The one truism in life is if there is tax money available, politicians will spend every penny and then a couple more. And if they have to cut back, the first cut backs will be the ones that hurt the tax payers the most so they will agree to higher taxes. The city of Orlando has seen a record run up in property values in the past few years, and with that a corresponding run up of property taxes. The city officials have spent every penny and then some on new pork, services that enrich their friends and supporters, that will get them re-elected.

But when the state see’s this huge additional tax burden on existing homeowners as property values surged, they are working on a plan to lower property taxes. That combined with property values decreasing is making local cities see a great deal less revenue. So what is a good politician to do? Do they dismantle the pork they have created?

Nope, that would hurt their supporters, instead they threaten the populace with cuts to the things they need. Want an ambulance, we will cut the services so that you will have to wait and possibly die. Take the bus, too bad, we will cut those routes so that the poorer will make sure to vote for higher taxes, they will not pay for them anyway.

Politicians want you to think they are your best friends on election day, but they really only want the power to spend your money. Be very careful of them.

When state lawmakers overhaul property taxes, Orange County residents could face cuts to after-school programs for teens, lose bus routes, wait longer for emergency responders, and see no new parks or sidewalks for a while, officials predicted Tuesday.

Clogged roads would wait longer for fixes, and construction of fire stations would be put on ice. Youth programs, mosquito spraying and other services likely would be trimmed, officials said.”It’s a dismal situation,” Commissioner Teresa Jacobs said after seeing the county’s likely belt-tightening path laid out.

Top county officials handed Orange elected leaders a long list of possible service cuts aimed at offsetting an expected 20 percent budget hit from state lawmakers who plan to push property-tax-relief measures in a special session next week. Such a hit likely would force up to $145 million in immediate local budget cuts. Adjustments for that revenue pain were detailed on the same day that Orange’s top lobbyist identified about $45 million the county has to spend on programs mandated by state lawmakers in recent years. via the Orlando Sentinel