Newspapers like the DNT deserve to die #1

In today’s editorial lionizing the School Board member who forgot to pay her property taxes the Trib tells us her Red Plan is a mathematical miracle.

Here’s the fantastical math:

“However, an alternative plan has emerged with a price tag $100 million lower but with a tax impact — the what’ll-it-cost-me, bottom-line figure most taxpayers look at first – practically identical to the red plan.

The owner of a $125,100 home looking at paying $9.22 a month for the red plan would pay $9.50 a month for Plan B.”

Chuck Frederick and company explain that: a $193 million dollar Plan B will cost a taxpayer $9.50 a month whereas:
……………………………………………………a $293 million dollar Red Plan will cost a taxpayer $9.22 a month.

The higher we raise our taxes the less we will pay. Glory Hallelujah! Praise Lord Dixon Almighty!

Ah, but after reading that story in the DNT’s front page I see Duluth is in even bigger trouble. Some damned judge just ruled that the City of Duluth won’t have to pay all the health care benefits claimed by the City’s retirees. Now, according to Mayor Ness we won’t have to pay between $60 and $100 million dollars of an estimated $300 million cost.

Now that the DNT editors have explained how spending works I understand that its going to cost tax payers a bundle not paying out the health care costs. Our City Council better hurry up and buy all the fire engines, street sweepers, zambonis, lear jets, tanks, Humvees etc. that they can so that taxpayers can save even more money. Let’s give out city credit cards to Duluthians and encourage them to call up the shopping channel and buy up everything being sold. Or let’s keep our spending local and give out Sam’s Club memberships to all the voters. The more we spend the more we can lower our taxes.

And while we’re at it let’s release Bernie Madoff from prison. Men like Bernie deserve a lot more respect. Heck, The town fathers should buy the Duluth News Trib from Forum Communications and let Bernie manage it.

With Bernie’s math skills I’ll bet he could write even better editorials.

NOTE: I believe that this is the first time this blog has made mention of Laura Condon’s not paying her property taxes on time. I made a hasty check of previous posts on Laura and I can’t find a link to the Trib’s story about her embarassment. But considering the political stakes, voters rights, taxes and public education it is all together fair nd appropriate to point this out.

I’ve been told Laura blames Let Duluth Vote for outing her. If so, she’s wrong. Everyone associated with LDV was taken aback by the news.

The Trib roundly criticized City Councilor Cuneo for a similar breach but not Laura. But then Laura is needed to shore up the Red Plan from the angry “mob.” Better to ignore her breach and hope its forgotten. When enough time has passed her support for the Red Plan can be praised. I don’t blame the struggling Trib. If Laura stays on the school board the District is far more likely to keep pumping advertising money into the Paper.

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