Don't Believe What You Read in the Ludington Paper

[XLFD]

When you run counter to the City Hall, you don't make friends with the Ludington Daily News.  This isn't how newspapers are supposed to work, but the LDN is still getting awards, so it must work for them.  But do the ones who work there that consider themselves journalist really think they're doing the public a favor by being the hitmen for the City to knock down the voice of dissent?

 

Here's a case in point; on Friday's front page, the LDN had a blurb about a candidate forum next Monday.  I would love to attend, but the problem is that it is being held at the City Hall, and I can't go there or anywhere in the Police Station legally without express written permission.  Three inches of this five inch blurb was about a candidates non-attendance at the event: 

 

All candidates except one have said they will participate.  Tom Rotta, an at-large candidate has declined the LDN invitation, in part because he believes he is wrongly barred from city hall (the LDN has been assured a no trespass order affecting his entry into certain areas of city hall does not preclude him from attending this forum or other public events) and in part because he sees the site as not being neutral.  

 

Damning if true.  If you're a regular reader on the Shay-nanigans, you know the Letter of Trespass bars me from all areas of City Hall, and says absolutely nothing in it about allowing me to go to any public events there, without express written permission.  Get used to that phrase.  The site is not neutral, because of that, he got that right. 

But I never declined.   To show the sheer idiocy of the banter between me, Kevin, and Steve Baloney, an editor of the LDN (me supplying at least 33% of that idiocy), I feel I need to show my E-mails in full to show what a fantasy world Kevin lives in.  See if you can find my declining of this forum.  It starts off with me replying to a request for an interview by Kevin Brainiac:

If you see any declining of the invitation, please let me know.  Also note, that the one E-mail from Shay was not express written permission-- I was CC-ed, and the he said something that was false.  Before the Workplace Safety Policy, anyone could attend a meeting-- the WSP saw to it that that isn't the case anymore.  One of the many reasons it is illegal and needs to be removed.

[AQUAMAN]

Some very well put points by cheeseburger and willy, thanks for your truths. Btw, Holman today insisted that higher taxes are being forced on Ludington's taxpayers by the State of Michigan. Here's the Real Truth on that old excuse, yes, they want higher millage and truth in taxation meetings to achieve this immoral and corrupt way of taxing, because home values are plunging ever lower everyday. But, they don't have to increase millage, they can tell the State NO, and then we will lose some funding and grant applications. So WHAT? We don't need their help as much as they would have us believe, they are just Greedy is what I say. The COL has a $7Million reserve on their trial balance that will do just fine for backup of any lost funding, thus assuring that homeowners don't continue to get bilked out of their earnings like this continues. Scare tactics are cheap and not legitimate imho.

[XLFD]

I can't believe Holman actually believes what she said.  Truth in Taxation hearings are only necessary if a taxing unit has decided to raise their millage rates above the maximum amount to be levied without a hearing. 

The City is not forced into a Truth in taxation hearing unless the greedy son of a guns want to take a bigger chunk out of the taxpayers than what the Headlee fairly rolls it back to.  

The tax rates get rolled back and if you're a city legislator, you can either try to unroll them through these devious, pernicious Truth in Taxation hearings or just be fiscally responsible and figure out how to cut down on some of the incredibly dumb expenditures, like painting the water towers ten years before the time they're needed with no competitive bids leading to an outrageous price we have to bear each year. 

[Sohn Jhay]

XLFD and AQUAMAN,

You talk a storm about high taxes but talk is cheap without any facts.

What are the property tax rates for the City of Ludington?  Can either of you provide the Homestead tax rate, Non-Homestead tax rate, Industrial tax rate, and Commercial tax rate for the City of Ludington.

Tax rates are a burden everywhere.  But the question that begs understanding is this: How does Ludington City's property tax rates compare with other nearby cities like Hart, Pentwater, White Cloud, Newaygo, Montague, Muskegon and Holland to the south; Manistee and Traverse City to the North, and Scottville, Baldwin, Reed City, Big Rapids, and Cadillac to the East?  One step further, how does it compare to the State Capital of Lansing?

I am willing to go out on a limb and guess that the City of Ludington's property tax rates are lower than the vast majority of those cities.

[XLFD]

Sohn,

Here's a complete listing of property tax rates for Michigan cities, townships, et. al.  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/taxes/2010_Total_Rates_353623_7.pdf

Those who live in Scottville are likely well aware of the onerous amount of taxes they pay (check page 105), and Ludington's is smaller in comparison.  Does this help Scottville in bringing businesses and industries into town and keep citizens there?  No.  Ludington is smaller in its tax burden, and there are plenty cities of all sizes with larger property tax burdens, but a quick check down reveals the following Michigan cities with smaller tax burdens and similar population to Ludington with a population of around 8000, and a PTR of 38.1:

Hastings (pop. 7095) PTR: 35.9

Niles (pop. 12,204) PTR:  32.9

St. Johns (pop. 7485) PTR:  33.9

Petoskey (pop. 6080)  PTR:  34.6

Swartz Creek (pop. 5102)  PTR:  31.4

And thats just looking at cities with pops between 5000-15,000 down to the 'G' counties.  These are the goals to strive for, as people and businesses like to see they will not be saddled with a high tax burden.

[Sohn Jhay]

XLFD

I named about a dozen cities that are nearby, along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and in the counties immediately surrounding Mason County's City of Ludington.  These cities are a more fair comparison of property tax rates because they all share the same basic vicinity, landscape, architecture, or culture as Ludington and are more typical of the same challenges and issues that Ludington faces.  The facts prove that Ludington's property tax rates are quite moderate when compared with most other cities within about a 75 mile radius and along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Pentwater (pop 3105) PTR: 34.3

Traverse City (pop 14674) PTR: 36.5

Hart (pop 1971) PTR: 37.8

Ludington (pop 8076) PTR: 38.1

Big Rapids (pop 10601) PTR: 38.1

Muskegon (pop 38401) PTR: 38.9

Manistee (pop 6226) PTR: 40.3

Reed City (pop 2430) PTR: 40.3

Cadillac (pop 10335) PTR: 42.0

Montague (pop 2281) PTR: 43.9

Newaygo (pop 1976) PTR: 45.8

White Cloud (pop 1381) PTR: 46.5

Scottville (pop 1266) PTR: 47.0

[Sweater Cows!]

Well, Sohn jhay. nice posting (the one with the tax info). Although from a different comparison table (region vs. cities of same size) people can make some of our own graphs & tables and see where things stand instead of all the hogwash about "he says she says"! About dang time!

[Dave]

I was referring to having a voice here (as in this website here) Einstein :-)

[Dave]

I have an idea Shon, go get your facts... maybe via an FOIA request or 2 and come and tell us all what you find.

[XLFD]

Einstein said that? ; )

[Sohn Jhay]

Dave

You obviously have a legitimate voice here.  I obviously was referring to having a voice in Ludington. 

No need to compliment Einstein.

[AQUAMAN]

Sohn-ya, you stated Ludington's taxes are less than all our neighbors, then say it's a guess, and willing to go out on a limb? Making WILD Guesses on this forum may be permitted, but it does not lend any, not one ounce, of credibility to your post. Fact is, I'd guess that the branch you just committed to and climbed out on is already breaking behind you, causing you a fall to the ground, hopefully, it doesn't damage your brain any further that it already obviously is. Just fyi, I tried to buy a home some years back in the city, for about $50-65K, taxes averaged $1200 or more. I ended up buying a house in PM Township with over 5 acres, not a single lot like the city, and the taxes were half, about $600. That's speaking from personal experience, not a WILD Guess based on your emotions, not facts. But hey, if you got the time, please do post them, I'd like to be informed by someone that knows wth they are talking about, and so far, it aint you pal.

[Sohn Jhay]

Aquaman

Taxes are inevitable, and I acknowledged that all taxes are burdensome. 

The city of Ludingon's tax rates are one of the items that candidate Rotta has been challenging.  I named about a dozen cities in the surrounding counties that can be compared.  You obviously did not do any research at all on tax rates comparisons between Ludington and any of those cities.  You have no credibility about tax rate comparisons.