by Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson

Property taxes in Pennsylvania appear locked into a long-term uptrend. In recent years, there have been huge increases in the portion of the property tax that finances county government. County officials have levied these increases to pay for the unfunded mandates imposed by the state government in Harrisburg. The largest share of the property tax funds the public school districts, and virtually nobody foresees a time when the expenditures of those districts will stop rising. These ongoing pressures for additional tax revenues raise the question: Is it politically and economically feasible to continue raising property taxes in the coming years?

Some might look at the results of a recent ballot proposal in Lawrence County and conclude that Pennsylvanians prefer a property tax over others types of taxes, but this conclusion is unwarranted. When offered the opportunity to receive a modest reduction in the public-school portion of their property tax in exchange for a one-percent increase in their earned income tax, voters in every school district in the county overwhelmingly voted against it. The context here is crucial. Voters were not opposed to property tax relief, but to a package deal that represented an overall tax increase.

We have a political stalemate in Pennsylvania, because Harrisburg has mandated that the only permissible reform to public-school funding must be structured like the Lawrence County proposals. The psychology is all wrong. It’s hard for voters to get excited about a proposal that makes an obnoxious, already-high tax just a little less high (i.e., the property tax) at the price of ratcheting up another obnoxious tax—the income tax—when the federal/state/local taking of income is already at an uncomfortable level. If Harrisburg really wants reform, it needs to emulate the boldness of the Michigan government in the 1990s, when it totally scrapped the property tax for school funding, and replaced it with a two-percent hike in the state sales tax. I suspect that Pennsylvania voters would be far more comfortable with an increase in one type of taxation if it were offset by the complete removal of another type of taxation. If you give pennsylvania voters the chance to eliminate one part of their tax bill completely, then tax reform has a fi ghting chance for approval.

The larger, more fundamental problem here is the property tax itself. This form of taxation is totally antiquated, appropriate in America’s 19th-century agrarian society, but out of place today. In the 1800s, when there was no income tax and it was considered none of the government’s business how much money anybody made, the property tax served as a proxy for one’s income. This made a lot of sense then, because it was logical to assume that the citizen farming 80 acres had a higher income than one farming only 40 acres. Today, though, the homesteads of most Americans are not their source of income, but merely where they live. Why, then, take more money from a citizen with a house of 1500 square feet than one with 900?

One of the elementary principles of prudent taxation is that, in order to avoid harming citizens, taxes should take into consideration the individual’s ability to pay. Today, one’s ability to pay depends far more on one’s income than on the size of one’s house. To continue taxing people as if their house were generating their income is absurd.

An additional fault of the property tax is that it can jeopardize home ownership. On the surface, it appears that once a person has paid off the mortgage on his house, then he owns it free and clear, but this is not so. If the homeowner falls on hard times and can’t pay his property taxes, the sheriff comes and confi scates the house.

Under the present system, a person doesn’t really “own” his home completely, but in effect rents it from the local government which permits him to keep it only so long as the “owner” continues to pay taxes on it. We have heard of senior citizens—wonderful, lawabiding citizens who worked hard for decades to buy their own home—having to sell their home because they couldn’t afford the taxes. This is abominable. And how many of America’s homeless persons became so because they fell on hard times and were evicted from their homes because they couldn’t pay their property tax?

In an era when it has been the federal government’s policy to facilitate home ownership as a central feature of “the American dream,” it is anomalous for local governments to make it diffi cult for some citizens to keep their homes. The property tax is outmoded, unfair, irrational, and destructive. It’s time to abolish it.

by Marvin J Ramirez

Marvin Ramirez

The enemies of Latinos have thrown a jab to the liver against immigrants with the latest immigration plan that calls for stronger employer sanctions if they hire undocumented people.

In a written statement, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), expressed deep concerns over the Bush Administration’s plan.

The measures include increasing the use of state and local law enforcement in enforcing federal immigration laws, expanding raids at workplace sites, and implementing new Social Security “no match” regulations that could put millions of Americans at risk of losing their jobs, says the statement.

“Today the Bush administration put forth a set of measures disguised as immigration enforcement which amounts to an assault on the civil rights of all Hispanic Americans,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

“The package of measures announced will result in the racial profiling of all working Latinos. In effect, what these measures will do is impose a substantial burden on a subset of our citizens which is based entirely on the color of their skin, their accent, or their name,” continued Murguía.

Why are they doing all that? Who’s going to benefit from it? Not only they are going to stain the soul of the country abroad as a humanitarian and nation of justice, but also it will hurt most large and small businesses nationwide at a time when there is serious fear of a recession.

Congressional opponents of real immigration reform have been targeting legal immigrants and even U.S. citizens in recent debates. The distinction between undocumented and legal immigration and between immigrants and Latinos has been deliberately blurred. It is the responsibility of congressional leaders to halt the scapegoating, do their job, and fix our nation’s broken immigration system,” concluded Murguía.

by Marvin J Ramirez

Marvin Ramirez

Behind a great man there is a woman, says the saying. Behind a great nation, there are some tyrants, I say. This is what is happening to this nation. Is has become a terrorizing nation against the same people who has helped her grow strong and rich.

In our city of San Francisco, there are some selfish politicians who only live to satisfy a few and the rich who help them put them in office. However, there are other politicians who love doing the common good, who want to show an example of real duty by helping and protecting those who don’t have instruments for their defense: the immigrants.

And although our local politicians have never gone an extra mile in helping undocumented drivers by means of extending the city’s sanctuary to their vehicles in the city by not confiscating them, the recent action of San Francisco Sup. Chris Daly is worth applauding.

Daly is requesting the City Attorney to draft legislation to create a plan to provide subsidies for immigrant applying for citizenship, green cards and petitions for relatives and workers.

“I’m particularly concerned that documented and undocumented immigrants do not have safe and economical pathways to citizenship and legal immigrant status,” said Daly.

The new federal fees to applying for a green card gone high from $325 to $930 – which could be the actions of a revenge against immigrants for protesting during the recent street immigrants ­marches– will really stress their fragile economic budget.

“The reality is that immigrants are a vital part of our society and make great contributions to our culture and economy,” said Supervisor Daly.

“These are the ties that bind us together and I believe they city has a responsibility to open its arms wide to all the people who help make this city work.”

But just as Daly is extending this noble gesture, he should also lead a legislation to stop the SFPD from taking the cars of the undocumented, especially now when school is about to start, and parents will need their vehicles to transport their children to school.

In case you do not know it, Angélica Lazoya, part of the personnel of the Mission Area Federal Credit celebrated her birthday July 7. A little late to dedicate a Happy Birthday, but it is never late to remember someone so special.

Mother of the wonderful months-old baby, Christian, Angelica makes feel the customers at credit union, like at home.

Angélica Lazoya

The personnel of El Reportero wishes her a lots of congratulations and to celebrate many more birthdays to come.

­by Elisabeth Pinio

Carmen Milagros

A San Francisco native, singer Carmen Milagro will be touring the Bay Area through September for several performances. Be sure to catch at least one!

Milagro will perform August 11, from 12:45 to 2 p.m. at the 1st Annual Latin Music Festival, at Jack London Square in Oakland.

Additional shows include: August 11 at Little Fox Theatre in Redwood City, at 7 p.m., opening for La Ventana for $16 presale ticket, call (415) 215-2433; August 16 at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley, at 8 p.m., admission $10 ($8 for students); August 17 at San Mateo County Fair, International Stage, from 4 to 5 p.m. Visit www.sanmateocountyfair.com for more information.

For additional information and tour dates, visit www.milagromusic.com/home.html.

Hunters Point Shipyard homeowners workshop Lennar/BVHP and the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency will be hosting a community workshop to inform residents of exciting new homeownership opportunities at the Hunters Point Shipyard. Those possessing a SFRA Residential Certificate of Preference will have priority in the sale of these new homes. The workshop will feature a presentation on market rates and limited equity. Refreshments will be provided.

The workshop will take place Wednesday, August 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Lennar Trailers in Hunters Point Shipyard. To RSVP, call the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Site Office at (415) 822-4847, extension 201. For more information, visit www.sfraaffordablehousing.org.

San Francisco City College Board of Trustees to meet

The San Francisco Community College District Board of Trustees will hold its monthly meetings August 9 and 23. Its study session will be held Thursday, August 9 at 4 p.m. in the Auditorium at the College’s 33 Gough Street facility. The Board’s action meeting will take place Thursday, August 23 at 6 p.m. These meetings are both open to the public.

For meeting agendas and information on the Board of Trustees, visit www.ccsf.edu.

San Francisco Symphony to perform free concert at Yerba Buena Gardens

The San Francisco Symphony ­and Music Director Michael tilson Thomas will perform a free outdoor concert at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. Sponsored by the PG&E Corporation, the free concert is an annual tradition and part of SFS’ campaign to make music accessible to the community.

The public is welcome to lunch and listen in the serene beauty of the park. The program includes music by Shostakovich, Richard Strauss, and Tchaikovsky.

The free concert will take place Friday, August 24 at noon. For the Love of Dance at the Metronome The Metronome Dance Center is proud to present an exciting night of dance, “For the Love of Dance.” The event will feature a cast of Metronome students performing in a variety of styles, including latin, swing, salsa, Argentina tango, modern, tap, and much more.

“For the Love of Dance” will take place August 24 and 25 at 8 p.m., at Cowell Theater, in Fort Mason, San Francisco. Tickets are on sale now, $30 advance pricing, $35 day of show. Youth, senior, and group discounts are available. For more information, call 415-252-9000.