http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/12/jefferson_county_new_occupatio.html
The current Jefferson County occupational tax and license fees approved in a special session of the Legislature in 2009 has been ruled unconstitutional.
So the tax passed to keep the County afloat in 2009 is illegal, meaning that all of the money collected during that time was illegally stolen from the rightful owners. Of course, anybody who paid the tax shouldn't hold their breath to get it back. They're in bad financial condition, over there.
Now, their natural reaction will be to have the Legislature authorize YET ANOTHER occupational tax that will also, in time, be struck down. Why? Because the tax is and will remain unconstitutional. Give it up, guys.
I heard rumors not long ago about JeffCo financing a new sports stadium downtown. I wonder how they're affording this? Because it doesn't look to me like they really CAN afford it...
The real story here....which people ought to grasp after a while is that wealthy and middle-class folks tend to leave the county because their votes don't really amount to anything, the safeness factor is dismal, and corruption is rampant with cops and politicians.
ReplyDeleteThere are seven counties that circle Jefferson county. If you check new upscale suburban areas...they've got growth, protection, and feel like their vote is counting.
So as the years pass by...more people exit and property values in Jefferson county are stuck. You don't go out in Birmingham at night unless you pack a gun or go to a area with private security in abundance (hint: read up on Rio de Janeiro and its legendary private security force which defend city blocks). Birmingham is headed toward being a New Orleans in ten years.
As for the tax...it's the only way to pay for basic services. They can't tax the property in the adjacent counties and they can't get the vehicle taxes or sales taxes. As for the occupancy tax ever succeeding? I suspect a bunch of lawyers keep telling the dimwits in Jefferson county that an adequate bill can be written and pass by the state court (and likely the federal court system). They keep soaking up the money of these guys as they play this game.
The chief issue is that you can't tax someone...unless they have a say via representation. Life goes on in Jefferson, and maybe one day they can figure out a scheme to take your money while you sleep...but that might be a hundred years away, by my estimate.