Assessor Goes Too Far With Tax Reduction Gambit... May 17, 2006 Daily Bulletin...

Williamson's "Stunt" should be done, it should be applauded and warrented. The Property Tax should be taken away all together!! We pay to Much Taxes in "The New World". Our Country was build on the Patriots Fleeing England because of High Taxes!! Now that we don't have anywhere to flee, they have us by the, short Hairs of our Eye Brows and just keep adding taxes to everything. The next thing that we will be taxed on is the Internet, and Food. They talked of Taxing "Junk Food" not to long ago, but they had a hard time defining what "Junk Food" was by the Definition that they were going to use in the Newly established Tax Law!!

Pretty Soon, Waiteresses will not get Tip's because of the Tax, so they will add that onto the Check as a "Service Tax" OH! WAIT! THEY ALREADY DO THAT!!

They should have one tax and one tax only, Out of this one tax should be taken both the State and Federal Share of the monies, for example. if everyone paid an Income Tax of 17% out of this 17% 12% would go to the Federal government and 5% would go to the States, or if they want to get Fancy, then it could be done in this fashion. It could be an sorry, but an 20%. Out of this percentage the State would get 10% and the Federal government would get 10%, On every $1000.00 the State would get $100.00. and the State would get $100.00. $800 would go to the person that made the money. Now there would still be provisions for people that are disabled, just as it is today. If you make $50,000.00 then you would pay in $10,000.00 to the Fed & State, $5000.00 to each Governmental Faction. so you see it would be the same with a person that purchased a house and had two children write off, Plus the States would get a whole lot more money. They would rely less or would have to rely less on the Federal government, and the Federal Government would be better paid as well, because they make that all over the fifty states. Now based upon population some states might need some subsidies by the federal government to help them out. I would hope that it would not be to lift more tax money away from the TAX payer. WE ARE PAYING TO MUCH TAXES OUT THERE.

The "FLAT TAX" would be the better way, and easier, however there would be less persons working and needed in the government Treasury Department, They could be Transferred to FBI work Crimes like Bank Robbery, etc etc... it would work out there better, we might get some kind of handle on the crime rate. in some situations we would get more money, douwn the line. Please Tell ME!!! What do you think??? Flat TAX?? Why???. or should we stick to the current system?? why do you think it is we currently stay with this system???....Please Tell me so I can understand..enlighten me..Please...

BSRancher....

Assessor goes too far with tax reduction gambit

Publicity stunt or not, San Bernardino County Assessor Don Williamson’s belligerent attempt to buck the system and hand out tax breaks on his own clearly is a breach of duties. And it should not be tolerated. Williamson wants to give 70,000 San Bernardino County property owners a reduction in their property tax valuations under Proposition 8, which would lead to a subsequent reduction in taxes. Williamson says it’s his duty as elected assessor to protect property owners. And he’s relying on a 20-year-old letter from the state Board of Equalization, which he says justifies his action. Problem is, neither the Board of Equalization nor county counsel backs him up. In fact, Board of Equalization Chief Counsel Kristine Cazadd says the 1986 advisory letter in no way gives Williamson the authority to act on his own. And if he does, the board likely would audit the county’s assessments – and seek a court injunction. Running for re-election to a fourth term, Williamson said Monday he was bound and determined to carry through with his ‘‘constitutional duty’’ and deliver on those tax breaks. County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer, on the other hand, is ready to pull out all the stops to block Williamson’s maverick move, down to barring the Assessor’s Office from altering the records in its computer database. ‘‘This isn’t about low taxes,’’ Uffer said. ‘‘It borders on an illegal act of malfeasance.’’ Uffer is exactly right. If Williamson were allowed to carry out his scheme, the property owners in question would receive an average deduction of $30,000 in assessed property value. But the lowered tax valuations would shortchange the county tax rolls – by about $20 million. It would mean a tremendous loss to county schools, and other tax-funded services – all because Williamson sees fit to pull a cheesy election-year gimmick. Uffer needs to do more than block it. Williamson deserves a county reprimand, even if it plays into the hands of his chief opponent, Bill Postmus. Postmus is chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Still, Uffer, who is doing the right thing by seeking to block Williamson at every turn, should not carry through on his childish threat to hold back on a long-planned staffing increase for the Assessor’s Office. That wouldn’t be fair to taxpayers, whom the office serves. And it certainly doesn’t show mature leadership on the part of the county’s top administrator. Then again, Williamson’s bid to act on a ploy only he thinks is legal isn’t productive either. It makes you wonder if Williamson really is qualified to serve as assessor. Disagree? We’d like to hear from you. Write us at letters@dailybulletin.com.