Property Tax Revolt?

[Russell Kanning]

I would be more interested in revolting against instead of "evading"....but it is all good compared to paying the STATE

[AllanHampton]

Me to, but I advocate revolting at the ballot box rather than with arms.

Allan

[FTL_Ian]

So, then what?  If 1000 homes decided to stop paying, would they come evict everyone?

[AllanHampton]

Don't know but time is on government's side. So I think sooner or later such protesters would be picked of one or a few at a time.

Allan

[FTL_Ian]

Of course, if we actually had 1000 activists, we might be able to just abolish it altogether.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Yah, 1000 activist, living in a town of 1000 population, willing to do without any services.

[Kat Kanning]

Yes.  I'm ready for Galt's Gulch.

[FTL_Ian]

I'm with the president.  All "services" can be performed at a lower price and higher quality by the market.

[Rocketman]

To my knowledge all citizens? protests of marching, speaking out, and contacting public Officials and outright disobeying government ?legislation? (statutes/laws) have all failed and accomplished nothing toward correcting government.

Actually, protests against the War in Vietnam, mostly, by students created a general dislike for the war among the population and brought about an end to our involvement.

Recently, a few years ago, in Tennessee citizens created such a ruckus in the street that it stopped a legislative committee from working on a tax hike. It was reported that a person or two of the committee was rushed off to a hospital. However, after things steeled down in a week or two the tax hike was enacted into law.

I seem to remember that the tax hike was shelved, but, I might be remembering a simular situation where a protest worked.? I know there was one in the last few years.

The only legitimate peaceful citizen protest with force behind it is using the ballot box to fire public Officials that dishonor their Oath of Office.

Allan

The way I remember it, in Tennessee, the legislature was on the brink of enacting an income tax.? People protested in the streets, creating quite a ruckus, and the legislature backed down.? Tennessee still does not have an income tax, so it certainly appears to have been effective.? I remember the TV pictures: traffic at a standstill, people everywhere with angry signs, horns honking... a real protest.

And Lloyd's right -- protests against the Vietnam War certainly had an effect.? The ballot box is important, but it isn't a citizen's only protection against tyranny... not by a long shot.

It's just like the Jefferson quote on the main page:
"When the government fears the people, that is Liberty."

[Lloyd Danforth]

I didn't mean to imply that all of the 'alleged services' could not be supplied by the market, but, the whole town would have to arrange and pay for some services they need, in common.

"wait a minute!, I never go on that street, I don't want to pay to have it plowed"

"Wait a minute!, the whole town uses my street, why do I have to pay to plow it?"

Even if you sell the streets, you will have to get together on how and who pays for the use, repair and plowing of them.

This just goes for the 50% plus 1 who have voted for an end to local government. ?The losers can just lay back and ride for free as the rest have no authority to make them pay for the plowing or repairs.

I am a believer in the market, but, applying it in an area already established under conventional, (forced) tax system, requires a lot of cooperation.

In the case where it would be possible to take over a town, perhaps, a good start would be to just dump the schools and social services., stuff we don't need to do in common. ? Job out services we have in common, but, maintain some sort of enforcement to pay for them.

Hey, I believe in volunteerism, and, that taxation is theft!

"Thats OK, just don't plow in front of my house!"

[AllanHampton]

?The free market will sovle all the problems?

Almost all the economic problems but not all the problems oiling unconstitutionality, legislation is that oil. In a Republic citizens do not have the power to legislate, they elect Representative to legislate. Legislators are obligated by Oath to enact legislation only within the bounds of the Constitution. Anything repugnant to the Constitution is null and void and no law at all ?Supreme Court decision in Marbury v Madison ?if you care for SC decisions.

?traffic at a standstill, people everywhere with angry signs, horns honking... a real protest.?

Yes, a real protest with the same result as all other protests, a few weeks after things settled down didn?t the TN Legislature enact a tax increase?

?"When the government fears the people, that is Liberty."

Yes indeed, but there is no need for government Officials to fear protest for protest in themselves do not force government Officials enact or not enact legislation. If protest did force Officials to or not to enact legislation then America would not be a Republic, it would be a mob ruled democracy.

The only real peaceful power citizens have to force government Officials out of office is the ballot box and being fired is those Officials greatest fear.

Rest assured as long as citizens reelect those that do not honor the Oath of Office the parade of corruption will continue, particularly those dishonorable critters in the House of Congress every two years.

Allan

[Russell Kanning]

check out axthetax or other tennessee tax revolt pages

[AlanM]

This can go around in circles for ever.
As I see it, protests alert the public to a problem and let the politicians know the people are upset. If the protests are large enough, the politicians realize their jobs are in jeopardy, hence they back down. It is the "threat of the ballot box" by those protesting, that IMO makes the protest successful.
Three people protesting will have no effect beyond alerting some that a problem exists. 30 thousand people protesting can have an effect. 300 thousand protesting, and the chances of success are huge.
  The protests in Ukraine, et al, were effective because of their size. Massive.

[AllanHampton]

I agree and merely try to point out government Officials are not obligated by citizen?s protests other than to listen to them. Protest certainly will get a bigger ear if there is a known threat of using the force of the ballot box against them. To be most effective emphasis must be transferred from the object, political issue, of the protest to the ballot box.

Allan

[Russell Kanning]

What about the known threat of loss of revenue?