Oh my!
So many generalities and so many hidden expenses.
What exactly are the city requirements that these advocates seek to be exempted from? Let's look at each one. Why is it there? If it is not justified, then let's get rid of it. But if it is justified, what happens if some people are exempted? Who pays for the public benefits lost?
And why are we hiding so many costs from public view? The annual budget is supposed to give us the full picture of city expenditures. But these exemptions are hidden from annual review. In public finance they're called "tax expenditures" because they have the same bottom-line effect as regular expenditures but are achieved via special tax provisions. If we want to subsidize these organizations, then we should appropriate the money and put it in the annual budget where it gets regular scrutiny.
In 50+ years of watching public finances I have never seen an accounting of these tax expenditures. That should concern us.
Bob Jacobs
Please explain the inappropriate content below.
