragraph.
Kudos!
Thanks Ryan!
Ain't the first time you've nailed something.
Cheers!
We got our real estate law from England. I was surprised to learn that you really don't own your real property. You have the exclusive right to use and enjoy it. Quaint, right?
As an example, I made a mistake paying our property tax this past March. The amount was X dollars and 55 cents. My mistake was, I paid X dollars and 50 cents. Last month, we received a notice of delinquent taxes for $.05. In that notice, was the date they had scheduled for auction which was in February of 2027! To my surprise, they had not yet added any penalty or interest charges. We could talk about the stupidity of spending the cost of whatever their postage was to send us that notice and my cost to mail them a check for $0.05 versus just increasing my October tax bill by $0.05, but we know that's a waste of more energy. Since then, we constantly get spam calls from tax relief companies. Use your imaginations to think about all that has been thought and said in our household regarding this situation.
Ha! Already had the auction date set over a measly five cents. It really is criminal. We have zero property rights. I’m 66 and I keep wondering where are the pitchforks or tar and feathers?!?!
@Geronimo- which means someone's selling your info
Right! Or, the phones heard the rant.
Our property taxes now, in retirement, far outstrip what our mortgage payments were - and here it is mandated that it go up 3% a year, in addition to all the measures that are passed which increase taxes.
Same for us in Illinois. Our monthly property tax is way higher than our principal/interest. We will never be able to afford living here on my husband’s pension when he retires. We never thought 30 years ago when we bought our first home at that time that we would have to carry a mortgage in retirement. We were building equity but housing prices kept rising so steeply all it did was keep us in mortgages no matter that we also make extra payments every month and two extra payments every year to knock it down. Now when he retires in a few years, the equity we gained may be a nice down payment on a retirement house, but they are so expensive now we will have to have another mortgage. 🫤 I had dreamed of paying cash for the next house and being mortgage free. I don’t know where to go to get that.
Yes, we can't figure out where to go either!
Paula, we live in the Panhandle, in Gulf Breeze which is across the bay from Pensacola, and most homes are nowhere near being rentals. Not sure where you’re talking about?? The beach is heavily rental but even there there are many privately owned homes, not second homes.
@Paula- what's a millage rate?
It's the rate they set as a percentage of each $1000 of your property value.
One mill equals one-thousandth of a dollar, meaning a millage rate of 20 mills would result in a tax of $20 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
Even if your home value remains the same, to increase taxes all they need to do is vote for a higher mill rate. A Win win for the government!
@Paula- I have owned my home since 1984 and have never heard that term. TY!!
Let me say it as clearly as I can. Property taxes which tax the home a person lives and eats and sleeps with his family but does no business - is unconstitutional. Businesses are to be taxed, which is why they are taxed for rental properties which they pass through to their tenants. In fact business taxation is the only way the government is supposed to get revenue from pass through when a Citizen does business with them. But we've let them walk on our power over them, and they have used the power they have stolen to enforce their unconstitutional property tax with lawfare and with putting liens on home they have no right to touch. Its literally tons of money they are stealing for their retirements, insurance, plush offices, free cars they drive around on our dime, etc etc etc.
At least one person in each of the 3000+ counties in the USA, needs to take this on at the County level. First check your state's constitution for how Citizens do Initiatives. A Citizen can do an INITIATIVE for ANYTHING in Arizona at either the State or County or City or School District, etc level. There is a process to follow. You have to inform the government of your initiative, then you must seek the signatures of a percentage of electors in your county, usually 10% or 15%. If you get the minimum number of signatures required (always get at least 10% more than required) the county MUST put the Initiative on the ballot. Then it goes to the rest of the electors in the county to vote. You gotta get the word out and remember those people who bitch about it? They are in on the grift. If you get a majority to vote yes, you win, neither the county, nor the state can undo the initiative, they must implement it in your county. Guess two Initiatives you can do in your county:
a. an INITIATIVE to stop property taxes for people I have described above.
b. removal of mail in ballots for use in elections, removal of programmable machines that "count" them, and implementation of proven hand count procedures so we Citizens can count OUR elections - instead of what we presently have where govs have stolen the process from us and tell us their "results" and not allowing us to verify their "results".
The truth of the matter is we ARE the Sovereigns of this country, a fact they have spent decades and billions convincing us that we aren’t. At some point we have to take our sovereignty back from them. By INITIATIVES or by FORCE. We should undertake to do INITIATIVES first, once we get the process started we can reclaim our power. The alternative, FORCE, is going to be a bloody mess. The other alternative, doing nothing and allowing them to increasingly make us their subjects, is completely unacceptable - and it is happening.
Good plan. There are more of us than of them. I feel like we are paying government for one thing: to take our money from us and live on it.
Thats exactly how they see it. They claim they will represent us, constitutionally, if we elect them. As soon as they are elected that promise goes out the door and the conspire with the rest of them to rape, pillage, and burn us. We've let them get away with it for too long. And they have done a magnificent job of dividing us against each other.
The problem, as I see it, is that they get more money from the lobbyists than from their employer (us). If campaign contributions were strictly prohibited, and members of Congress could accept nothing of value from any other person, the conflicts of interest would disappear. Each member should have his finances audited every year.
Lobbyists. There are none good. Lobbyists drive DC
Been tried every which way in Michigan. Ax the Tax was an initiative that popular but got hung up in the ballots being screened. A requisite number of signatures is required. The SOS’s office is called in to validate signatures. When you have a corrupt SOS office signatures are thrown out. One signature off they will throw out whole batches. Wording of the initiative can be questioned after the ballots are printed. Signatories can be questioned and ballots thrown out. Once a ballot may clear a hurdle of signatures the SOS can slow walk the ballot to the canvassers, and then before a judge to decide if it is all hunky dory. There are a thousand ways to stop a ballot initiative, but if the “right” party wants a state constitutional amendment on the ballot, it can be done in a few months.
I was thinking just why you described. Oregonians tried twice that I know of to recall Brown back in 2020. Not a shocker to find out that she and her puppet SOS had the distinct pleasure of validating the signatures. Would you know and u lucky for the state she threw out so many signatures we didn’t come close to meeting the requirement. Huh. Imagine if they would screen voting signatures and verification of citizens as closely as they monitored the recall. Things would look very different. And FYI the recall signatures were from people who don’t cheat. Her ballots? - nuff said.
One other clarification, for a county initiative, the signatures are verified by the county recorder not the SOS. But it is a critical moment in the process and that is why every signature must be validated and verified to be a current elector in the county. Too many initiatives fail because of this. The person conducting the initiative must be prepared to go to court over this. We were able to remove a convicted drunk from the office of the county attorney because he did not have enough signatures on his petition to run for office. It works both ways.
I agree with everything you said, still it can be done with highly motivated people, who understand the law, write the Initiative constitutionally and make damn sure they've double and triple verified and checked electors who signed the petition. Its relatively easier to do initiatives at county level and below. But, yes, your stuff has to be wired tight. And then you still have to get it through the election process. And ultimately you may have to go to court if they violate laws - and Im not talking about civil court, but rather a criminal complaint.
Best to start with an initiative which is not controversial to build the process which can overcome all of their corrupt processes and efforts to undermine. And remember a good portion of these people are not all that smart, they are lazy con-artists who simply need to be taken on.
SD, I have the same view as you on this subject. I posted on FB a meme about property taxes being theft and my brother posted a response "YOU .. bought into this system!,
YOU suport the benefits it offers , not only for YOU , but others in the community .
If you don’t like it , sell your property get all your money back ,plus more. …. Then quit the club YOU wanted to join…. unrealized gains?? … give your head a shake , look around you , society has big maintenance costs". I guess you could say he and I "agree to disagree".
You're much kinder than I would have been.
I didn't bother to respond to his post. What's the point, right?
Well yes and no. If you’re willing to give up the gains you made on the property to steep taxation when you walk away, you will be left with a LOT less, but … if you’re also willing to live in a broken down cabin in the wilderness with an outhouse and struggling to keep clean water and have electricity when you need it most - yeah, you could remain free from all of this. There really doesn’t seem to be an in between and I hate our government for that.
If taxed at all, property valuation should remain at the price you paid for it. This "unrealized gain" is nonsense. What if the real estate market falls sharply? You should get a big rebate.
😂my brother, the communist
When I was a kid, property values remained stable. Being a homeowner was not a gambling bet.
You paid a down payment when you bought a house, then you paid the mortgage long enough to "get equity", that is, if you sold the house eventually, the part that you had paid off was a nice chunk to apply to a new down payment.
It wasn't until the 80s, when they took off the laws restricting S&Ls and cut taxes on the rich, that property speculation went wild.
Flipping houses became a sport. And when Blackrock entered the game, the whole thing went sky high.
The people who were penalized by the ongoing property speculation are the ones who bought a house to live in, paid it off, and now face increasing property taxes every year because of the speculators. The house shouldn't be worth more, due to depreciation, but the FIRE industry makes it so.
Mrs. RW
I watched house flippers destroy the market in my area in NC in just a few short years. Now you can't even buy a house with a tree growing out of a hole in the living room floor for under a hundred thousand... After that the new home builders came in with their low paid Mexican work force and rapidly constructed the lowest quality homes possible for huge profit... Oh Yeah, and in Florida, these same people have already said they'll raise prices at least equal to any property tax break homeowners receive... And now a third of all children between the ages of 18 and 30 are returning home because they can't afford a home or high rent payments... In the end the average Joe is just a greedy as the large Corporations. It's almost like we're supplying the noose for our own hanging... The Trump Administration is doing their part... but unfortunately, the me, me, me generation is alive and well... and not just in Government.
@Tom- I was just in a suburb of Portland OR visiting a family member. There are three homes being built across the street from her. All I heard was Spanish (Mexican Spanish) all day long. However, they did good work and I have a feeling they have been together for quite awhile. They worked in sync.
I agree. The company we hired for our roof hired all Mexicans. Only one spoke English, but they were polite and did a great job; and our new windows were installed by Hispanics, and they too did a great job... The large neighborhoods being constructed in the area, however, (with minority labor primarily) are horrible and scream profit, profit, profit... I think my point was more of an economic one, and it's not the Mexicans or Hispanics fault, (although it would be nice if they could speak English if they're going to live and work here.) My thought was more that modern day businesses are designed for profit only, (at everyone else's expense) which is why Mexican and Hispanic labor is so common... Then again, a company like Amazon abuses everyone straight across the board... I suppose I was just thinking out loud and rambling... and I'm thinking humanity is still headed down a very bad road regardless of the good the Trump Administration accomplishes.
I guess it is all part of the NWO/WEF/Davos plan "You will own nothing and be happy!" - sadly they don't care about the 'happy' bit :-(
In my state of PA, reassessments have to be revenue-neutral. That means the county, and the municipalities and school districts that collect property taxes can’t collect more — as measured in dollars — in property taxes than they did before the reassessment.
I think that all states that have property taxes should have a law like this.
The government collectors of property taxes are the mafia except much more powerful.
Sunny, hi! When I retired about 21 months ago, I decided I would rent until I found my forever home to purchase or build. At this point, I'm staying put in my rental. It's turning out to be a better deal than purchasing a home, and it's a lot less work to maintain.
The reality of the crazed politicians and officials is mostly pervasive throughout our nation and World. If we could fire every one of them, a new bunch of bad actors would soon fill the ranks. The reality of the Biblical Truth is always in full view if we look.
The legislature is an Absolutely shameful disappointment in this...
It is much worse than theft, it is extortion.
Property taxes prove that the government really owns & rents out the property that you live in because if you don’t pay those taxes, you are evicted pronto..
Of course, Barack Obama and Oprah campaigned for Gillum in Florida when he ran against DeSantis. Not because he would have been a great governor, but because he was black.
Andrew the meth head.
Graham the pervert.
Where does the left find these jerks?
https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/im-graham-i-am-like-you-just-with
Remember Marion Barry? As Chris Rock used to say: "Smoked crack and got his job back!" The Democrats have always been the party of hookers and blow.
Flatulus,
And every other despicable, criminal, immoral, unethical, un-American activity. Because their purpose is to undermine our Constitutional Republic.
Morals have been optional in the Donkey party.
Groosum Noosum! Here's a clip from the great Mike Rowe's show with Adam Carolla about the oily dude. Choice! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54asGMxZzGQ
There is something wrong with Newsom.
It's called Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Basically a sociopath. "A pervasive pattern of disregard for the rights, safety, and feelings of others." A bit of a problem if you're supposed to be governing a state..
Correct. Wrote about that too. https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/the-hog-clip-as-a-symbol-of-delusion?utm_source=publication-search
Two of my favorite Podcasters!
So true! They happily prostitute themselves to the lowest common denominator. The Clintons, come to mind!
I saw the video of Marion Barry.
The left is "these jerks". The democrat party has become "these jerks". God willing, and we should pray for his willingness, the people who are moderates in the democrat party will realize the monster which has been created and continue to leave. The evil and sick people who have taken it over will use any means possible to impose their monstrous ideas on the rest of us - including stealing elections - which is why you have them so vociferously fighting having to prove they have legitimate elections. They do not! There is another problem and why they scream so loud and hate Trump and his admin so badly. He is cutting off most of the grift they have come to rely on by the redistribution of our tax money to them (in at least 1000 different ways), for votes. Which is why we must support his every effort, it is all for us. And finally, they have created this uniparty of s_Elected "representatives" to keep it all in place. Why in the hell wont Thune do away with the filibuster - because it allows them to keep all the grifts and unconstitutional actions - like s_Elections in place. 80%!!! Yes, 80% of Americans want the SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSED and Thune and the rest of those corrupt uniparty criminals will not get it done.
Just called his office and unloaded about his refusal to get the SAVE Act passed and taking out the part of Trump’s investment accounts for children that prohibited illegals from having access to the accounts.
Donna, You just said something I was not aware of! Thune removed the legislation preventing illegals from taking part? Where did you see this, I need to read about it too.
There is a Politico article.
Someone posted the link yesterday in reply to my comment hoping illegals couldn’t participate:
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/01/congress/senate-republicans-dial-back-school-choice-tax-break-in-revised-megabill-00435872
So now I guess the baby tourism has another incentive. China and others get to drain off taxpayer funds from our children 🧒🏽 n yet another way.
When is this crap going to end?
So, the good news is that it is not passed legislation, it is only the Senate version. The House version has the language. And the President could still potentially veto the whole thing, then requiring an over ride vote.
Thune is a rotten RINO, he is not doing the work of the country, he is doing the work of those who want to stay in power over us, like himself. He is reprehensible and I hope his state primaries him for failing to end the blue notes and filibusters which allow them to do nothing and without accountability.
Someone posted the link yesterday in reply to my comment hoping illegals couldn’t participate:
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/01/congress/senate-republicans-dial-back-school-choice-tax-break-in-revised-megabill-00435872
So now I guess the baby tourism has another incentive. China and others get to drain off taxpayer funds from our children in yet another way.
#swalwellitis
So, due to 'Smalwell' running for Governor, then being forced out of the race, his seat is up for grabs. They had a special election June 17, but are holding another in August for the same seat! $$$ wasted yet again! Smalwell was basically anointed to his first term when the previous holder moved on. The guy is an dolt and the people running for his seat are female Socialists. Ugg!
Torrance the left is scraping the bottom of the barrel now.
The barrel with no bottom that is sitting smack dab in the middle of a huge slimy cesspool..
My sentiment exactly. https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/the-idealism-of-absolute-idiots
Great read, thank you! And have you seen this? This here is the guy who "vetted" the Honest Oysterman. The voice is to die for...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QM-iuhVj_A&t=4s
He looks like a Russian and sounds like a Silicon Valley female who grew up in a wealthy family! His cadence and breathlessness, his smirking and head tossing while laughing is his way of dismissing his responsibility in the matter. Nothing ever touches these types, because they were never held accountable and have zero empathy and compassion for their fellow citizen!
Yea, the video is on my timeline here. The voice though? Very womanly.
Tremendous article. “I admit, some people ain’t idiots, they just commit to the lifestyle.” Love it.
Hat tip ma'am, do drive by my stack again.
Great article, Torrance! Love this: “ the entire Democrat Party should be either in prison or a mental institution, especially if you look at the folks they push to run for public office.”. Amen to that. I also learned a new word, “facinorous”, which according to my 1989 Webster’s Unabridged, means “atrociously wicked”. We can’t have too many words these days for wicked and evil. So thank you!
Stacked this today. https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/the-new-york-timess-middle-name-should
No lie detected here.
He forgot one. Democrat and nurse practitioner Susanna Gibson ran for office in VA while her side gig with her lawyer husband was livestreaming their fuzz bumping for "tips." Consider that they have children. When this became public, the dems doubled down on supporting their porn star.
@Beadle- fuzz bumping. That's a new one on me. HAHAHA!
Bingo!
We really need to hear the whole truth and facts about Byron Donalds versus Jay Collins as next FL Governor. I’m not liking the gut feeling I’m having right now…
What other qualification do you need?🙃
And also bisexual. It would be interesting to find out if he and his tolerant wife attended the same church as bho and Mike. That pastor was known for uniting “unmarriable” women with homosexuals who were looking at political positions.
Because he was a black democrat! Had he been black and a Republican, they would have campaigned against him!
What a disgusting animal...🦎
Animals, please forgive me for the crude analogy 🙏
seems to me blacks are more racist than whites, but I'm just a deplorable
Ain't no more or less. Either you a racist or you ain't.
And gay
Check mate.
Or actually because he fit their ideological and criminal preferred insanity.
07/08/26: JC: “They found Gillum in the room with two other men (one a male escort)…”
NO wonder Obama campaigned for him…
JC: “I don’t think it*** worked.” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
***Gillian’s post-2020 “rehab.”
I seem to vaguely recall some controversy regarding Gillum family members voting in Florida while claiming residency in other states. I wonder if they were part of his near win?
✝️✝️✝️
Sing to Yahweh a new song;
Sing to Yahweh, all the earth.
Sing to Yahweh, bless His name;
Proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day.
Recount His glory among the nations,
His wondrous deeds among all the peoples.
For great is Yahweh and greatly to be praised;
He is more fearsome than all gods.
— Psalm 96:1-4 LSB
✝️✝️✝️
Ok, I just sang through that scripture🩷
Fun!
This is the only reason I'm still on fb.
Me too. I stepped away for a few years around 2021, but decided to get back on because of my writing.
It’s torture to be on FB. I remain for FB Marketplace and Holistic Medicine pages.
Compared to before I took a break, now there are a zillion more ads and I have more followers with less reach and fewer reactions because FB just wants me to pay for ads.
I'm on there for the same reason, the marketplace and a group that discusses arcane points about one of my hobbies.
I feel icky when I'm on Facebook
Just go to my @WordsBeyondMe page. Never anything icky there. 😁 But I get it -- FB throws some pretty ridiculous things in my feed with some very stupid suggested pages to follow.
I feel empowered to make sure the devil knows exactly who I am. Not hiding the light. No fear. They tried but they had to pay me $6.
This is a nice playlist of refreshed worship songs. Some other good playlists at the channel too. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMsCRlJhCa_GJSvvK7XoqZCLabuus59Md&si=canoOuN-nYmMGWub
https://x.com/IsraelAnderson/status/2074604818539372875
"Two Lords: Lord Yhwh vs Lord Jesus.
Jesus says: pick one."
???
Jesus is the son of God... part of the Trinity! He died on the Cross as foretold in prophecy to take the punishment for the sins that we have committed so that we can be reconciled to God the Father!
Only one thing sweats and shakes worse than a heroin addict going through withdrawal:
A government facing a revenue reduction.
😜 Good one!
Sublime!!!
Just perfect
Ok I have to say… I worked at a ‘fat camp’ in NY state, the Catskills, during summer. I didn’t last the whole summer, these poor kids were coming back year after year because they’d lose weight and then go back to their habits when they got back home. The food was good, not terribly restrictive except for snacks, but the kids weren’t taught how to cook, or how to measure an appropriate portion size, or even just make better choices. They were active. It was crap like aerobics (it was around 1988), not something a kid would want to do for fun when they got home. Such a missed opportunity!
Jeff’s comment about Russian fat camps made me think about it. My apologies to anyone who isn’t as interested in my nostalgia as I am. 😂
Bring back malaria. I always lost at least 10lbs in 4-5 days whenever I got it in Africa. Dengue fever even better!
I stayed fat! We just ate hydroxychloroquine every day.
I used to want to get a stomach bug when I was a teenager for the same reason. 😂
Get yourself 'fat-adapted' on a Keto/carnivore diet - or through time restricted eating and your body will re-learn how to metabolise your fat stores. Having previously eaten the recommended 6/7 meals a day I went through it - and now I can go days without eating - doesn't impact my mood or my training (weights/ running) or ability for physical work. It is very freeing!
I’m fit and at an excellent weight, I said I felt like that when I was a teenager.
lol
Sounds like Big Fatta: "Don't Cure; Manage."
I was always the kid who ate more than everyone else, yet never gained a pound. I was teased for being thin! I desperately hoped I would keep some of the baby weight that most women complain about, but no luck. Eventually, in my fifties, I began to gain more than was comfortable and did not like the idea of having to purchase new clothing, so I decided to eliminate those foods that no longer agreed with my metabolism.
It wasn't particularly difficult, because I was ready to challenge my older self to the task of mastering tasks that my younger self wasn't good at. I mastered the game of Sudoku, even though my young self was terrible at math, anxious around numbers in general. So if I could excel at Sudoku and not hyperventilate over the prospect of timing out or messing up (flashback to grade school and timed multiplication tests), I could handle an elimination diet! Finding your trigger foods, the ones that put on pounds or cause bloating and aching joints, is very freeing.
The simple act of not eating a sandwich (bread) daily, was good for 5lbs! I had already given up added sugar, for other reasons, so going without cream in my coffee (took a while to master) and minimal ice cream, another 5 pounds. The last 5 pounds came off when I stopped eating pasta. It was tough at first, but I'm able to smell sugary foods long before I reach them in the store, they usually turn my stomach, but fruit and veg taste better than ever!
@Valerie- my daughters (not son) always battled with their weight. Younger daughter now has a (almost) 5 yr old son and is teaching him healthy snacking, meal and cooking habits. He chooses fruit over candy or similar crap, is the best egg cracker I've ever seen, and eats anything. He's going to be huge so it's important he eats properly.
Love it!
PERFECT analogy!
The American Revolution was fought over “Taxation without Representation”. American Citizens are once again being unfairly taxed. We are discovering that the majority of tax revenue, funds fraud, waste and incompetence. Our votes are nullified by the multiple forms of Election Fraud. Time for a new American Revolution!
Taxation without Representation.
🎯 🎯
For those who say, we do have elected representatives….I spit on that fake notion. We do not have any representation. We have robots who get paid to do what they are told regardless of what constituents want. Game players. Bought and paid for scum.
I've been calling them grifting wh@res.
I think about that all the time, taxed without representation. Packed school boards we still need to cut that beast, Teacher Unions.
Jpeach, I've been saying this for years! Pass the ammunition.
I think you are right 🎯🎯🎯
Wake up!!! There are 3 separate areas of election integrity that MUST be verified:
1. The voter (are they legal citizens, who reside in the state, at legitimate addresses, are they alive, etc)
2. The machines (did they count the vote the way the ballots were intended to be counted, I.e. sent to adjudication without proper oversight, vote weighting, etc. Are the machines connected to the internet?
3. The ballot process - were ballots handled with proper chain of custody? Received on time, postmarked and counted within legal timeframe, etc.
Fraud, malfeasance and incompetence can impact each or all of these areas!!! Just because voters (number 1) are legit doesn’t mean the ballot was counted properly or handled properly - ALL three aspects of the election must be intact to make the vote LEGAL!
Go here to learn more: https://election-integrity.info/Post_Election_Audits.pdf
Watch this short video: https://rumble.com/viaxgn-audits-explained.html
There WON'T be election integrity until _I_ can go in to my county office and VERIFY, MY SELF, that MY VOTE WAS RECORDED FOR MY CANDIDATE. I don't want to see that "I voted." I want to see "MY EFFECT."
I can appreciate the stick of withholding 20% annual FEMA Homeland Security grants if States don’t return to paper ballots. But it’s purely performative, to draw attention. The $ withhold threat is chump change.
Here are the 8, all mail-in voting States, and the ‘20%’ they would lose for non-compliance:
California: $11M ($55M grant)
Oregon: $3M ($15M)
Washington: $1M ($5M)
Utah: $800K ($4M)
Nevada: $3M ($15M)
Colorado: $5M ($25M)
Hawaii: $800K ($4M)
Vermont: $1M ($5M)
This new measure is part of the thousand paper cut approach.
“Andrew Gillum — former Tallahassee mayor, former Democrat gubernatorial candidate, former ‘rising star’ of the Democrat Party, is currently vacationing at the Baldwin County, Alabama jail.” This whole story is a laugh a minute! 😆😆
The Press called it "A setback"
Others commit "crimes." Democrats commit "setbacks."
I was seriously laughing out loud! What a 🤡 🌎
If this doesn’t end the DemonRat party nothing will.
Satan has a lot of power.
Not as much as he tries to project. James 4:7
@Connie- we had a local radio personality who when reading the news, would say "...is a guest at the (local) Sheriff's holding center."
😂
"But that would have required thinking ahead, which is not a core progressive competency."
JACKPOT 😃
I'm really pleased President Trump is, "working on microscopic Postal Service tracking of mail-in ballots." At the same time, I hope they'll watch Postal workers, and track any anomalies in their current assets. 😏
I just read yesterday that the price of stamps is going up this weekend so buy your stamps now.
@Karmy- We buy Forever stamps
They are still going up in price. I buy them too.
@Karmy- yes. Same. Daughter getting married this year. I'd better tell her stamps are going up but she went on the USPS website and THERE WERE NO WEDDING STAMPS!!! Like...what??
They must have floral stamps.
Just saw on the Newsmax2 scroll, forever stamps increase to .82 cents 😵💫
The thought occurred to me that Trump Administration is so far ahead of the curve that they've got folks 'planted' among ballot counters.
That would be awesome. 😊
Was there a proposal at one time to put some kind of invisible marking system on the official ballots so their authenticity could be confirmed?
I seem to recall something like that.
Thanks Jeff for covering EI and paper ballots. We in AL (you met us at the PUP Event) have been working on eliminating the ES&S Voting machines and returning to paper ballots for the last 3.5 years.
This includes researching, giving educational presentations on the subject as well as traveling to Germany for meetings with Election Officials.
A few pointers. . . France reports precinct election results within 1-2 hours of polls closing. They start counting the ballots 1 hour after polls open and throughout the day. At close, they only need to count the last hour's worth of cast ballots.
In Germany, they also report precinct totals within 1-2 hours. Counting starts after polls close but they have more poll workers per precinct's registered voters.
Besides getting untampered results, another important factor in eliminating the machines is cost per vote. In Alabama, the current cost is ~$7.73/vote cast. Hand Count Paper Ballots would be $2.71/vote cast. A four year election cycle savings of $35M.
Much more info available if interested.
Bob Retsch
Follow the money. HAVA provided billions to states to switch to computerized voting.
I'm sure that there were kickbacks that incentived election officials to ignore the cost differential.
"On October 29, 2002, President Bush signed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) that was authored by Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd into law. The federal legislation created many new mandates for state and local governments and provided $3.9 billion in federal funding. To date, Congress has appropriated $3.1 billion in funding. Connecticut has received $32.7 million in federal funding that has been set aside for future electronic voting."
https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/HAVA/HAVA-Help-America-Vote-Act
Mrs. RW
Once again: When did common sense become so uncommon? Paper ballots, one day voting, valid ID’s.
Common sense has been run over by corruption. Plain and simple.
Tru dat. Will we be engaged enough to fight back? Shine the light of disinfection? Or will the algae of the left take over what was once sacred?
I think FIFA might be running US elections. Trump should look into that.
I see gilded voting booths in our future. He’s been doing a lot of that lately. Still love him.
Doesn’t it seem like Democrats are the only ones who benefit from “late-received mail-in ballots”…or am I just imagining that?
No you are not! It's so obvious.
I’m sure RINOs do too. But only the RINOs. That’s why they block reform
“Federal officials said they would withhold some money unless states pursue paper ballot systems, verify citizenship and conduct costly audits.”
We should call these measures a "vaccine" against election fraud.
Checkmate, progressives!
The 20% withheld is chump change. So, no checkmate. It’s meant to draw attention and scrutiny. California penalty would only be $11M. Oregon’s penalty would be $3M. Washington State, $800K penalty. These are 3 West Coast States currently with 100% mail-in voting.
Jeff drew your attention to State of New York, who would stand to lose $40M.
I was mocking leftists use of the word "vaccine" . . .
Good Morning, Jeff and C&C!!
Happy cloudy Wednesday everyone! We got just over 2” rain the last 2 days…good for the gardens and the critters🌱🌿🌻🐿️🐇🦌🦅🦉