Thursday, September 5, 2013

Telecommunications tax poll a fair sample?


Tax our cell phones,
are you freaking kidding me?
Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, 9/3/13.  "Reaction to the Utilities Users Tax extension poll."

....  "When asked to evaluate the poll as a real scientific inquiry vs. a public relations piece, Cain of Stanford said, "It's not true science but the responses tell you something of value. The poll is more like a tactical probe. They may have released it to you because it looks like there is public support for the measure and for the work of the Pacifica City Council. It is human nature to share your report card when it is good and bury it when it is not." 

....  Stechbart again objected to the methodology of the poll.  "They are targeting senior citizens in a low turnout November election by design. They don't want cell phone users to vote. They tend to be younger. They want to convince senior citizens they are going to get all this cool stuff and they don't have to pay for it," he said."  Read Article.

Note:  graphic from Ghana Web. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know what? Don't hate on the politician's, hate the looming debt the opposition created. Get er done! Pacifica City Council has a lot of cleaning up to do, Jobs to save, Budgets to balance, feet to step on, so get out of the way. Your time has expired.

Hutch said...

Anon 1126, The city has lied in the past about promising where the Fire Assessment tax would go. They have made no real attempts to cut spending. And they continue to waste millions on studies and other crap.

We don't need to keep feeding this monster.

This article shows how the city and Godbe set out to get the answers they wanted on their fake "poll" that we paid $12,000 for.

If you believe this tax is wrong and misguided please join the Facebook group Pacificans Against Higher Utility Taxes and let all your friends and family know.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DefeatPhoneTax

If you can help financially please send checks ($99 or less) to Pacificans Against Higher Utility Taxes, 1005 Terra Nova Blvd, Ste A, Pacifica.

Anonymous said...

Stechbart's outta time? Council's gotta go? What the hell are u talkin about?

Anonymous said...

11:26 = Yes on V consultant / astroturdster??

Anonymous said...

Oh Hutch, it's rude to be factual when someone is trying to inspire the troops. 1126 was just saying what we all know...this council has jobs to save, budgets to balance, and shit to step in.

Isn't that what he said? It's not?

Ian Butler said...

Great article by Jane Northrup, getting the esteemed Bruce E. Cain's perspective to balance Stechbart. The kind of actual reporting that we need more of from the Tribune.

Hutch said...

Is your program is balanced reporting Ian? LMAO.

Marks comment was right on. The City with Godbe carefully crafted this poll and who the called to get the results they wanted.

Anonymous said...

I am sure that if people had a house payment, county tax bill, insurance and other housing expenses they wouldn't be so thrilled with people trying to raise taxes, at every turn.

Disgusted Dan said...

What about the little gem about not polling cell phone users because they don't vote! How self-serving is that?
They will get hit the worse. Especially with families with kids and cell phones coming out the wazoo.

Anonymous said...

I just heard water rates are increasing. Anyone know about this?

And anon 550, even renters feel the increases. Landlords pass them on as higher rents. Our friends got raised $100 a month after the sewer increase.

Anonymous said...

C'mon Dan, Council's goal is not to be fair or remotely democratic. The goal is to pass the tax by letting the consultants pinpoint when and how to take their best shot. Unless a lot more than the usual and targeted voters show up, it's done and done.

Anonymous said...

The water department is sending out the letters this week. 7.5% up. They know only 4 people will show up to protest. Hold on to your wallets, it's a full on money grab.

Wait till they sell the library bonds. Oh then the 50 million in poop plant bonds.

P.A.H.U.T. said...

Get your absentee ballot and rock the vote

http://stage.shapethefuture.org/votingoptions/documents/Nov_2013/Nov2013ENGOneTimeApp.pdf

Steve Sinai said...

"I just heard water rates are increasing. Anyone know about this?"

I got something from NCCWD today. I only read a few lines, but it looked like notice of a rate increase.

Anonymous said...

Yes folks are doing phone banking...anyone get a call from Yes on V?

Anonymous said...

Oh that's just great. Jack up garbage, sewer water and now our phones.

I really think seniors are as fed up with all this as everyone else. Being on a fixed low income and the city taking $1000 of your money for sewer should be illegal.

Anonymous said...

If Yes people call you ask them how they can live with themselves trying to raise taxes on people for no good reason.

Anonymous said...

1010 You think tax and spenders give a rat's ass about how their taxes and spending effect you or anyone else? You're just part of the grubby unenlightened mob. You exist to pay for their agenda.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday got my notice of a 7.5% water rate hike. I believe the notice mentioned we'd had no increase since 2010. That wasn't much consolation.

Anonymous said...

Plus the $22 dollar water delivery fee they snuck on the bill a short time ago.

I notice they just bought shiny new Ford Pick Up trucks for the water district again.

Anonymous said...

How would you like to be manning that phone bank? "Hi, this is taxing terry here. Do you want drug dealers running rampant in town, 2 hour response time for fire department, seniors starving at home, poor turned away from the resource center? You don't! Well make sure you vote yes on V which doesn't make any of those promises and really won't go to salaries and pensions. Honest. What? Go fu--
myself!"

Tom Clifford said...

6.5% tax on your phones (for a city wide total of $1,075,000.per year.), another 7.3% ($700,000 per year)increase on our water bills, sewer rates that go up almost every year (Millions more),plus An additional twenty to thirty million dollar bond to fix leaky city sewer line. ($40-60 million in real cost)

You get the Idea.

Vote NO on measure V and start taking back control of your wallet.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful timing for that notice of a 7.5% water rate hike. More ammo for opponents to V.

ian butler said...

Hutch said...

"Is your program is balanced reporting Ian?"

That depends on what your definition of "is your program is" is.

Anonymous said...

The main reason why Pacifica is such a dysfunctional mess. People would rather split hairs then focus on the real problems.

Chapter 9 here we come.