Monday, October 8, 2007

Stealth Legislator, Commissioner, Assessor, Auditor Meeting Report, 8 Oct. '07

Greetings Val....E. Friends and Neighbors,

Just returned from 8 Oct. meeting at Davis County Conference Center...very posh with drinks and breakfast finger foods supplied.

Same basic format as the 19 Sept meeting, except it was so well hidden from public view few if any heard about it. I tried for several days searching the Davis County Commission, Davis County Clipper, and State Calenders to confirm an earlier report of the meeting. But about 20 of us did in fact sleuth it out from much earlier reports and attended.

By the time all the commissioners, assessors, auditors, and legislators got through rehashing the same old information and commiserating over their property tax and political dilemmas, there was only about fifteen minutes left for public commentary.

Mr. Bert Hulet (a senior), from Bountiful rose and spoke for our cause stating interesting statistics he had gleaned from data available on-line. Bert wants what I want with a reassessment rate fixed at the Cost of Living Index.

Ron Mortensen also rose and spoke eloquently for our cause. (Paraphrasing Ron)..."Our current property tax system is like examining the entrails of a sheep. Where scientifically possible it is unlikely to yield accurate results."

Another gentlemen senior rose and asked if there were any among the illustrious group present who were willing to purchase his assessed "$900,000" property for the $200,000 he had been asking for it for the past year or so? None offered and the Davis Co. Assessor asked if it was under appeal and seemed to offer assistance.

Admittedly irrelevant...Ivie (Davis County Assessor) as it turns out, also flew F-4Js and Bs as a Marine Corps RIO (Radar Intercept Operator or backseater) in VMFA 333. I was an exchange USAF pilot to the USMC who flew with the same unit (MAW II LANT) in a different Squadron, VMFA 312, also out of Beaufort MCAS, South Carolina at about the same time. We enjoyed each others company for a time after wards.

I rose with less than a minute to speak. I said extemporaneously:

"I need you all to clear your minds for a second. I need you to open them (your minds) to something new. (Pause for 5 secs) Got it? Now I want you the get this.... Click here to read the rest of Machman's comments to the Legislators, Commissioners and Assessors...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

One comment I heard one of the legislator's state was, "The system is not broke." What a ridiculous statement! If the current system was not broke, then they would not be having two such meetings within a three week period.

The system is broke and the legislators are nervous and desperate due to 2008 being an election year and due to the public outcry surrounding the outrageous tax increases.

It was also stated that Utah is one of 6 non disclosure states in the Union. Non - Disclosure meaning that property sales do not have to be disclosed. Ironically, the broken taxation system is a "Fair Market" system. How can they determine Fair market value if sales are not reported?

Richard Sorensen
Huntsville

Unknown said...

For the record, I do have a Real Estate license and I am associated with Coldwell Banker Commercial. I am not actively working as a Realtor. I am focusing on the business of Real Estate Development and Senate business, of course.

Sen. Wayne Niederhauser

Minor Machman said...

Also for the record, it is good to hear from you Senator Niederhauser and better yet to know what your associations are. As I began our conversation as I recall...I said, "I think you just might have an open mind. And I am trusting I am not "trying to teach a pig to sing, wasting my time and annoying the pig."

Still have not had the time to correct the bogus minutes entry but will email you with correction soonest. Check back in often as we welcome open minds to the debate. The direction of the legislature over past years seems destined for national redicule and disgrace.

Anonymous said...

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!! Thank you Minor Machman for your unbelievable effort on behalf of the unrepresented silent majority--the tax payer. I suggested that we begin to profile these legislatures special interest. Isn't it interesting that Senator Niederhoser is a Real-a-tor. His whole existence is the 6% factor. I loved your idea of listing our homes with a Realtor for $500 each. Paying the 6%, $30 commission, then listing and selling it back to the original owner again for $500. All at an acquisition value of $500. I'd pay $60 in commissions to lower my Property taxes to $500(.55)times a mil levey of .011714 which equals $3.25 per year in Property taxes. If we all did this $500 thing, how fast do think it would take all 6% legislators to get their heads out of the dark place and inact a law to correct this $500 tax revolt.Probably about 6% of ONE-second. Signed Afterburner