July 10, 2007

   An overhaul of Arizona's property tax system is of paramount importance to all real property owners. The small inroads made by Prop 101 in the November 2006 election will be overshadowed by the sheer greed we will see when the 2007 tax bills arrive. Can you live with a 25% tax increase in just one year? How about 50%? There are many whose taxes have doubled or even quadrupled and under the present system next year could be your turn for an even larger increase.

   Prop 101 failed to provide limits on the property tax increases (levy limits) of all taxing entities, as a result we can expect another round of self serving tax increases. Government spending will continue to exceed personal income growth which means that those of us who pay property taxes will have less to spend on necessities and our families. The situation is dire for many senior citizens, veterans and others living on fixed incomes which are already, or will be, in danger of losing their home. Our first initiative filed today resolves this issue. It will now be easier for government to cut out waste and inefficiency than to increase our property taxes since doing so will require a 2/3 vote of the people in a November election for approval of new or increased taxes. The Levy measure will benefit ALL PROPERTY OWNERS being taxed by the same set of taxing entities with an EQUAL PERCENTAGE TAX REDUCTION.

   Perhaps you are visiting this WEB site because your home or business is threatened by outrageous tax increases. Perhaps you are a public employee and are worried about threats being made by your management. In either case the time is now to steer Arizona in a new direction, one where government leaders will understand that they work for the citizens and taxpayers and not the other way around. Property tax reform started in California 29 years ago. Threatened government cutbacks didn't materialize. Instead lower taxes have been a major contributor to California's robust economy where both the private and public sectors have thrived.

   With your help collecting signatures, and if possible a donation you will be helping to place this initiative on the November 2008 ballot, which is the earliest opportunity for us to vote on a constitutional amendment. Though the measure won't go into effect until 2009 and since we need property tax reductions now, we provided incentives in the form of a lesser budget rollback for each taxing entity to show restraint in their 2007 and 2008 tax increases. They WILL act as we desire as long as we can make a good showing of public support and participation during the signature gathering effort. So we must hit the road running with the petitions if we expect tax reductions in the next two years.

   A second initiative will be filed in the coming weeks to implement our other passion, a "baseline valuation system" designed to shield all present and future property owners from high taxes and tax increases resulting from real estate price inflation. It will in 2010 implement a valuation rollback to what each parcel was or would have been valued at in 2003, before most of the inflation driven increases in property value. Annual valuation increases are limited to 2 percent per year plus the value of improvements made, and to assure valuations reflect declining market values, the taxable value of each parcel will periodically be reset to the 2003 valuation baseline. This measure provides benefit to all present and future property owners whether or not they owned the parcel in 2003, or even whether it existed in that year. This baseline valuation system has significant benefits exceeding those of Prop 13.

   You took the first step by visiting this WEB site. The next step is to learn how by working together we can fix the many problems with the property tax system. So let me extend a personal invitation for you to join the Arizona Tax Revolt. To learn more just click on the buttons and be sure to fill out the volunteer form so that we can put you in touch with your local coordinator. If you have experience with petitioning go ahead and volunteer as a coordinator. Your personal information will be used exclusively by Arizona Tax Revolt and it will not be shared or sold to anyone.

   Sincerely,