October 10, 2007What Me Wrong????I have been having an on-going e-mail discussion with a lady who is a volunteer at the Ivory Tower, they have brainwashed her to such a degree that I consider her a pseudo member of the Gang in the Ivory Tower, she thinks I am overstating the problems with the Gang in the Ivory Towers latest ploy to relieve us of more of our hard earned cash in the form of higher cash taxes on the Utility Users Tax. The Gang states that because they are lowering the "tax rate" the amount of money it cost each of us on a monthly basis will remain the same.

However, the thing the Gang doesn't tell you, (this is the spin cycle), is that they will be adding more items to the tax, which will be changed to read, "Communications Tax" this is so that in the future if new communication systems are invented they can simply add them to the tax base without a vote of the people. Also in November the moratorium on taxing the Internet will expire, soooo.... the Gang is chomping at the bit to be able to add the Internet to the tax base.This lady states, "Obviously we disagree on a few things. But you are very much underestimating me. I was a newspaper reporter for years and covered many things, including technology. I do my research. I don't mind you sounding off on City Hall. I welcome it. But just get your facts right, OK? That's all I ask. I am sure we can agree on a few things. For example, I don't like Bush, either. I am even willing to talk to you in person and buy you a cup of coffee, if you want." I replied, "#1 I don't do coffee clatchs, #2 What ever research you have done on C7 appears to be screwed by who ever you are getting your information from. If you would have been at the Council meeting when the first mention of this Utility Users Tax mess was made you would have heard the "Expert" from out-of-town explain to the council that if the tax code in Ventura was not "fixed" they stood a very good chance of losing the entire thing.She countered with, "An outside source, ( standard spin cycle tactic), I consulted with said the most likely scenario is that only the cell phone portion, ( which the Gang has been charging illegally), would be affected. Only the landlines would still be taxed." I then e-mailed her an excerpt directly from the Gang's web site. "WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE UUT WERE NOT UPDATED? Without re-authorization, the ordinance could be disallowed and vital city funding would be cut off." Once again the Gang is resorting to the "Chicken Little Syndrome", they hope by using the fear of less police, firemen, street maintenance, park maintenance, etc, as they did in the case of the 1/4% sales tax spin, they will scare the people of Ventura into voting the way they desire. The Gang in the Ivory Tower have the misguided notion that the citizens of Ventura are below average in intelligence and all they have to do is spout doomsday predictions and they will get whatever they want.Let's prove to them they are not only wrong but they are Damned Wrong, let them know that if they can begin telling us the truth about issues perhaps we will see things their way. Until then we will show them our disdain about their "Spin Cycle" and ......VOTE NO ON C7 - VOTE NO ON ALL INCUMBENTS.PS: Lady, One time I thought I was wrong, but you know what? I was really right!Rellis Smith

res@venturastuff.com