The Great Tax Grab of 2001
A Time for Sacrifice, Except for Local and County Units of Government
St. Paul-In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on America, many have experienced hardship and uncertainty not known for
sometime. With massive layoffs and a slowing economy, many will have to make sacrifices, that is, except for local and county
units of government in Minnesota.
According to recent audits of municipalities and counties, more than 2.3 billion dollars of taxpayer money is tied up in reserve
accounts, approximately $935 million in local government and another $1.4 billion in county government. If returned, the average
household would receive returns in excess of $1,000, and in many cases, more than $2,000. In fact, what many cities have in
reserves total two times their annual expenditures, meaning that they could forgive all taxes for two years and still pay their bills.
According to Jed Ipsen, chairman of Minnesota Young Americans for Freedom (MN
YAF), massive surpluses give local and
county governments the ability to circumvent the democratic process. "By overtaxing, municipalities and counties can move
ahead
with local projects without having to ask taxpayers for permission to do so. Accountability has been replaced by overtaxing
citizens
at the local and county level, and it needs to stop," said Ipsen. He continued, saying, "in a year with dramatic legislative gains to
ease the tax burden on Minnesotans, the abuse of taxpayers by local authorities can not be tolerated. Citizens of every city and
county in the state should
demand a refund and hold their elected officials accountable. During this difficult time, everybody needs to do their part, including
local and county governments. The responsible thing to do would be to return the more than $2.3 billion to the people who it
belongs to, the people of Minnesota. Anything less is irresponsible and immoral."
MN YAF is an independent affiliate of the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), a national organization established in the
early
1960s. MN YAF can be contacted through their website at yaf.com/mnyaf.
You can visit the Taxpayer's
League's website for more info.