[Vision2020] Answer to Question #8 (was Ten Simple Questions on theBond)

[Donovan Arnold]

Saundra,

"Simply put, whether passage of the levy will cost *any* individual renter 
*any* money depends on the individual property owner, *not* on anything the 
district can do or know."

That answer might help you to sleep at night but it is 100% false.  Low 
income housing, Good Sams, and Section 8 housing run at virtual cost. Any 
property taxes passed will have to be passed on to the renters because there 
is no difference between what the renters are paying and the cost of running 
the apartment. Low income housing charges only what the government allows 
them, which is just enough to keep the place running. If the property owners 
do not raise rent on the low income tenants that means the property owner 
would be running the apartment in the red. They cannot do that. If an 
apartment costs $20,000 to operate that is what they charge the tenants. If 
the taxes go up and it costs $21,000 that is what they have to charge the 
$1000 to the tenants.

I have lived in low income housing. I know every time they have to paint the 
building, or fix the sidewalk, or redo the roof they divide up the cost and 
put it in a rent increase. They have to because the building runs at cost. 
The same goes with property taxes.

Saundra, landlords of low income housing do not make the decision of when 
they can raise rents or for what reasons. It is defined by the department of 
Agriculture. I know, it should be the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, but it is not. So please check you facts. It is a 100% probably 
that rents will go if this bond levy passes. It is not an arbitrary decision 
made by a greedy landlord sitting on a pile cash. That is not the reality, 
it is the one you wish exists so people can sleep at night. Well I cannot 
sleep at night knowing that is what we are doing to others. And ignoring the 
facts does not help people.

If you doubt my words I will take you as many apartments and the managers of 
these apartments will tell you the same thing. If you raise the rent on low 
income, they have to raise the rent, it is the law, they cannot run in the 
red, the government will cease their property. But again, all you have to do 
is ask, and I will take to you apartments, apartment managers, government 
workers, and landlords that will tell you the same.

Burying your head in the sand to what you are doing with this levy does not 
change the reality that you worsen peoples living conditions and quality of 
life. You cannot raise taxes and have zero negative consequences.

If you doubt this, please call them yourself and ask if they have to raise 
their rents when property rents go up and the effect on people with low 
fixed income:

Hawthorn Apartments 882-3516
Rayann Apartments-882-2599
Moscow Apartment 882-2599
Disability Action Center-883-0523
Any others you want.

Take Care,

Donovan J Arnold

>From: "Saundra Lund" <sslund at adelphia.net>
>To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] Answer to Question #8 (was Ten Simple Questions on 
>theBond)
>Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:27:10 -0700
>
>Donovan Arnold asked:
>"8)	Why does the school only outlay costs to taxpayers living in a home
>with
>$100,000-200,000 in value with a 50% tax exemption? Why not break down the
>costs for an apartment dweller? Or a renter of a home? The majority of
>people having to pay housing are not in homes worth $100,000-$150,000. Tax
>increases affect the poor more then they affect the middle class with 50%
>tax exemptions and the wealthy."
>
>The answer to this question (like most of the others) is very simple and
>logical.  In fact, for anyone who has actually *worked* helping the
>economically disadvantaged with housing, and likely to many others making a
>genuine effort to understand rather than stereotype, the answer to 
>Donovan's
>question is crystal clear:  the cost to renters CANNOT be broken down
>because of the variables.
>
>Simply put, whether passage of the levy will cost *any* individual renter
>*any* money depends on the individual property owner, *not* on anything the
>district can do or know.
>
>
>HTH,
>Saundra Lund
>Moscow, ID
>
>The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
>nothing.
>Edmund Burke
>
>
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