Donnelly Redefines Desperation

posted by 1970s Abraham Lincoln
posted 10/27/2007 10:49:09 AM

Today's mail brought an unpleasant surprise (click on thumbnails to enlarge):


Uh oh. Flip it over to see:



Oh, Tom. You're not really this desperate, are you? You yourself said in the last debate that property taxes have nothing to do with foreclosures.  Unfortunately, there's more. Unfold to see:


I understand the importance of citing your sources, however when you're desperately trying to misrepresent the facts, you probably shouldn't cite the article that explains Wong's proposed shift would add $5.18 a year to the average homeowner's tax bill. Yeah. That's forty-three cents a month. If forty-three cents a month is going force you into foreclosure, I respectfully suggest that you see a credit councilor.

Ah, but Tom wasn't done spending money at the print shop yet! His mailer unfolds yet again:



Click on the thumbnail to get the whole business. He quotes the same Sentinel article again, essentially restating the same argument. There's a huge picture of a "FORECLOSED" sign in front of a big house [which I'm pretty sure they don't actually put in your yard if the bank forecloses on your property - someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong], then it closes with this gem:

"Residential taxpayers already pay 85 percent of the taxes in this city and that's enough. City tax policy should not be pushing people out of their homes."
-Tom Donnelly

Residential taxpayers pay 85 percent of the taxes because businesses don't want to come to Fitchburg. Part of the reason that businesses don't want to come to Fitchburg is because the tax rate sucks. Wong wants to lower the business tax rate to attract more businesses. The shift will cost the average homeowner five bucks a year.

Tom, I realize that this election looks pretty bleak for you, and the only way you can figure out how to win is by going negative. But maybe you should have picked something more substantial to harp on. For one, anyone who reads the article you cited will find out that your boogeyman tax increase is about half the cost of a martini at the bar you love to hate, and it makes you look petty.

Second, putting the focus of attention on taxes in Fitchburg seems like a pretty fucking stupid thing to do, since in the 8 years you've been on the city council, taxes have increased by 20%.

P.S. As long as you're spending like crazy on your campaign, why not hire a spell-checker?



Tags: tom donnelly has raised your taxes 8 times
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