No property taxation without assessment representation
This letter is in response to the controversy concerning the increase of property taxes nationwide at a time when most property values across the nation are declining.
According to Wikipedia, property tax is a tax that an owner pays on the value of the real property being taxed. The taxing authority requires and/or performs an appraisal of the monetary value of the property and tax is assessed in proportion to that value. These taxes are collected by municipalities such as cities, counties and districts, and they fund municipal budgets for things such as school systems, sewers, parks, libraries and fire stations. As with most self-perpetuating bureaucracies, these budgets are increased each year. The irony of the situation is that property taxes are going up as property values are going down. How can there be such a discrepancy between what properties are assessed at and what they are actually selling for? In other words, how do we find an equitable means of determining value?
In different parts of the country, there have been "tax revolts" whereby people are challenging the tax assessments and in some cases are getting their property taxes reduced. The problem is that it will only lead to municipal budget shortfalls because the estimated revenue will be less than what was forecast to be collected. Consequently, many cities across the country will be forced to reduce services in order to bring the budgets back into balance. If property values continue to plummet, the end result will be one of social catastrophe. In order to preserve this country, the federal government needs to take emergency action to solve this problem before it festers out of control and leads to civil unrest. Perhaps one action would be to seize the ill-gotten gains of those who profited the most but yet suffered the least. Until then, there should be no property taxation without proper assessment representation.
Joe Bialek Cleveland, OH
A big Butler 'thank you'
On March 17 a historic announcement was heard across the country. The University of Texas School of Music was honored with the largest single gift ever given to an American public music school. The generous donors, Sarah and Ernest Butler, pledged $55 million to our school, which has benefited from their generosity for many years. In a token of gratitude, the UT Board of Regents has approved the decision to rename the school the "Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music" in their honor.
Though the impact of their contribution will surely mean incredible things for our music school in the coming years, their gift represents something even more significant to us all. While consuming so much of our lives that it can be difficult to see, the world is undergoing a tremendous transformation, spurred by the proliferation of technological innovations that connect people from all over the globe. Collaboration is only going to increase more quickly as countries such as China and India continue to advance. One can debate about the challenges and opportunities that this new age present to no end, but there is little debate that the lines of community, culture and regionalism will continue to blur as individuals from disparate backgrounds in the far regions of the earth speak, write, trade and collaborate as never before imagined. It is up to us to decide which distinctions we value in our society and which ones we do not and, perhaps most importantly, how best to find a common language and common ground.
Sarah and Ernest Butler have made a bold declaration to this end. Their incredible gift is a statement of faith in the transformative power of the arts. The world will indeed flatten and it is up to artists and musicians to provide a place of understanding, a universal language and to keep us true to what it means to be human in an age in which efficiency seems to drive every endeavor (see: Wal-Mart). The global economy will challenge everything, but in responding to that challenge we must not lose sight of part of our cultural heritage. We must not lose sight of the value of the arts in cultivating creativity and illuminating truth that words cannot express. This is the gift the Butlers dream for us, and for this, I invite all Longhorns to join me in thanking them.
James Tolleson Music studies senior
Getting rowing straight
While I am very happy that the Texan is covering club sports, I was disappointed in the article about Texas Crew ("Checking in with Texas Crew, intramural rowing," Mar. 18). I would like to provide some corrections. I work at IBM and coach the team daily.
First, there are two teams on campus: Texas Crew (men and club women) and women's Texas Rowing (funded by the athletic department). Both compete for the national rowing championship. Texas Crew is not at all intramural, as is stated in the headline. It is a varsity-level team with no funding from the athletic department.
Rowers complete six to nine workouts per week, nine months per year, with up to three of those being on their own time. The coaching staff has experience at the international level and on the U.S. national team.
Rowing was the first intercollegiate sport. Texas has had rowing since 1969, which was accurately presented in the article, which is great. Men's rowing, which is the majority of the team, predates the NCAA by decades. As such, rowing does not choose to be part of the NCAA for men. This allows both a varsity and freshman national championship. Our men are eligible to compete in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association championship, which is the national championship of men's rowing.
While Texas Crew receives more funding than any other club sport from RecSports, the vast majority of our funding comes from donations. Support at other schools is much greater. For example, Wichita State receives more than $250,000 per year in funding and is a club sport.
Bob Krentler Austin, Texas
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