Timmy just calls tax increases fees and is able to hold to his word of no new taxes. It'll be nice when he's gone... I hope it's soon.
Here's a new one from today's Strib:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/5326083.htmlTraffic fee stirring debate among tenants, property managers
Dan Mitchell
April 4, 2005
Commercial and multifamily property managers and some of their tenants are bristling over the possibility that Minnesota cities soon might be allowed to impose a fee on landowners based on the amount of traffic their property generates.
A bill in the Legislature would allow cities to charge a "transportation utility fee" based on the number of vehicle trips generated by each property. Fees would be collected via utility bills, and the revenue would be used for road maintenance and improvements. The theory is that because apartment complexes and commercial properties create the most traffic, they should pay for improved roads.
Property taxes have been the main source of money for local roads, but "it's increasingly difficult" to rely on them, said Jim Miller, director of the League of Minnesota Cities. "Property taxes are the most onerous taxes there are."
Opponents of the bill say local governments are just trying to raise taxes without angering voters.
"This is not a fee, it's a tax," said Jack Horner, a lobbyist for the Minnesota Multi-family Housing Association. The bill gives city officials a way to raise revenue "without taking any political heat," he said. --MORE--