Did you feel it?  Was it at all painful? 

While you were at work Tuesday, your taxes went up again.  No, it was not the city taxes this time, these only get raised in October.  This time it was the Broward County Commission.  The Plantation Journal reported in 2009, after the Plantation City Council voted to raise our taxes again, that it was still possible for other agencies, with the authority to levy taxes, to come back for more of our money.  Well it has happened!  In comes the Broward County Commission, led by Mayor Ken Keechl, and five others (Ritter, Lieberman, Jones, Jacobs and Wasserman-Rubin), who voted to raise our taxes to build a new courthouse.  This is the same courthouse that the voters of Broward County rejected with a LOUD 70% vote of NO.  The entire cost of this project is $328 million, and this is of course before the myriad of problems which can occur. 

Now, I've heard about all the issues which have plagued the courthouse for years, and I understand that the courthouse is old, moldy, and leaky, and is antiquated as to the technology of the day.  But think about this, our County Representatives, who we elected to represent us, asked us our opinion at the ballot box, and after they did not receive the answer they liked, they still voted against the will of the people.  Will decisions like this cost them their next election?  Do voters really remember?  Do you remember who voted to raise your city taxes?  Remember the City elections are only thirteen months away with the following seats up for election:

• Mayor Armstrong
• Councilman Fadgen
• Councilwoman Uria

These local elections will take place in March 2011. 

I understand both sides of this equation, and we do need a courthouse that can handle the criminal and civil element.  What about the voter’s voice?  70% of the people voted against the new courthouse.  Who was listening?  It seems like the three Commissioners who voted against the tax increase (Rodstrom, Gunzberger and Wexler) wanted input from their constituents (the voters) at the polls again.  They may be in favor of a new courthouse too, but at least they wanted our input before they cast their final vote.  Should they wait, or continue this tax and spend mentality?

How do you feel about this one?  Because there are others out there, who are operating with huge deficits which will inevitably mean: Higher Taxes!