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Thursday, December 31, 2009
Politics Resistance to Rental Tax, AKA Landlord Tax
Posted by Jim Nintzel on Thu, Dec 31, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Trouble is brewing for City Manager Mike Letcher's proposed tax on residential rent payments.
The Arizona Multihousing Association is promising to bring a crowd to the City Council meeting next Tuesday, Jan. 5. The meeting, BTW, has been moved from the council chambers at City Hall to the Tucson Convention Center to accommodate the hundreds of people who are expected to turn out. The study session begins at 2:30 p.m. and the evening meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Here's the AMA press release:
Renters in the City of Tucson are outraged over a new tax being proposed by City staff as part of a mid-year budget fix. Tucson City Manager Mike Letcher is pushing for the tax and yesterday held a press conference to force the City Council to choose between a tax on renters and police & fire layoffs—a move that Tucson’s renters are calling a “false choice.”
“This is an example of political posturing to force the City Council into adopting new taxes on Tucson’s renters—people who can least afford it right now,” said Barb Dolan, Government Affairs Liaison for the Arizona Multihousing Association. “It does not need to be pitted as public safety vs. renters.”
“I support our police officers and firefighters,” said Isabel Pena, a Tucson renter. “I am mad that the City manager would make the Council choose between a new tax on me and other renters and police & fire layoffs. Why are Tucson’s renters being singled out to fix the entire budget problem?”
Renters are also criticizing City staff for lack of transparency in the budget process, as the rental tax proposal was unveiled on December 15 and scheduled for a vote on January 5, which is the same day as the public hearing on the subject. Details about the hearing’s location and time, as well as the renter’s tax, were not available until Monday, December 28. Despite the lack of public notice, renters are vowing to show up at the hearing, scheduled for January 5, 2010.
Earlier this year, the City turned down a proposed 2 percent rental tax after more than 700 residents rallied against it. Among the reasons given by the Council for rejecting the tax were the regressive nature of the tax and the impact it would have on those with lower income levels and on housing affordability in Tucson. Additionally, opponents argue that the tax is double taxation, as property taxes are charged to all rental property, which is then passed on to renters.
Comments (10)
Showing 1-10 of 10
Has anyone of Old Pueblo newsmedia thought to ask Letcher how he came up with 2%? Why not 3% or 5% or 10% or 1.5% or whatever%? Why 2% as if that magic number would fix things up good in some econometric way, as if matters of principle don't matter...
Time to step up to the plate, Journalist Kristi Tedesco of KVOA?
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Hey Red Star,
I think the 2 percent follows the 2 percent sales tax on everything else the city charges. It's also in line with what neighboring jurisdictions charge, except for South Tucson, which charges 2.5 percent.
It could certainly be lower, if the council decided to go that route. But from a strictly political point of view, if you're going to enact a tax, why not do it at 2 percent? You'll get the same heat from voters as if you did a 1 percent tax, and you'll bring in twice as much money. (That's leaving aside the actual impact on taxpayers.)
Red Star still wonders how Letcher (not Jim Nintzel, with all due respect) came up up with 2.000000000000000000000000000000000000%
It could be lower, it could be higher.
And we could present the hoary haggling over price with the prostitute thing...
But seriously, is the Old Pueblo ready for social science or any kind of science given that Nebraska smacked UA down last night?
Time has come for all angry citizens to step up to the plate, come to the Tucson City Council meeting on January 05, 2010, get right in the ugly face of our civic leaders and tell them emphatically:
"WE'RE MAD AS HELL. AND WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!
Today's Arizona Star editorial on the "renter's tax" stated Tucson was in a budget crisis because of the recession.
What they didn't tell you is this: Arizona Open Border Policies, the use of cheap, Illegal Mexican labor to fuel the construction boom, etc. set forth the conditions which resulted directly in the Wall Street Collapse of 2008 and the loss of 25% of America's capital.
Don't believe me? Just re-read all the stories for the past year regarding the Magnus Corporation collapse. You'll get the picture.
Get it? Letcher and the rest of these BOZOS CAUSED the economic collapse. Now they want us to follow their direction to right the ship and get things moving again.
Time to get THEM moving...out of office and out of town.
Let Tucson go bankrupt. Let the legal process play itself out. Let our public officials reap their full share of the blame for bringing economic catastrophy upon us!
Roy Warden
roywarden@cox.net
It is NOT uncommon for Tourism based cities to enact a 10-12% BED tax on hotel/motel rentals. As for "Why should just the renters pay?" I dunno, I smoke cigarettes, why should I pay for "early childhood education" and YOU don't?
Doesn't anyone see what is happening here. This city council is following the US Congress. The US Congress does not listen to us the tax payer, look at the health care and other bills we have protested. The city council figures if congress can do it so can we, As for Channel 4 well they are in Obama pocket.
We can and should recall every member of this city council and fire the mayor and city manager. Channel 4 should be closed down.
"The study session begins at 2:30 p.m. and the evening meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m."
Red Star wonders whether the events will be televised live on Cox channel 12...
Hint:
http://tucson12.tv/guide.html
Red Star: Thanks for mentioning that. I talked to the Clerk's office yesterday and despite what a different staffer at the Clerk's Office told me last week, the meeting does start at 2 p.m., not 2:30. FWIW, I made a point of asking if he was sure he was right because 2:30 didn't sound right, and he assured me that was the starting time. Sorry for the misinformation.
A sly and precious reference to Buffalo Springfield?
http://www.reasontorock.com/tracks/for_wha…
The city could get the 2% plus some if they had someone check the craigslist ads against registered rental property. Or increase the fines on permit violations for rental units. Make the scofflaws pay their due. How could the Arizona Multihousing Association disagree with that?
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