John Walters

I am enjoying a quiet weekend today. Seems most potential buyers are either shopping for school supplies or at the beach. I wish I were at the beach. More fun than cutting my grass.

Well at least training camps are open for the football teams. Like a kid, I am hopeful for the New Orleans Saints this year. We should know by the end of September how good they will be this year. Be safe and watch out for the school zones this coming week. School starts in St Tammany parish this coming Friday.

I think I have finally had it with this excuse by state and local governments faced with budget shortfalls. As one who voted for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, to say I am disappointed is a understatement.

Unchecked growth in government at all levels has left more and more people dependant on some form of support these days. In 1996 Louisiana's budget was 11.9 Billion dollars. This year it was over 28 Billion. An increase of one hundred and forty four percent (144%). All while Louisiana's population has declined over one (1%) percent.

The parish of St. Tammany had a budget of 66 million in 2005. This year they cut it back to 99 million. This still is an increase of 50% over four years. The elected politicians refuse to cut their own throat. Property taxes, etc are at all time highs and they have finally broke the camels back.

What is the politicians answer? To raise taxes and start new programs of course. People if you don't email, call or do something to stop this unchecked takeover of the economy you can blame no one but YOURSELF.

I would love to hear similar stories from around the country. I am sure they won't be hard to find.

I have been looking at several fine homes on forested land in the Folsom area of St. Tammany Parish lately. I have stumbled upon several homes that pay less taxes than I do. I asked several home owners but none would really answer the question until last week.

Seems as long as you have three and a half acres minimum you may qualify. For example one property worth $400,000 pays just over a grand a year in property taxes. WHAT, are you kidding me? No, all you have to do is go to the assessors office and fill out the paperwork and see if you qualify.

So, anyone living on at least this much land needs to go and give it a shot. Or contact the St. Tammany Assessors office for more information.

In less you live in a vacuum, anyone living in hurricane prone areas is aware of this. Among having a stash of supplies (food,water etc), one needs to have adequate insurance in place.

Do you know the most common form of disaster in the U.S.? If you said flooding you are correct. One does not have to live in hurricane area to flood. Case in point, just last week West Virginia had a rather large area of flooding from persistent rains the past month or so.

Here is a link to access your flood risk. Also want to know your cost? Well click here.

As an experienced victim of Katrina,(3 feet in my home in Slidell, Louisiana) take my word for it. You will be glad you had flood insurance should you ever need it. While thousands finally were bailed out by the Federal Government. They had to wait months and months to get the money to rebuild. I was back in my house three months later thanks to an advance from the flood program and my great contractor. In this day of huge budget deficits can the American Government bail you out again? Don't take the chance. Give up a cell phone, cable or a couple of trips to the casino's to pay for it.

Tell the Legislature: Support HB 259 and SB 47! Adjust the Homestead Exemption Against Inflation (or at least let the voters - not politicians - decide!)

Dear Citizens of Louisiana,

Thank you for signing the petition calling for adjustment of the Homestead Exemption against inflation. The Legislature is now open and we're in a critical moment as the Ways and Means Committee is currently holding up this common sense, pro-homeowner legislation. I need your help. Please take a few minutes to call, write or email your state Senator and Representative and tell them to support Louisiana homeowners by giving their full support to HB 259 and SB 47.

Find your state Representatives here: http://www.legis.state.la.us/members.htm

Have you ever wondered if you really own something if you have to pay the government not to take it from you? That's what the Homestead exemption is about. It's not a free ride. If we want to protect property rights, take our state housing market and economy out of the dumps, and ultimately increase revenues to the state through general prosperity, raising the Homestead Exemption is the best way to do it. At the very least don't let politicians take away your right to vote on this important matter. Let your voice be heard! If it helps, please feel free to use or modify in your own words any language or points from here or the petition in your calls, letters and emails.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Joshua Kahler

http://www.petitiononline.com/lahomeex/petition.html