This is Viewpoints for Sunday, July 1, 2018

Consequences

Many decisions have the potential for adverse consequences. This is why informed decisions are so critical toward achieving positive results not adverse ones.

I find it difficult to believe that Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning commissioners could not have envisioned some adverse consequences to nearby businesses and property owners of the proposed location for an abortion clinic on Walnut Street. What mitigating actions by the new operators were presented or promised to receive approval by P&Z?

I continue to have a positive opinion of the objectives and intent of our P&Z commission and staff. However, it appears commissioners wear blinders relating to impact upon nearby property owners at times when considering potential complex requests before them.

This approval again exposes a P&Z flaw when poor decisions are made that so adversely impact nearby owners, such as the years ago East Bibb County landfill reducing multiple property valuations.

That misstep will possibly be considered trivial compared to the deterioration of the tax base on Zebulon Road once the kudzu effect against existing residential properties is felt as it grows toward Wesleyan College. (And we wonder and argue about Bibb County finances.)

With this request and P&Z approval, it appears that nearby business operations and property values have the potential of proving they have been harmed.

Grossly undervalued

I spoke with three employees concerning valuations on Rivoli and Rivoli Ridge drives at the Macon-Bibb County Board of Tax Assessors more than once. It seems there was a great deal of confusion when the man that evaluated these three homes said, “We do these every three years,” but these were done in 2015 and no new ones in 2018.

I spoke at length with Andrea Crutchfield, the chief appraiser at the tax assessor’s office She had to leave on a trip and was to get back with me. She did not.

Being a betting man I guarantee that my $400,000 undervaluation on one of these homes is far closer than the current valuation. So I took it another step. I emailed two of the commissioners to get them to bring pressure on the assessors to act. Still no word.

Today one of our neighbors sought answers to questionable valuations. She too is concerned with higher taxes. A farm house on Rivoli has five bedrooms and four baths and a stunning pool. It is valued at just $453,533 (with $332,707 in improvements). This all came from the assessor’s office

Recently I tried to awaken my neighbors to this situation. Given these facts, a number of people are due explanations. Just how many homes in Bibb County are undervalued? How many millions are going uncollected? Sadly, nothing will ever be done. And the same old commissioners will allow this to stand. Should we look at their evaluations and if they have paid their taxes?

Disgusted

I read with disgust some of the proposals to balance the budget.

Specifically the proposed business licenses increase. Brew pubs are a growing and great asset, and rather than encouraging them, the council proposed a 500 percent increase.

If this specific targeting of a business is done, I propose we target lawyers and massage parlors with a $50,000 fee per year.

Immigration

At least our fascist leader does not have to rebuild Auschwitz; he has plenty of military bases.

SNAP cuts hurt veterans

President Trump has prided himself on what he has done to help veterans and improve the VA. Yet his recent budget cuts many where it hurts. Those who need food to help their families get by use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nearly 1.5 million veterans are able to put food on the table thanks to SNAP.

The president’s budget cuts SNAP by 25 percent.

Veterans may also need Medicaid coverage to get care for complex chronic conditions, brain injuries, disability or behavioral health needs. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has found that 875,000, mostly elderly, veterans have Medicaid coverage.

Rather than investing in Medicaid, which is a lifeline to nearly 70 million Americans, the president’s budget fundamentally restructures and guts the program by more than $1 trillion. Ask your congressman and senators to get Trump to live up to his promises to veterans.

Border fiasco

According to some organizations, around 2,400 children made the trip to the border with what was supposed to be a parent. However, the facts are not in. It appears that some children did not belong to the adult that they were with.

But that is not the whole problem. The big problem is the 10,000 unaccompanied children that made the trip. They were either turned over to a paid coyote (human smuggler), mule for a drug cartel, or a member of the gang MS-13 attempting to enter the U.S.

The situation is not something with which most people agree. But there is one important thing that everyone needs to be reminded of. That is: the people were warned before they began the trip what to look forward to when they reached the border. So who is really at fault for having them separated at the border?

I, too, don’t like to see small children (under 3 years old) separated from their mother. But it seems now that an unelected judge has stepped in and pretended to know better than our elected president and puts the age at under 5 years old.

I have not seen the figure if anyone has taken the time put one on it. But the price of the border fiasco must be astronomical and the U.S. taxpayers are on the hook for that.

However, the person that put the caravan together for the “Pueblo Sin Fronteras” organization is Rodrigo Abeja, and he is the one that the bill should sent to and any other organization that sent individuals there to coach them what to say when they reached the border.

For anyone seeking entrance to the U.S., the proper way is to go to the U.S. Embassy in their country and apply. When they are sworn in, I believe they must swear that they will learn our language, assimilate and obey our laws.

However, as soon as they can get a little community together the first thing they complain about is that our laws are not fair to their culture and want them changed to accommodate it. My answer to that is: if you do not like it, then go back to the country you left.

Time to act

The Congressional Budget Office predicts the debt will increase over $2.5 trillion within the next 10 years. This is the result of unrestricted deficit spending. The 2018 budget will add $800 billion to the debt. The 2019 budget will add $1 trillion. There is no forecast for the 2020 budget.

Seven percent of tax revenues is required to pay the interest on the debt. If the debt continues to grow, 8 percent of tax revenues will be to pay the interest on the debt in 2020. To prevent a financial catastrophe, Congress must reduce spending and cut the size of government.

The Social Security and Medicare trust funds will become insolvent sooner than originally predicted. If something is not done soon, individuals will not receive their full benefits after 2030. There are solutions. Congress has time to act.

Because of the impending financial quagmire, it is imperative that voters elect individuals who recognize the problems and have identified solutions to resolve them.