Mayor Park Cities’ email blast over the weekend was meant to be a serious attempt to rally support for his No New Taxes line in the sand. Instead, it was kind of silly, and I almost feel sorry for him. Who is he paying to write this stuff? I could do a better job, and we’re hardly political pals.
• The patriotism card. “[T]he returning war veteran trying to buy a first home but wondering now if Plano is a more affordable place to raise his family.” I can’t decide what’s worse — Leppert wrapping himself in the flag to further his political career or ignoring the math. The average price of a home in Plano is $227,000; it’s $207,000 in Dallas.
• More bad math. Leppert says the property tax rate has increased a “whopping 32 percent” since 1982. Which is actually not much at all, given that inflation has risen 123 percent. It pains me to write this, but I think we have to give city officials some credit for making do (and for reaping the advantages of Dallas’ impressive growth over the past 29 years).
• Bad timing. Leppert is asking Dallas’ working people to come to city hall at 9 a.m. Monday to protest the proposed tax hike. Someone should tell him that most working people, returning war vets, and the like are at work at 9 a.m. on most Monday. Their bosses, who would be people like Leppert, would not be happy with them knocking off to go to a political rally.
