According to the slide presentation the average property tax increase would be a $162.93 yearly increase. I got up at the close (courtesy of the floor) of the meeting and attempted to defend the BASD citizen from the insanity of ever increasing school property tax. I felt sorry for both the administration and the school board members, who were lost in the mechanics and details of putting together the budget, they thought their work fair and of course the budget workable, not mentioning once the strain tax payers/citizens are under.

I did not realize the ignorance and/or the lack of understanding that was distributed among the lot of them sitting before me. As I spoke and said my peace, it was not until the closing seconds of what I had to say that I realized this sad circumstance. Both the school board and the administration could not break from the entrapment of the narrow sphere of details that allowed them to put the budget together—–the all powerful “Educational System” dictated scope of responsibly and how far they were allowed to think. The fact that they could not and/or were not allowed too think, outside the box had become clear to me. This fact, they may or may not have realized, that thinking outside the box had been restricted, not allowing them to consider other factors affecting the citizens of BASD. They had been driven by circumstances all within the scope dictated by Board policy, State regulation, and Department of Education, none of which protects the tax payer.

They would be content to work their smaller system regardless of the failures, circumstance and forces controlling a much larger mechanism outside of their control, not even willing to think that system might be on the verge of malfunctioning. This larger controlling system is weak and subject to collapse and would bring down the BASD, the administration said last night repeatedly, the budget has little margin for error and to that extent is strained because they have counted every nickel—so they say.

The Board and Administration has admitted the increased pension funding will raise taxes continually in the coming years and with inflation it will cause an increase in the price of doing business. These two factors alone will cause a 5% tax increase for the years ahead, something the citizens can not support or sustain in these coming years.

I can’t help but feel sorry for the situation and the people, they know not nor does it matter to them that the system maybe broken, for they refuse to pick-up the banner of understanding and interposition themselves in leadership positions. They know not the direction the ship of BASD is heading; therefore we must pray God will put some light on the them and what they must do, for when they have taxed the people to the point they can not pay——the system will collapse—end of story.

St. Paul in 1st. Corinthians 16:13 uses the word “quit”—–that word only appears once in the New Testament and Paul’s writings.

King James Bible:
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

“Quit”—-act like a man

We shall See—–don’t you think???????

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/04/23/dutch-prime-minister-mark-ruttes-cabinet-quits-after-rift-with-far-right/

Here is what I believe to be the meat of the conflict;

“Rutte, Verhagen and Wilders had held near daily talks at the premier’s official Catshuis residence in a bid to reach agreement on how to cut 16 billion euros (US$21 billion) from the budget, which stood at 4.7 % of gross domestic product for 2011.”
“The EU’s deficit ceiling is three percent of GDP.”

I do not believe there was ever any discussion or disagreement as to having the wrong “deficit ceiling” target, the disagreement was on what to cut. This is critical to my point. The cutting of spending was the saving of the country; it must be believed that this fact was crucial. Cut to that level or lose the country must have been made clear to all or was it? I ask; if the party’s understood the situation, why couldn’t they come together on some compromise? Excellent question don’t you think? You are talking about the effects these negotiations will have on the whole country.

I do not wish to judge the Dutch and what they are doing but bring the circumstances home to a local situation, and that is the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) and the budget process that is going on as I write. I have heard it from the School Board that some of them want it open, as to what percentage they will be willing to increase the property tax too, going from a 4% increasing property tax to a 5.2%. My point if we had someone on the board who was willing to argue a NO increase in property tax position there just might be an impasse were the tax payer would at least get heard once in a while, but that is never to happen. I can tell you if the people and tax system doesn’t get some relief the system will come to were you will have complete stagnation of the process. The tax payer is and has been put into the position of a constant compromise and paying the bill.

One of two things is about to happen;

1/ The system of taxation will be changed.
2/ The system of taxation will bankrupt the citizen.

The conditions of this situation are has in Holland and the Dutch, most members of the school board can not be convinced there is danger up ahead and that we must cut spending, change the system, or bankrupt the citizen. They will keep piling taxation on until the government is forced to resign and we will be forced to ask—-Who is right? Who is wrong?——-dumb question after the citizen is bankrupt and the system broke.

We Shall See—–Don’t you think??????

Ronnie DelBacco
Concerned Citizen

Vidanage, Ortiz and Bonilla all stated there should be a minority on the NCC board of trustee’s.
According to the article;

“Bonilla forcefully explained the rationale for his seeking the job. He said, as a member of the minority group, he felt that his appointment would bring needed minority representation to NCC board of trustees. Bonilla, who is a student at Moravian College, said he is a graduate of NCC.”

Now I ask, how can I know if Bonilla will represent all the students at NCC and does this not raise major questions? They have now separated the camps of NCC into factions of whom they will represent. Let us hope there is someone on the NCC board that will represent the tax payer, who, for anyone’s concern, is paying the bills.

Why would a person play the race card? Injecting into the scheme of things an element of power brokering that would do nothing but split the effort of the NCC Board of Trustees. Do they (Bonilla, Ortiz & Vidanage) not understand the times or the culture and the fact they are about to run upon hard times and unity of effort is what will be needed, not someone looking for his or her piece of the pie.

Arguing Justice, Fairness and Righteousness were not mentioned—–all the while—–what is wrong is —–not having a minority on the board. As if having a minority on the board will make everything right. We have fallen far—–go ahead and put one on the board and tell me if that changes anything and/or makes anything right.

Is it not true that no one trusts anyone and the situation is quickly deteriorating into chaos? The 3 of them certainly make it clear they are out to represent their faction of which I am not one. Who will represent me—-an American tax payer?

We Shall See —–don’t you think?

You can view one clip here:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/not-going-to-be-silenced-by-this-sex-plea-co-ed-responds-to-limbaugh-on-ed-show/

In Isaiah 33: 15,16 (KJ) we have this
(15) “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly:…”
 (16) “He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his water shall be sure.”

This question or any question will always come down to—Is it right or is it wrong and of course by whose standard is it being judged. Is it wrong what Ms. Fluke is doing, that is the question? Let the discussion begin at this point and unfold from there. Let the discussion not hinge on emotion and what “Rush” said or the TV commentators are saying, for they have clouded the issue. Let us hear what God has said.

Deuteronomy 30:15 (KJ)
 “I (God) have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.”

Ms. Fluke has before her a full life, this cause and the direction she in heading with this issue is questionable and certainly out of step with what is righteous. Any young women of college age, single and away from home wanting contraception to the extent that it costs 3 thousand dollars has to be called into question as to if she is doing right. It is raw sex nothing more and leads to what and questions, what is to happen to her?
Deuteronomy 30:17 (KJ)
 “But if thine heart turn away,…”

What can be expected if her cause is not righteous? Remember she is not fighting for just what she wants but now guiding all females down a path before the Congress of the United States. She is also sending a signal to the men that females are available if not available, they know how to protect themselves so let’s get it on, Ms. Fluke is thereby lowering the standards of chastity and the purity of the women. It takes away from the intimacy of the act between a wife and husband, transforming it into raw sex for pleasure between a male and a female, the Bible calls it fornication.

Deuteronomy 30:18 (KJ)
 “ I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land,…”

Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJ)
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: Therefore choose life,…”

Job 4:17 (KJ)
 “Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than His maker?”

If Sandra Fluke is to lead in this issue then she is to understand her place as a leader and the direction she is leading. Justice and Righteousness must be the motive that Ms. Fluke has placed in the front as her guide, not want of safe sex. The question that Ms. Fluke should have or still can ask; Is what she doing falling within God’s law.

The progressive element is coming on stronger with each passing day and the Constitution by itself is no longer able to force the line or hold the gap. What has happen? The Constitution can only be the instrument of government if the people our righteous by God’s standard.

Psalm 26:1 (KJ)
 “Judge me, O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity…”

Proverbs 26:7 (KJ)
 “The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.”

Ms. Fluke will win the day because we know not what it is to be righteous or by what standard to be judging the issue or situation. We have taken God out of the picture so much so that we can not tell how to argue this but by asking. Isn’t Ms. Fluke embarrassing her parents? No the question Ms. Fluke should have been asked is; Is she doing right by God and his law. We will one day answer to Him which should be enough to compel us to fear Him and follow His law..

Now with that said, we have the President of the United States and the Georgetown University President along with the secular media approving Ms. Fluke’s direction and/or position.
Isn’t there something wrong, having two Presidents lead her and the people down an unrighteous path?
Isn’t there something wrong that two Presidents could not re-direct or re-focus Ms. Fluke’s efforts, putting them on the correct, Godly path?

If we do not or can not redress these faults against God, we shall surely perish. The Constitution can not put us on the righteous path only Biblical teaching will. The Constitution can not teach scripture and the Church’s have failed and have been failing for years compounding the problem We have no Constitutional law that is capable of holding back Ms Fluke’s law-less-ness and we do not have the church’s teaching God’s law.

Therefore we will have many of Ms. Fluke’s and her type of teachings and leadings of the people into god-less ventures.

We Shall See—don’t you think??

We discussed baseball, taxes, grants, death, corrupt politicians and the local newspaper. Now, baseball was easy. Albert took the best offer. There was, after all, only about a 50 million dollar difference in them and the only organization in this country that does not consider that to be a substantial amount is our federal government. They can, and do, squander that away several times a day while they claim they don’t know where it went, and that it’s your fault anyway.

Now on taxes I pay what I consider to be aplenty. There’s federal and state income tax on all I earn. Federal, state, county, and city sales tax on all I buy. County and city personal property tax on all my toys, and county and city real estate tax on all land I rent. I say RENT because I must not really OWN it, because if I don’t pay the taxes in short order they’ll take it. So, it must not really be mine. I’m just their caretaker and have to pay them yearly for the privilege. Now when I die, and just in case you haven’t read the obituaries, we will all get there sooner or later, they want a death tax, too. That’s one check I won’t sign. The news people are now telling me that as of 1/1/2012, there will also be about 70 tax increases, most of them concealed in some way or another, so that you don’t notice. Of course, the government, in one form or another will imply that these are all in your best interest, as if we are too stupid to know what’s good for us.

The local paper, had a cartoon of sharks feeding but left out D.C. corruption and ignorant people to make it complete. Also under “Hybrids Run Amuck”, there was some truth that Barney Frank and Chris Dodd are in fact much to blame for the housing crisis. A guy named Paul Krugman says Mitt Romney should have trouble running a campaign based on falsehoods and then puts a picture of the biggest liar we’ve seen in many years on the page. A fellow named Jeremy Schwartz wrote an article telling us how jobless/unemployment benefits are not welfare, and he is after all an assistant professor of economics at

Layola
University in
Maryland, so he must be right. WRONG. Welfare is getting something for nothing, and in spite of his claim “that workers pay premiums in the form of a tax remitted by their employers while they are working” he is totally wrong. The employer does remit a tax but it’s not paid by the worker, the employer pays it all. Therefore unemployment is getting something that the recipient never paid for, and that’s welfare. Now it’s easy to see why he’s just an assistant and also why this country is in the financial mess we are with teachers like this.

We don’t have room or time here to discuss grants, corrupt politicians, and death but I will write again soon. While not all politicians are corrupt, most corruption is surrounded by, tied to, fed by, or allowed to exist by bought and paid for politicians.

Clyde                                                                                    

Can this possibly be a game changer—-
http://www.wnd.com/2012/02/will-this-man-split-republican-vote/

The Republican Party is failing to satisfy the party conservatives and instead is going after the independents——a strategy that does not allow them to address the hard core issues that plague the country and certainly not get at the root of those problems.

If the Republican Leadership, think for a minute they are going to white wash the issues with lip service, thereby not addressing any of them, they are lost and sadly mistaken. The sadness of this is that compromising has settled in all the way to the local levels with few wanting to fight against this, cooperate mentality of follow the leader. Principles and truth is being filtered by the media and the Republican Party doesn’t seem to care. Instead of an all out campaign against the biased of the media they chose to walk the line that is painted for the them by the media, all the while not caring to much for the truth of things.

Maybe Congressman Ron Paul isn’t worry about running on a third party ticket because he already had this story—–months ago. Whether he runs or Roemer makes no difference the results will be the same—–Obama will be president again. This could explain the president’s calmness in knowing the outcome of November’s election. His deck is stacked with him knowing exactly when he will play every card. If the Republican leadership only wants a seat at the table (down at the end) it could also explain their willingness to compromise their positions on the critical issues.

Friends all this will change this summer with “Occupy Wall Street” and if the “Euro” goes down—-at that point I have no idea what the Republican Leadership is going to tell the Citizens of America.

But what do I know—–just this—-the Republican Leadership—-is not leveling with the party faithful nor the American citizens—-and it will come back to bite them and you know were.

We Shall See—–Don’t you think?????

“Unfortunately, today the original intent of the Founding Fathers has been subverted by a new doctrine – political correctness – originated by the left, and “freedom of the press” has regrettably become a means of propagating the viewpoint that only those tenets held dear by certain segments of our society should be reported as news. Contrary viewpoints must be labeled and reported not as news, but as the opinions of fringe groups, right-wingers or conservatives (not to be confused with society at large). Foremost among these fringe groups are any Bible believers – Jew or Christian. Moral absolutes are not acceptable, and only the rights of those people who are liberated from those antiquated thought patterns are protected by the First Amendment.”

When I asked if they had contacted county officials regarding this problem of assessments being so far off that the BASD thought it justified hiring a firm to go after property owners, the board president said, “No, they had not contacted the county.”

Why the question regarding the county? It is the county’s responsibility to keep the counties real estate assessment current and up to date. The county property assessment have not had a assessment of county properties in years, and with that situation you are bound to get fluctuations in property value with many properties out of range of what their market value should be.

Rather then the school district informing the county that the district felt they had a serious problem with under valued property’s thereby losing tax money’s they choose to hire Keystone Realty Co. We now have a firm that has been turned lose on the county tax payer who is going to, what they call in the sales business ”Easy Picken” looking in the county for properties they can close on quickly to maximize income in the business venture. They will zero in on the properties that are most out of balance with a very low assessment, properties that stick out like a sore thumb. They most certainly will find those they can pick off with little effort, wanting to close and put some business on the books. I would guess they close 3-6 deals quickly, making it worth the enough to continuing, any salesman worth his salt working in a territory that has been left go for 15-20 should be able to make a quick buck and with 30% as the commission rate it makes it more then worth while.

But I digress and that was not my point to make; My point is BASD has turned lose a wolf here in the county who could cares less about fairness and/or correcting the problem of assessment of county property values. Keystone Realty is interested in the deal and were they make their money, not in fairness of property assessment—the closing of the deal is were the buck is to be made and the fact of the matter is, you can’t blame them, that is their business and business model.

What should have happen was the school district should have contacted the county and at least told them BASD had a problem and recommended the county consider reassessment as Lehigh County is doing. I would guess that never crossed the board or the Administration’s mind to think of the citizens as a whole, instead we have a company that is turned lose as a lone wolf on the Northampton property owners who will pick their victims by the maximum spread the property has below what they think is fair market value and go in for the kill. This created battle will cost the property owner money out of pocket, money’s to fight the attack (Attorneys) all the while the BASD will have the full force of the tax payers money behind them. They have created a situation that can become highly charged and will lead no where in having a fair market assessment of ALL property’s in Northampton County. One can only see the short sightedness of this venture. With not one of the board having the leadership ability to suggest a different path in confronting the problem of property tax loses—–do to out of balance assessments here in the county.

Pay close attention to this because Keystone Reality will go after the Commercial Property’s first (Biggest spread) then they will come for you, the home owner, remember they have a 5 year contract.

We Shall See—-don’t you think??????