I have been a Louisiana resident for 55 years and have noticed drastic increases in property taxes over the past 15 years, especially in East Baton Rouge Parish.

I recently contacted the Assessor’s Office and was advised my property taxes were increased in East Baton Rouge Parish because property owners voted in the increases.

Well, that is not totally true because most of the taxes that have been passed were voted on by people who do not own any property at all.

Most of these proposed property taxes would have never passed if voted on only by property owners; an example is the CATS tax.

Why should a person who does not own property have the right to vote on property taxes??

They should not because the increase is never going to affect their family budget.

Persons who do not own property will always vote for property tax increases because they will reap all the benefits without paying a dime for the property tax.

It is the same as someone filling their tank with gas and having their neighbor paying for it. Louisiana legislators should pass a law which gives only property owners the privilege to vote on property taxes.

I have noticed when the economy is booming the government is quick to increase property owners taxes, after assessment, but when the economy goes belly-up the property taxes are not reduced.

Why not?

Increases after assessment may be appropriate when the economy is thriving, but when the economy is on the decline a reduction in property taxes should be appropriate also.

Since 2006, on average, property and home values have decreased 41 percent nationwide.

However, in the past six years I have not heard of any tax decreases in East Baton Rouge relative to property value assessment.

Property owners should demand a 41 percent decrease in their property taxes because they have lost 41 percent in property values.

The irresponsible spending by our politicians should be cut to accommodate the economy just as working families have learned to adjust their spending.

Barry Lee

Baton Rouge city/parish employee

Jackson

Article Source: http://theadvocate.com/news/opinion/303 ... tem-unfair