What does 180 bucks buy these days?
How about a 22-inch monitor? Perhaps, 100 plum tree seedlings or a single mother, 4 rabbits and rabbit feed for 3 months plus transportation to sell rabbits at market in Butembo. If you know someone who lives in New Hamsphire, you could buy him or her an hour of financial planning for $180. You could save $180 on Coonawarra Red, too.
If you live in Pasco County, you will have $180 for any one of these or a million other uses because $180 is what the average homeowner will save on his tax bill thanks to that new tax cut passed by voters in January.
If you live in Pasco County and buy your water from Aloha Utilities, however, you’re $180 is already pretty much down the drain. Literally. That’s because the Florida Public Service Commission recently approved a big fat rate increase for Aloha.
Looks like a lot of Aloha customers will be saying hello and goodbye to an additional $13.11 per month. Buy our lights that comes to about $157.32 more per year for water. So, that tax cut actually adds up to about 22 bucks for the year.
What does $22 buy these days? Half a tank of gas? Dinner for four at McDonald’s? This whole tax-cut thing worked out great, huh? And while you’re enjoying your Big Mac just remember that agencies of county government are in the same boat. Yup. It’s almost enough to make you think twice about genuine tax reform.