Mister Tredyffrin and Friends

[A note from Mr. Tredyffrin: I would like to take this opportunity to introduce a new blogger to our site. She’s kinder & gentler than me. I think. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Ms. Tredyffrin!]

And it’s a little scary up here.

I was wondering how many of you knew, that your taxes were raised? Our taxes were raised, and I’m confused.

First, let me tell you a story. At one poll in Tredyffrin on election day a Republican greeter used a certain tactic to sway voters. When a voter would come in to vote and they approached the Democratic table, she would look at them and say: “Oh! You want Democrats to raise your taxes?". At some point later, there was a rush of voters. She was losing the ability to sling her comment at each voter individually so she simply broke out into a chant: “taxes, taxes, taxes, taxes, taxes!” Of course this verbal assault had an actual display to go with it - the all-important-Republican-tax-chart.

So you can understand why I’m confused.

The voters spoke, and your Republican elected officials just didn’t listen. Merely weeks after election day, they all voted to raise your taxes.

Of course the raising of taxes should come as no surprise. Let’s refer back to that “tax chart” the Republican leadership trotted out on election day.

It seems Republicans are proud that they have not raised taxes 6 out of the last 8 years. Considering they raised taxes the year before the last one for which they reported any data, this is another way of saying that Tredyffrin Township raises your taxes at least a third of the time (3 years out of 9). Correct? And now, with the tax hike for this year, that makes it 4 years out of 10. Would you vote for someone who said they were going to raise your taxes at least 40% of the time?

Now, rational people understand that sometimes it is a necessity to raise taxes. However, your elected Republican officials decided to raise your taxes partly for a roller hockey rink. I won’t even go into the wasted budgeted funds for roundabouts. That will be the subject of an entirely different post, when I climb up to the top of the chimney on my roof.

It made me feel a little crazy for a while. I couldn’t understand how people (Republicans) weren’t outraged. Hardly anyone showed up at the BOS meetings to protest this tax raise that they seemed so intent on preventing on election day. Weren’t they paying attention? Ah. That’s it.

Here are some truths: A Democrat demanded a budget that did not allow for a tax increase. Republicans voted that Democrat down. Republicans voted for the tax increase. No Democrats voted for the tax increase. Would you like to see a chart about that?

This tax raise in the aftermath of re-election by Republican supervisors should not be forgotten. At least it won’t be by this voter. Who is paying attention.