Protesters Confront Mpls Officials Over Proposed Tax Hike (It Passed Anyways!)

KSTP TV (ABC Affiliate in Minneapolis-St Paul) ^ | 12/14/10 | Mark Albert - Staff Reporter

[MplsSteve]

An angry and, at times, defiant gathering of Minneapolis homeowners sent a loud message to City Hall Monday - no new taxes.

"We're not going to sit in our houses and just take this year after year after year," said Mark Johnson, who organized an evening rally on the steps of City Hall and launched the website for the group, Minneapolis Tax Payers United.

When Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak came outside in the bitter cold without a coat to greet the 20 or so protesters, one person began shouting at the three-term mayor, who initially proposed a 6.5% property tax hike, but later reduced that to 4.7% in the face of intense public opposition. The lower levies would result in a $265 bill for a home with a value of $196,650, according to figures provided by the city.

"It's up to you to solve it! It's not up to us! It's up to you!," shouted one of the demonstrators while standing two feet away from the mayor, who invited the group inside his office to talk about ideas to balancing the budget.

When asked by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS if he heard the demonstrators' message, Rybak responded, "Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I think we not only just hear their message, but we responded and made even deeper cuts."

At 12:28a Tuesday, after six hours and 17 minutes of intense debate and heated public comment, the City Council voted 10-3 to approve the 4.7% increase to the levies.

[coder2]

Minneapolis = city of my birth and where I lived for 25 years.. (long gone now though).

It used to be where we could be proud of the services we received ---- but I watched that change as the city leaders became more and more liberal.

So glad we are gone from there --- would never return for any amount of $$$.

[Osage Orange]

When I first moved to OK....from SoCal...I drove by this stadium in Tulsa....making the comment it was real nice...had artificial turf, lots of seats...and that it must be a small college.

I was shocked to find out it was a H.S. Not just any H.S. but Union High School....a powerhouse in the state.

In fact they now have some college BB tournaments..in Union High Schools BB gym....It's first rate!!

I wonder how much money those places take in?

[MeganC]

Myself, I want to see a US Constitutional Amendment prohibiting property taxes. The fact that one can NEVER own your home free and clear in states that allow property tax should be illegal. I’d allow for cities and states to charge a sales tax on real estate transactions, but this notion that you have to pay rent to government in order to live in a home you spent 30 years paying for is...un-American.

[WOBBLY BOB]

Boy Mayor Rybak will still be back whining about not getting enough LGA .(”local government aid”)

[ICCtheWay]

Well having a first rate Gym or Stadium built by local resident’s property tax dollars needs to be rethought. Property taxes in Texas are high... And just because the Athletic boosters, the school board and the coaches want a 20 million dollar stadium doesn’t mean they get one. There is going to be a Texas Property Tax rebellion at some point in the near future.

Entities like school boards seem to know no bounds - just spend spend spend... the property owners / tax payers be damned.

[Osage Orange]

I wasn't saying I agreed with it....

Frankly I was amazed.

I do wonder if it's a money maker for them though...