Magnifisyncopathological

News8Austin: East Austin residents want more affordable housing

Lela Castro's family has owned a home on Holly Street for more than 100 years.

A lot has changed over the decades. The most noticeable -- property taxes. They're higher than ever before. "Four times higher," Castro said.

The story is similar all over East Austin.

"People that are trying to stay here, they're taxing them out of here," Castro said.

To whom does the blame for high taxes go?

"It has raised in this area, the land value 400 percent. Our taxes have increased 123 percent," Susana Almanza of People Organized in Defense of Earth and Her Resources (PODER) said.

Sure, it is true that with increased land value the government will take more in property taxes. But even statutory provisions like that don't make this some passive process. Someone still has to decide to tax you. Someone still has to send you warnings of late or underpayments. Someone still has to knock on your door to serve a warrant. Someone still has to issue a lien against your property.

Someone still has to threaten you with police violence to make The System "work."

PODER says affordable housing is a hard thing to come by.

"The development that is coming in, a lot of the local people can't even afford to rent it. All the different so-called economic development that came down 11th Street, if you look at it, it's national corporations," Almanza said.

DUN-DUN-DUUUUUNNNNN!!!

The city of Austin has a bond advisory committee that's responsible for coming up with capital improvement ideas. They have created a package worth $769 million. In that, $25 million is allocated for affordable housing.

PODER and several other groups say that's not enough. They want the bond proposal to dedicate at least $75 million for affordable housing.

You are all stupid motherfuckers (and I won't even get into the absurdity of PODER's name).

IF:
High taxes are impeding the ability of low-income Austinites to live, particularly in the East Austin area.

THEN:
Why do you want the city to issue bonds that will put greater upward pressure on property tax rates down the road for everyone?

What fucking world do you people live in? If a bond passes, the city will "borrow" from me (a grossly inappropriate description) and then pay it back to me plus interest. Now, put your thinking caps on: from where will that repayment plus interest come?

The City of Austin's stores?
The City of Austin's productivity increase in it's factories?

No, it'll come from the fruits of brainless fucking twits DEMANDING higher property tax rates. Thanks. Thanks a lot.

"It's a basic human right. That's what it comes down to. It's a basic human right that everyone should have decent housing," Almanza said.

No, no it is not you collectivist asshole. Here's a hint: there is nothing "right" about a gun in my face telling me to pay up so some other guy can live. Fuck that and fuck you.

In the meantime, neighbors want city leaders to come up with additional solutions.

"City council needs to open their eyes and see what is happening to this area. They need to open their eyes and see and be fair with the people down here and not allow this to be happening," Castro said.

Then get your friends. Gather your family. Go up to the city council, look them straight in the eye, and tell them to actually, empirically, absolutely lower our gawddamn taxes.

The Austin Bond Advisory Committee will hold a public hearing Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. at city hall. At the hearing you can offer your own input on how to use bond money.

Copyright ©2005TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

Bah, that's a Tuesday and I'll probably be swamped with other shit to do.

But why would I even bother to go? I'd arrive there with alien premises. I'd be at best a curious creature from some Martian black lagoon, not worthy of the deep nuanced consideration afforded to others. At worst, I'd be the meeting's designated lunatic and treated accordingly.

Why would I want to talk to walls all evening?