tjcmd
Retired
I would happily pay higher property taxes if Guilford County will invest them in the schools, especially the schools in the poorer areas. I got a NC tax cut this year that I didn't ask for, I would happily pay higher NC states taxes especially if they will devote that money to the schools. Not trying to #humblebrag but when you are a person making decent money advocating for more money spent on schools is tantamount to holding up your hand and volunteering to pay more money.
Your next argument, I suppose, will be that I should voluntarily go over to Irving Park Elementary and fork over some cash if that's the way I feel. I could, but buying a few notebooks or even a few computers isn't going to make much difference in the long run. Pooling my money with every other property owner in Greensboro will make a difference, so I advocate for that to be done. In the meantime, I give (generously) to my own daughter's school. I do that not to make her experience better, because we already make sure she has everything she needs and more. My giving helps some parents in her classroom can't afford to buy their own kids notebooks and pencils and so forth.
Basically, your argument is a giant cop out and an attempt to avoid addressing anything in this thread on the merits. You're trying to duck the policy argument with this red herring that no one has the right to express an opinion on anything until they first - what? Give all their money and assets to try to address the problem first? And then and only then are they allowed to express an opinion? Ridiculous and not worthy of any more of my time.
The higher NC state taxes you would "happily pay" is far more likely to go where you would like it to go (devoted to the schools) if you take it yourself to the schools and fork it over for the needs you think the schools have. If you raise everyone else's taxes the proceeds will probably go where some greedy politician will get the most bangs for your buck. This is most especially true if you actually work hard and have sizable assets to dispense. Your contribution alone could make a big difference to somebody's class. Advocating that someone else be forced to pay for what you think ought to be funded is pure and simple greedy brutality. Don't confuse that with "volunteering to pay more money". People should of course be allowed to express their opinions. They just should not be allowed to force me to suffer because of their opinions.