Plan Would Let Seniors Work to Pay Taxes

[RamboLiberal]

Source: breitbart.com/AP

Audrey Davison lives alone, gets a $620 Social Security check each month and worries about the sharply rising taxes on her four-bedroom house. Davison, 76, raised her family there and after 43 years, she really doesn't want to leave Greenburgh.

Greenburgh doesn't want her to leave, either.

The town is pushing a program that would let seniors work part-time, for $7 an hour, to help pay off some of their property taxes.

"People shouldn't have to sell their house, move away to a place with less taxes, leave behind their family and friends," said Town Supervisor Paul Feiner.

He envisions retired doctors mentoring schoolchildren, retired accountants helping with the town's finances, retired lawyers offering their services for a discount. But there are plenty of less-skilled jobs that need doing, he said.



Read more: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8TOKT9G1&show_article=1

---

To me this sounds more like indebited servitude. I'm of the opinion that in many cases people are penalized by the insane housing market and for doing their best to keep up their property. And I can't blame seniors who would like to stay in the house in which they raised a family and holds their memories. Property taxes should be better tied to ability to pay and I hate this idea that seems to be becoming ingrained in this country to have to work till the day you're sent to the nursing home or die. I think you should be able to work if you want to, or enjoy your senior years if you want, or hopefully if able you'll be able to be financially secure and volunteer your time.

[ClintonTyree]

1. Another effect of the Bush tax cuts for the rich.....

increased property taxes for the middle class. The money taken from these municipalities to support Bush's tax cuts has to come from somewhere and lately it's been in the form of increased property and school taxes.

Yes, let's send our elders back to work for $7.00 an hour so Bush's rich pals can have and keep their tax cuts they so richly deserve. :sarcasm: :grr:

[POAS]

2. What about the disabled and

others not able to work off their indebtedness to the government?

Ohio has a "homestead exemption" plan for elderly homeowners which reduces the tax burden and which was recently expanded thanks to the efforts of our new Democratic governor Ted Strickland.

Seems a more fair system than this work-till-you-drop plan.

[JDPriestly]

37. This is practically criminal extortion.

You impose impossibly high taxes on people's property which bears no proportion to their income, and then, you offer them the "opportunity" to pay you back at what will soon be about minimum wage. Ms. Davison is disabled, and her property taxes are out of bounds:

Davison, who suffers from arthritis and sciatica and needs a walker to get around on her bad days, said she pays about $12,000 a year in property taxes — perhaps $2,000 to the town — and has already taken out a reverse mortgage to pay her bills.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Plan_would_let_seniors_work_to_pay__12252007.

Offering a job to a senior citizen like Ms. Davison is a cruel joke. I have arthritis and sciatica. Mine is not bad, but sitting in an uncomfortable chair is one of the things that can set it off. I have an exercise that either gets rid of it or makes it hurt less, but I have to have a certain kind of surface to do the exercise on. And I cannot drive once I have it.

It is particularly ironic because New York state is where many hedge funds have their homes and where many of their employees are headquartered. Maybe if the hedge funds paid their fair share of taxes, seniors like Ms. Davison would not have to worry about theirs.

Senior citizens often have a difficult time organizing a move and adjusting to living in a new place. It can ultimately speed their deaths. What cruelty!!!

[ptolle]

56. indeed

One would think that any compassionate, enlightened society could figure out a way to help keep seniors in their life-long homes.It's not as if they've not made their contribution to society.Of course it could be that the descriptors I chose don't really apply to this country any more.Not being all that good at arithmetic I'll not figure what a couple months of the waste in the mess-o-potamia could do in the way of relief for people in this situation.

[boobooday]

3. This is disgusting

The program would "let" seniors work part time. hmph

[sarcasmo]

4. Isn't this plan basically slave labor for Taxes?

[Brrrp]

Sure it is.

It also displaces younger workers.

[BushOut06]

5. Sounds like something out of the Middle Ages

It's disgusting that something like this would even be seriously considered. Why not just bring back the debtor prisons? Why not seize children from people who can't pay their taxes?

[Orsino]

6. Welcome to Neocon America.

You will work until you die.

[MaineDem]

7. "Let" them work?

How magnanimous of the town!

[acmavm]

8. Isn't it ironic that these old people are considered 'debtors' to the

government? I mean, why? What is the government doing for them so that they incur this debt?

Nothing, at all is what the government is doing for them. They just need someone to pay the taxes of corporate America and the upper 5% of this country. So let 'em work until they drop.

[dbt]

9. "Are there no prisons?"

"And the union workhouses? Are they still in operation?"

:rofl:

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. "They are. I wish I could say they were not."

:cry:

[rockybelt]

10. This is a personifaction of the compassionate conservative.

My wife is on disability social security, I am on social security and I have to work to make ends meet. But I can only make about $250 a week until I turn 66 or my benefits will be reduced by 2 to 1 if I make over $12,400.00 per year.

It is absolutely disgusting that these goddamned politicians can only think of how to get elderly people out there working instead of reducing taxes. What a bunch of ass-holes.

[TechBear_Seattle]

11. The phrase you want is "indentured servitude"

From the Wikipedia article on indentured servant:

An indentured servant is a laborer under contract of the employer for some period of time, usually seven years, in exchange for such things as ship's passage, food, and accommodations.

A major problem with the system of indentured servitude was that in many cases, an indentured servant would become indebted to their employer, who would forgive the debt in exchange for an extension to the period of their indenture, which could thereby continue indefinitely. In other cases, indentured servants were subject to violence at the hands of their employers in the homes or fields in which they worked.

[RamboLiberal]

47. Thanks - I know the phrase I wanted

Blame it on early morning should've been in bed dyslexia!

[cap]

12. why not a property tax exemption for low income seniors?

not everybody can work... lots of seniors are sick.. My mom tried to go back to work after a quintuple bypass. She lasted 1 day and quit because she couldnt do it.

[TechBear_Seattle]

14. You can only give tax breaks to special CORPORATE interests n/t

[BearSquirrel2]

70. Because then ...

Because then high income seniors would still have to pay property taxes. The whole point of pushing all these universal tax increases was to coax universal exemptions and break yet another level of progressive taxation.

[gordianot]

15. This is the real Death Tax.

Work until you die making the so called Death Tax a reality afterall.

[fascisthunter]

54. "The Matrix" May as Well Be Real (nt)

[melm00se]

16. this is insane

working for the government to pay off your government tax bill?

BTW, NY/NJ have, for as long as I can remember, the most brutal property tax rates in the country (one reason why I left NY - currently I pay 1/3 of my last NY residence's tax bill and my garbage still gets collected, the police patrol the streets, the schools are open, kids are being educated and the streets get plowed).

Property taxes, even with senior citizen, veteran and disability exemptions, really hammer folks on a fixed income.

[blondeatlast]

17. The idea is beneath contempt. Get these assholes to a library and make them read Charles Dickens.

Revolting and utterly disrespectful. Ugn.

[MGKrebs]

18. My idea for property tax exemptions:

I say freeze property taxes when you turn 65. The government can continue to assess the property and maintain an account of what the actual taxes would be based on real value, but if you are over 65 you would only pay the frozen rate... until the property is sold. The buyer would have to catch up the back taxes. Also, an owner could choose to pay more than the minimum frozen rate if they are able in order to make the resale easier.

I think that, perhaps with rare exceptions, the "balloon" tax at resale wouldn't be that much of a burden. Remember, it would only be an amount over and above the frozen rate.

Here in Atlanta, a house that is $300,000 might have property taxes of $1500 per year. If I turned 65 this year and my taxes were frozen, but my property value doubled suddenly, my tax might be $3000 per year. So 10 years from now, there would be a $15,000 tax due. But on what would then be a $600,000 piece of property, this would not necessarily be a deal-breaker, especially if a family was just trying to liquidate the property.

[dh1760]

21. Why should the new owner be penalized for the 'frozen years"?

I was in agreement with your proposal until you mentioned the balloon tax payment. Your property tax on a $300k home in Atlanta may be $1500, but my property tax (in Nassau County, NY) on the same home would be 3 times that amount (the property/school tax on my $500k home is close to $8000 per year). Using your example (value doubling after 10 years), the balloon here would be closer to $50,000 ... not such an insignificant amount.

I'd modify your proposal to completely write off the above-frozen portion of the property tax, and simply have the new (presumably younger than 65) owner start paying taxes at the fair-market assessed rate.

[MGKrebs]

28. The problem is that government needs a certain amount of money to operate.

Almost all public school funding comes from property taxes. We have to be careful about just eliminating major revenue streams for the government. Especially, in this case, with a surge in retirements looming.

While $50,000 on a $1 million home may not be insignificant, if values are increasing fast enough to cause the problem in the first place, it's still likely a good investment for somebody. And I would anticipate banks structuring new types of loans so you pay reduced interest on the tax portion, or maybe mortgage companies would include set-aside accounts with new mortgages so that there was money for the taxes down the road.

[AllyCat]

30. But as a potential home buyer, I would not want to take on that add'l amt

and look elsewhere. These people will be stuck in these homes or their families will be stuck with them in estate and not be able to sell.

I love your tax rates, y'all. Here in our little burg in WI, we pay $3K a year in property taxes on a $155,000 home. I like yours better. Of course, we couldn't sell it for that in this market, but since we just put a new roof on it, the assessed "value" shot to $165,000 this year. Yeah, right.

[MGKrebs]

32. yes but keep in mind that this problem only occurs in areas where

property values are increasing fast enough to make the tax bill part of their costs unaffordable for some residents. Also consider that we are primarily trying to solve the problem of fixed income and retired people being forced out of their homes. In most cases, the house will already be paid off, so there is a lot of flexibility in the asking price.

1. The current resident isn't forced out due to tax increases.
2. The government still gets funded.
3. In the vast majority of cases, the house itself is paid for, so at sale there is plenty of flexibility in sell price.
4. Would probably also serve to stabilize the real estate market a little bit. A house with an outstanding tax burden would automatically reduce it's value by a similar amount. It would end up a lot like a reverse mortgage.

[Gormy Cuss]

36. Actually, your idea would be more palatable if at sale the backlog is paid by the owner.

The owner is probably either leaving to go into a nursing home (where the remainder of the house value would be used for care) or has died, in which case the backlog of taxes would decrease the value of the estate. Otherwise, if the owner is selling in order to move into smaller or cheaper housing, it's still the same idea -- use the proceeds to pay the tax backlog first.

Homestead exemptions are also a good thing if they offer protection from having the house taken solely for back taxes. Some states honor homestead exemptions for the poor regardless of age.

[MGKrebs]

66. That would be OK too.

The government still gets their operating funds, just a little delayed.

[starroute]

77. Where do you get that "only occurs" part

My property taxes have skyrocketed because the town I live in is surrounded by a rapidly growing ring of new developments filled with young families with children who require an expansion of the school system.

Those of us who own houses in the town -- mostly older, with grown children and modest incomes -- aren't particularly happy about being taxed to pay for the education of other people's children at rates well beyond what we and other homeowners of 10-20 years ago were paying for our own kids. But there isn't much we can do about it.

For most people, their home is the most valuable thing they own, something they plan to either use to finance their retirement or leave as the major portion of their inheritance for their children. Do you really think there's "plenty of flexibility" in the sales price of a house that somebody is depending on to get them into a retirement community? Or that not being able to leave anything of value to your children doesn't matter because they shouldn't have been counting on it anyway?

[MGKrebs]

82. This plan is designed to solve the problem of those on fixed incomes, often seniors,

being forced to sell their home because they can't afford the taxes. If you are not on a fixed income, or if you are still pre-retirement age, you are likely still in a position to sell your house and move somewhere more affordable. Hopefully your property taxes, like most everywhere else, are tied to the value of your house, so you should do quite well if your taxes are going up dramatically.
It is a rare plan that can accommodate all situations and all people with a simple stroke, and other pieces can be added to fill in where necessary. But if your particular problem is that you couldn't sell your house anyway because of the high taxes in your area, then that has nothing to do with this plan. You may need some new county administrators.

[snappyturtle]

65. That's what was done in Kerrville,TX last year or earlier this year...

can't remember exactly, but the housing boom here was skyrocketing property taxes and hitting the older community too hard in the pocketbook.....especially, the ones on fixed income.

[bahrbearian]

19. Hey .Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. , you could waive her taxes, yes.

[shain from kane]

27. But... but... but, then how would he get paid?

[bahrbearian]

31. I understand that Retired Doctors and Attorneys can make $7 / HR

just think what a town planner could make.

[AngryAmish]

85. Or the retired teachers

Come hell or high water, they demand their thirty pieces of silver.

[MNDemNY]

20. Maybe they could clean bedpans to pay for their meds.

[ckramer]

22. Isn't capitalism (greed) great?

Leave no seniors behind!

Suck them dry until they die!

Work work work no retirement for you!

Has Obama or Hillary speak up on this yet?

[AllyCat]

29. They probably won't. n/t

[Wcross]

35. Uh, it isn't a corporation doing this, it is local government.

How could this be tied to capitalism? If anything it is local government that has grown too large for its tax base.

[ProudDad]

38. Your Corporate Capitalist Masters' employees

the pukes and "conservative" Dems CREATED THE PROBLEM...

The town "fathers" are all "capitalist" drones...

That's how they're related...

[Wcross]

42. No, overspending by local government created the problem.

But I thank you for your incoherent rant.

[ckramer]

49. No one dare to say no to new spending

No one stand up and say we should reduce the budget for next year. Very unpopular inside local governments...Everyone vote yes to expand...

Save and conserve are no longer virtues.

[ProudDad]

69. Which schools should they close?

Which roads should they allow to be pockmarked?

Which libraries should be shut?

Which houses should be allowed to burn down?

Which additional crimes should be allowed to be committed without sufficient response?

Taxing the rich and the corporations their fair share for their use of the commons to acquire their profits are no longer virtues...

[ProudDad]

67. Over spending by local government

because the pukes and "conservative" Dems have allowed corporations and the rich to avoid paying their fair share any more.

Follow the money. Follow the power.

But I thank you for your shallow analysis of the situation...

[Wcross]

83. So, when you looked at Westchester counties budget you didn't see some fat?

http://www.westchestergov.com/pdfs/BUDGET_2008ProposedOperating_sectionB.pdf

It is my understanding that property taxes are based on the assessed value of a property. Should a person with a net worth of 1,000,000 living in a 500,000 dollar house be taxed differently (property tax wise) as someone with no net worth & living in a 500,000 dollar house? Why should a persons financial position matter when taxing their property?

As far as corporations, sometimes county governments will offer tax breaks for businesses in order to retain them. It is part of the counties economic development efforts. Give a tax break to one large employer & they attract other businesses. More people work & live in the community which stimulates the economy.

Do you have any evidence that "the rich" are getting special treatment regarding their property taxes in Westchester county, New York? Not only would I like to see your evidence, I am sure the people of Westchester county would like a peek.

Shallow is blaming EVERYTHING on the rich & corporate America. Is that sort of like the "easy" button in your world?

[ckramer]

40. Local government didn't make the housing price go up like crazy

the past 10 years, did it?

Stock market bubble, housing bubble, pure capitalistic phenomena.

[Wcross]

58. But local government DOES formulate a "budget".

They set tax assessments & tax rates.

[RaleighNCDUer]

52. The rise in taxes is directly attributable to the increase in housing

valuations, created by the insane housing bubble - which is now bursting, leaving homes assessed far beyond their actual value. The taxes are assessed on the inflated price, which is a price that homeowners cannot ever see on resale.

All because of real estate speculation, which is capitalism in its purest form.

[Wcross]

61. Who determines assessments and tax rates? Local government.

If their tax revenue doubles isn't it their duty to lower the tax rate? Westchester county government decided to find a place to spend the added revenue.

[fascisthunter]

51. Greed Good, Greed Good....

protect "my precious"

[Wcross]

63. I don't think greed has a place in public service.

The local government is overtaxing its citizens. Seeing as I am not a resident I can not do anything about it.

[fascisthunter]

73. overtaxed....lol

[Wcross]

81. LOL? You feel that property taxes are fair in New York?

I have a friend who lives in Rochester, he pays 2500 a year on a 35,000 house in a bad part of town. 7% of the homes value every year. Lets not forget the state income tax, the sales tax & other assorted taxes. Maybe if they didn't tax the crap out of people New York wouldn't be losing residents.

Laugh all you want, the tax situation in New York is hurting its citizens.

Westchester county ranked #1 in property tax rates in the entire United States.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/03/pf/property_taxes/index.htm

I am going to take a wild guess that you do not pay property taxes. It makes it easier to laugh at those who do.

[lynnertic]

23. Workhouses and poor farms!

[CONN]

24. Should we try Workhouses (as in Oliver Twist)

Of course the British realized they didn't solve anything and abolished them in the 20th century. No property tax either. They were replaced by a social welfare that provides dignity in old age.

[Lasher]

25. My state has a homestead exemption for seniors

If you're 64 or older or totally and permanently disabled you can get an exemption from property taxes on the first $20,000 of assessed valuation on a personal residence. This applies to owner-occupied property. Sounds like chickenfeed but the assessed value is always lower than the appraised value, often dramatically so.

[DCKit]

89. DC provides a 45K exemption to ALL homeowners...

in any "owner occupied" residence for any DC resident and further discounts for seniors. Additionally, even with the insane (and totally bogus bank and investor driven) jump in property values, tax increases are limited to no more than 10%/year until a property changes hands.

If anything, the program is abused by those who have homes and apartments for work/convenience and live elsewhere.

I would imagine a quick list at corporate/political/lobbyist names would reveal a huge additional source of revenue, but the department is currently in disarray due to massive embezzlement. Hey, it's DC. What did you expect?

"DC - it's like living in a third world country without the amenities."

Seriously, it is much better than it was even ten years ago, but I miss being able to safely walk outside after dark.

[LibDemAlways]

26. For every 76-year-old who is fit and ready to work

there are plenty on meds, in pain, or with other ailments or family situations that would preclude them from beng out there in the salt mine. Jeez, these people worked hard all their lives. Leave them the hell alone. If property taxes are a burden for a low income senior, lower the tax or create an exemption.

[Dangerously Amused]

33. But... wait. Couldn't we just increase taxes on the filthy rich instead?

Ba ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaa!


Just kidding.

[downindixie]

34. Retired Doctors and lawyers make

enought money that they probably don't have to worry about paying property taxes! I'm disabled with COPD,I don't have the breath to do anything physical!

[JDPriestly]

39. I hope that lots of their victims develop dementia on the job.

So now these retired people will be taking the entry level jobs that young people need. The whole scheme is absurd. The property tozes in this town are way out of bounds with what people earn for work. If you work 40 hours a week for 50 weeks, you work about 2000 hours a year, and you pay property taxes of $12,000, you are paying $6 an hour in property taxes.

Seniors move and think relatively slowly. Oh, how jolly!!! Who in the world ever thought this cruel joke up?

[Dawggie]

41. Sickening.

Such rules are put in place by lawyers, economists and the like.

If the rules had been made by bricklayers, carpenters and such, they would be quite different.

Ever tried to carry 80 pounds of lumber on tour shoulder while climbing up a ladder?

[dmosh42]

43. Welcome to the third world!

Most civilized nations try to keep their seniors in their homes when they reach old age. Not US! Good chance the property will be gone for medical bills or taxes.

[neuvocat]

50. Thanks to "value voters" that's what we got now.

[GMFORD]

44. Must rant about this!

By the time a person reaches retirement age they have given their entire adult lives to society. They have spent nearly 50 years adding to the GDP, contributing to the workforce, paying taxes, etc. Their reward is supposed to be a few secure years before they die. But NO, the GOP is not content with importing cheap labor from mexico, exporting manufacturing to other countries where labor is cheap, now they want to take the retirement out of 'retirement' and use seniors for cheap labor.

When I retire I plan to pursue those hobbies I have never had time for, maybe take a few classes in subjects I like instead of those I took to advance my career. Working as a greeter at 'The Wal-Mart' for minimum wage to pay my property taxes is not in the plan -- I wouldn't last anyway because the job itself would make me less than friendly.

I don't have a solution in mind (other than forgiving property taxes for those on SS) but someone had better come up with something soon.

[sk8rrobert2]

45. As put by Adam Sandler in Big Daddy "HORSE SHIT"

working elderly people until they die its disgusting. Where's my pen and paper someone's getting a nasty letter over this.

[bpeale]

46. i think this is just fabulous!

i live in southern new mexico. i have seen my property taxes triple in 17 years. i have also seen seniors die after retiring...almost immediately after retiring. not only will this keep seniors in their homes, but provide them with something useful to do with themselves. IMO, this is long overdue. why not make use of skills that seniors have instead of just allowing them to waste away until they die? is death ALL i have to look forward to? i sure hope not!

[GMFORD]

59. Waste away?

You think that working for minimum wage is not wasting away? What about that novel he/she may have been waiting to write? What about the train trip around the country? What about that oil painting class there was never time for? My great aunt grew Irises when she retired and even created new ones that won awards...was that wasting away? My father built a house with his own hands after 50 years as a chemical engineer when he retired -- he was in the best physical shape he had ever been in after he was done.

I respectfully disagree with you on this topic. Or as one of my best friends would say 'I disagree with what you say but I'll defend to the death my right to beat you about the head and shoulders' (kidding)

[bpeale]

87. where does it say that being kicked out on the street for non-payment of

property taxes is a good thing? the more you pay an elderly person, once you reach a certain limit, they start taking away your social security. guess in your playbook, that is a good thing. think of it this way, you can literally get their property for a steal. why let them pay it off when you can just wait for them to get thrown out & then take their property. hmmph! why didn't i think of that?

[Webster Green]

74. Fabulous?

Hardly.

It is sickening!:puke:

[bpeale]

86. no, sickening is putting the elderly out on the street

[trogdor]

48. Westchester County, New York. Figures.

While I'm generally sympathetic to low-income seniors who have to pay ridiculous property taxes in states like New York, get pushed out of their homes because of tax arrears, etc., this is WESTCHESTER COUNTY, people! That four-bedroom house in Westchester County is probably worth close to a million dollars, like this house in nearby White Plains (http://www.alexanderrallis.com/bin/web/real_estate?acnt=AR17053&action=ACTIVATE_FRAMES&button=HOME_SEARCH). Ask Sen. Clinton how much she paid for her house. I say she can - and should - cash out (lots of people from New York City would line up for the chance to hand over a million bucks for the place) and move like most of her neighbors probably already have.

Edit: The lady says she took out a reverse mortgage to pay her property taxes. Bad move. She should move further Upstate (like the Utica/Rome area, where houses are cheap) and pay her taxes with the money she'd still have in the bank. Guaranteed, she wouldn't outlive that big a pile of cash.

[fascisthunter]

53. Sick....

And some wealthy bitch about paying taxes.

Let's see... we pay taxes, most of which goes to subsidizing corporate welfare, profiting the military industrial complex and paying private companies three fold of what social programs used to cost us. Sounds like institutionalized slavery?

[killbotfactory]

55. You work until you die, and you will remain poor every step of the way

Welcome to the "ownership society"

[superconnected]

57. First that's under the minimum wage for our state, how could these peopl

make so little in that state.

Second, that's not a part time job, that's a full time at that rate plus taxes. They would have to work all year, likely still won't clear 12k, and they wouldn't be able to spend a dime of their wages on anything else besides property taxes.

This is forcing the seniors into labor where all the money goes to the gov and state.

It's very wrong.

[cornermouse]

60. A lot of those jobs are not going to be anything

an elderly person can do due to physical constraints. More Bush-like fantasy and short-sightedness from our government officials.

[brer cat]

62. I'm getting there

Brer Cat's sister here...I am getting there. I am an RN...63 years old. I have worked since I was 15, have paid property taxes for over 30 years. Maybe I will feel like helping other folks when I retire in two years...but maybe not. My house is tiny...tax me accordingly.

[rockybelt]

64. HEY

That would eliminate the illigel alien worker. Just take all of us old geezers and make, er, I mean LET us work for $7.00 an hour doing jobs that no one else wants to do. What a bunch of ass-holes.

I've heard things like "freezing tax rate" balloon tax payment and let the buyer make up back taxes. What kind of horse-shit is that? Governments need money to run but they need to live within a budget like everyone else. This idea of making old people work to pay taxes is so full of shit that only neocon ass-holes could possible find some reedeming quality in that idea.
So to you neocon ass-holes. FUCK YOU

[Mrspeeker]

68. 7 dollars and hour part time ROFL are you fucking joking with me

so after 4 hours minus taxes of course, they will have earned 28 dollars about $125 a week, if you can pay off your bills and save your house with this amount of money your a genius!

[superconnected]

78. The part time is just so they don't get benefits. I'm sure it means 39 hours a week.

[The_Casual_Observer]

71. Paul Feiner, you first.

[LSK]

72. RAISE THE FICA TAX LIMIT

ANYTHING TO NOT TAX THE RICH!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!

[Owl]

84. Agree, absolutely!

[ChazII]

75. As other have stated

this is outrageous.

[libodem]

76. In my mom's town

they let the amount of the property taxes be off set by the cost of medications. She doesn't have to pay property taxes because the cost of her medication co-pays equals out to the cost of her property taxes in a year. This seems like a very humane way to treat Seniors, trying to stay in a home, they have worked their whole life to pay-off. Maybe it should have a Federal mandate? Could it be an election platform?

[superconnected]

79. Since "compassionate" conservatives have that little blank spot

where they can't actually feel for others, no it won't work for an election platform.

You have to tell them something will be taken away from them right now, not when they're old for them to care.

[superconnected]

80. I think the plan is to get rid of the seniors and take their homes - killing them by making them

work 20 yo's jobs.

They can starve to death on the low salary if they don't die by the physical labor. First the bush admin tried to take away their perscription drugs and medicare it may have been to take their homes. Now the plan is to work them to death with a pay they can't keep their home on. You can tell it's a republican spin by the term "let" them have jobs which is going to mean "make" them have jobs and get rid of other aid. Bet the homes get sold back to the big reality companies in dirt cheap gov foreclosures. It does sound like the current mass murdering juntas modis operandi -kill people to take their assets. But why assume they'd do to us like they would iraq...

[Yuugal]

88. Cmon Granny! It just shouldn't take you that long to mow my yard!

Hurry it up or I give Speedy McOldperson the job when he gets that plastic hip in.

Somebody hum God Bless America, I'm feeling patriotic. :puke: