Can we say "Martial Law".....for real

[peternap]

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/04/AR2008060402205_pf.html

[Heather]

 "...maintained that residents are so concerned about violence that they will be willing to give the latest program a try.
"I think the general consensus is that we have to do something because people live in fear," he said. "What would you rather have?" he asked. "A positive pattern of [police] checking things . . . or these folks who come into the community and wreak havoc?"



With enough fear, we will agree to anything. Wonder when the Safe Homes initiative will
be introduced everywhere.

[ScottA]

Back in the late 80's early 90's we used to see alot of police check points in Oklahoma. I would get stopped atleast once a week for no reason. I got stopped one summer day and sat in a line of cars in 100+ heat for 20-30 minutes with no A/C. By the time they got to me I gave the young trooper such an earful he sent me on my way without even checking my papers. They eventualy caught the wrong person in one of these checkpoints and had to stop. Haven't seen one since. In fact since gas prices got over $3 a gallon you hardly see a cop at all anymore. I don't think they can afford to patrol.

[peternap]

That's an interesting point Scott.
It;s no secret here that the PD;s are way over budget and are cutting patrols. Your seeing more radar and less patrols. It should be interesting how they handle the budgets nest year.

One county just discontinued trash collection.

I can't wait to see how they justify upping the real estate tax when property values are dropping.

[John_C]

I can't wait to see how they justify upping the real estate tax when property values are dropping.

In my little corner of GA the assessed valuations have gone through the roof. I haven't gotten mine yet but one of my neighbors properties went from $90,000  to $425,000.  It's been on the market for two years at $125,000 with no takers.  On the five pieces of property he owns his total tax bill will go up $6,000.  I'm hoping for a mass tax revolt.

[muldoon]

John C, going from 90 to 425, in this market...  thats amazing.  Out of curiosity, what county is that? 

I'm seeing more police cars in the city, much more.  I assume more ticketing for revenue generation, I know tax base collection is down.  Out in the country, for memorial weekend we drove 200 miles and saw 1 cop in the rural highways, in years past it would have been 5+ easy.    Some squads in the small towns still, mostly speed trapping, not patrols. 

As for DC, I just don't understand why people think that police will protect them?  In many of bad neighborhoods, especially the gun-free-zones crime has shot up.  Police take 45 minutes to respond so the only chance people have is to either be a criminal and arm themselves, be a victim, or try to make allies with criminals for the protection of their families. 

[John_C]

Gilmer county.  About 75 mles N of Atlanta.  I know several people who have 300%   to 400% increases in one year..... can't wait to see mine

[Redoverfarm]

Peter I don't know whether you heard about Bath County(Hot Springs) but some of theres went up 300-800% in the last assessment.  There was such a up rising that the county did away with the Assessment this year.  It was a contract thing. The growth around the resort drove the prices up and they used that as a comparison.  Now they are cutting everything to make up the shortfalls.  It will hit them again because I think doesn't Va require it every 5 years or so.

Heard that some counties in FL have had such an exedos in population and the housing market that they are going through a tax deficit also. 

I know before when the price of gas went up that it was essential calls only that were taken by the police and non-emergencies were scheduled at a later time.  They are under budget just like we place outselves on and limit driving to essential as well. Or at least I do.  Maybe we could get them Whizzers, Nah probably with the extra weight of the radios and lights, flares, First aid kits, oxygen bottles, blankets, fingerprint kits, decontamination fluids, dash cameras and the like the weight would drop the mileage too much.

[desdawg]

Assessed valuations here run about two years behind the current market. I am not sure why in this day of instant push button communications that is still happening but it is. I expect there to be problems when the tax bills come rolling around.

[glenn kangiser]

I think it is very important to inundate the county assessor with phone calls and protest- stir up a revolt in your area if this happens.. 

As seen above - it is effective.  It can be even on an individual basis also.

[ScottA]

Which proves that local government is the only kind that works correctly at all. Washington needs to get out of everyones business.

[glenn kangiser]

That is true. 

Case in point-- Sassy finally convinced the county that since my airplane may never be fixed it is not taxable.  I tried to get them to return all previously collected taxes on it as it is worth a negative $40000 for the repair if I fix it -- which I likely will not. 

Well -- that didn't work but you have to give me credit for trying.

[benevolance]

John

Used to live in Greenville County in South Carolina... An hour from the Georgia line at Lake Hartwell... They are going through the same kind of tax hikes you are talking about...People that live 45 minutes from the city in the country on a barely paved road with no lines on it... an acre of land and a single story 60 year old home the property taxes are pushing $2000 when in 2000 they would be $2-300

Yes the people here are ready for a revolt I can assure you of that

[benevolance]

It is crazy dealing with the tax commision...

they tried to charge us a ridiculous amount of tax...I walked in with the contract from when I bought my house... my arguement was that they could not rate the value of my home 4 times what I paid for it... considering it was for sale on the open market... true we got a good deal..

I argued that they had to tax me on what I paid for it...because I bought it off the open market and thus that was the real and accurate value of the home...

several trips meeting with a couple different people and proving what I paid for the house...and the taxes got lowered over $1000 this year...

But I did not get a refund for last years taxes either Glenn...

[glenn kangiser]

It pays to be persistent. 

Many of these public servants are so in love with other people's money, you'd think it was their own.

[benevolance]

Glenn

I wanted to ask them if they got paid on commission you know a percentage of the money they squeezed out of me...

But I thought better to make it one of those inner voices

[Sassy]

Marines to begin martial law training in Indianapolis

Under the guise of urban warfare training the 26th Expeditionary Unit an elite group of U.S. Marines will conduct a martial law training exercise at 26 "surrendered" locations in central Indiana from June 4th thru the 17th. While state officials and media are doing their best to assure the public that this military takeover of civilian property is somehow a good thing, ignoring the Posse Comitatus Act which fundamentally prohibits these types of exercises. These two weeks of training are also a contradiction of military tradition against deployments among the civilian population dating back to the end of the Civil War. Why then are the citizens of Indianapolis and six other Indiana towns being made to take part in two weeks of patrols and ambushes?

Local news station WTHR 6 reports, "That in the interest of national security the sights and sounds of war will be brought to Indianapolis." Why do residents of Indianapolis need to learn the sights and sounds of war? Could it be a conditioning process? Considering that numerous urban training environments which exist within military bases in the U. S. and around the globe the explanation of "a need to train in realistic urban zones" is doubtful. More likely the real purpose is to condition the civilian population and military personnel to living under martial law. Too many this hypotheses may sound farfetched, that is until you realize the plans for martial law and the detention of U.S. citizens have already been made. (Sect. 1042 of the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), "Use of the Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies," gives the executive the power to invoke martial law.)

There's newscast videos also...
http://www.dailynewscaster.com/2008/06/03/marines-to-begin-martial-law-training-in-indianapolis/

[considerations]

This is one of the reasons I don't work for FEMA anymore.  Doesn't hurt to fly under the radar.

[ScottA]

On the other hand this might be the kind of thing that could wake people up to whats really going on. I know it made folks nervous seeing troops in the airports after 9/11,