Front Page
THE MILL MADNESS
In the United States Marine Corps there exists one of those timeless expressions that only celebrating Marines, or those deep in a difficult situation, can come up with that applies to the current city financial management structure: “If you can’t baffle them with your bullshit then dazzle them with your footwork.”
That expression, when taken to presentation and action, was on full display at the common council’s meeting held Monday night.
The mill rate, discussed by the city comptroller, the city council in general, and even a very few citizens speaking openly when so allowed, all agreed that the mill rate would have no effect on the taxes to be paid by the property owners in Lake Geneva who just received the massive re-evaluations on their real estate properties. That was not footwork, as things haven’t reached the action stage of collections yet. That was the bafflement presentation, which, with the exception of knowledgeable and long-time experienced Geneva Shore Report investigators, went over just dandy. What did they all say, or not bother to discuss it at all?
The mill rate was discussed as having no effect on what the owners would be paying come tax time early next year. That was a lie.
The mill rate is a very simple thing to understand. It’s a rate, seemingly small, that is applied to a total valuation of property. It’s the percentage of that property value that’s going to come due in taxes. That’s all it is. It’s certainly not something that’s NOT going to affect what the citizens who own that property are going to pay. It is exactly the percentage of the huge new totals in value the owners are going to have to pay.
But this ‘budget’ consideration was set aside as being really a non-existent determinant of future action. There will be no need to dazzle the citizens with brilliant footwork. It’s almost like the other more controversial subject that was brought up and then spoken about by many citizens standing to complain that the non-profits, like the Jaycees and Art in the Park, do so much for the city and bring business to the city, as well as ambiance and enjoyment, should continue to be allowed to enjoy respite from parking fees the city wants to charge them when they have events like Venetian Days.
The City of Lake Geneva, in preparing its budget, admits to making about ten percent more revenue, overall, from the year before. The city has done a great job in supporting the high inflation rates the nation continues, but at a lesser rate now, to ‘enjoy.’ But it’s not enough. The city wants more, and it’s apparently not at all opposed to squeezing the non-profits, by charging full parking rates wherever they set up within city limits, to get more. Oh, the bafflement was there too, that great part of the Marine Corps expression.
The matter was kicked down the road to another session, when, hopefully, fewer people show up to complain on behalf of the non-profits, on the basis of the council needing more time to figure out just who all the non-profits are and whether they are really non-profit at all. This information is so easy to get, it’s not even funny.
The IRS gives out the non-profit status of all non-profits and their validity can be found in seconds on the IRS portion of the Internet. But baffle the public on Monday night, the city leadership certainly did. Mill rates, you ask? We need no stinking mill rates!
Nonprofits you claim? We don’t see any nonprofits around here!
