– Letters to the Editor –
I have estimated the tax impact of the school referendum (simple calculation) for several people and thought more taxpayers might be interested in an estimate of what the impact is for them, personally.
The Baird firm has estimated the tax impact, per $100,000 of equalized value, at $13.75 monthly, $165 yearly, and presumably, $3,300 for the entire 20-year duration of the bond.
To estimate your personal contribution, review your 2003 property tax statement (works if you owned the property as of 1/1/23), and look for the total estimated fair market value (equalized value) amount in the upper right hand corner of the statement. Take that amount, divide it by 100,000 and multiply it by $165, and you have an approximation of your annual tax increase, as a result of the referendum.
As an example, if your property is valued at $250,000, the yearly tax increase is $415 ($250,000 divided by 100,000 = 2.5 times $165 = $415). You can also use the calculator on the school website, although I have not encountered anyone who knows of its existence.
If you are a renter, you will also likely see the pass-through of the tax increase in rent. Request a copy of your landlord’s tax statement or visit the Chippewa County Courthouse website for the information.
Keep in mind, that the estimate developed above does not include other significant ongoing additional costs (additional staff, maintenance, heating, etc.) resulting from the facility expansion and new equipment. Baird was not asked to develop the tax impact for the ongoing additional costs.
Therefore, the annual cost you calculate for your property, should be considered the minimum additional tax associated with the referendum.
On page two of the recently mailed referendum newsletter, five major components of the project are mentioned. The one with the largest tax impact is the “Build a Community Center.” However, no mention is made of the community center in the ballot question language, nor in the 2024 referendum cost estimate.
Vernon Haas, Cadott
Perhaps you received a text message on your phone recently, from a group you’ve never heard of, that went like, “is conducting a short survey on issues important to residents of Cadott…” We would all like to do our civic duty to support our community, however, those polls and quizes, are not polls or quizes. They are attempts at manipulating your opinion and not everyone sees that.
Is there such a thing as a neutral query? Or, if the question appears non-biased, why isn’t your choice one of the answers to choose from? The sender is manipulating your thoughts, to make you only accept the answers they want you to accept.
It is subtle and innocuous, and the ones doing the supposed poll don’t use inflammatory language or give any clues about their motives, yet, by controlling the questions or limiting the responses, they are able to sway opinion.
I urge everyone, before they answer any polls, to ask yourself – what is the sender of this poll trying to do to me? Are these the questions I think should be asked? Are these the answers, the choices, I think should be made?
If someone is able to control which questions are asked and the answers they approve, they can control the agenda and they can control your mind.
It is good to answer polls from groups you feel comfortable dealing with. All other polls – fake news, shut them down, delete them from your in-box.
Kevin Litten, Cadott
