Do the Math

Category: Good Government On The March, Rants a.k.a. Commentary || By

That's not my "economic stimulus" check. It's worse. Much worse.

It's the second year in a row that I've received a $1 check from the gubmint for overpaying my taxes.

I may be the last person in the world who still does his own 1040 form, by hand, without help from a computer program.

And for the third consecutive year, I've screwed it up. Three years ago, I got a cream-colored "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" envelope from the IRS and nearly soiled myself. I looked like Ralph Kramden. Did they find out about the statue with the clock in its stomach that I won at the Raccoon Lodge Christmas party?

No, but I was being asked to submit a check for $6 to the IRS, because I had underpaid my taxes.

Then, last year and this year, I got back $1 for overpaying.

God is trying to tell me to have someone else do my income taxes next year.

But look at it this way. H&R Block this year charged the average consumer more than $172 to prepare their taxes. TurboTax costs $45.

Between the $6 extra I owed in 2006, and the $2 I got back this year and last year, I'm only down $4, instead of $45 or maybe $172.

Maybe the money I'm saving should go into some remedial math classes, because clearly I need them.

. . .

Speaking of remedial math, state Rep. Jim Casorio, Democrat from Irwin, doesn't need any math help.

Casorio can figure out that the $3.2 million that North Huntingdon's taxpayers cough up for police protection is a lot more than the $0 that neighboring Hempfield Township pays.

In case you didn't realize it, Hempfield --- which has more residents than both North Huntingdon and McKeesport, more than Monroeville and White Oak combined --- doesn't have its own local police and doesn't spend a nickel for protection, except what all state residents pay in Pennsylvania taxes.

According to the Penn State Data Center, there are only 20 communities in Pennsylvania that have a larger population than Hempfield.

As for municipalities with more than 10,000 residents, only four occupy more square miles (76.6) than Hempfield. (It's even larger, by area, than Pittsburgh.)

Yes, assuming you live in a community with a police department, you pay for the police needs of Hempfield's 41,000, mostly white, middle-class residents.

That's why Casorio and state Rep. John Pallone of New Kensington have introduced legislation that would obligate communities with more than 10,000 residents to create their own local police forces, or pony up $100 per person to pay for state police protection.

. . .

Of course, Hempfield and Unity township officials can also do remedial math. And they're complaining that Casorio's proposal would put an unfair burden on their residents.

"If the state finds a need that they need to increase the state police complement, then the state should of itself fairly find a way of supporting that, not penalizing some residents of the state of Pennsylvania or some municipalities of the state of Pennsylvania, and not others," Hempfield Supervisor Doug Weimer told the Tribune-Review.

"Penalizing" them! Wow!

These same officials attracted many of their new residents to their townships over the past 20 years by "keeping their taxes low."

Well, sure, it's easy to keep taxes low when everyone else is subsidizing your costs.

I found it interesting to learn that about 56 percent of Hempfield residents are registered Republicans.

That means many of them also write letters to the Trib complaining loudly about welfare and Medicaid recipients who are "sponging" off the government.

. . .

I'd like to propose a compromise. Hempfield and Unity township can continue to get free police protection, but all cars registered in Hempfield and Unity will have to carry a bumper sticker that says "WELFARE RECIPIENT."

And signs will be erected at the township borders that read, "HOME OF THE PARASITES."

"Political analysts" are already predicting this bill won't go anywhere, because legislators who represent welfare capitals like Hempfield will be afraid to vote for it.

But good for Casorio and Pallone for putting their cards on the table.

As for Unity and Hempfield: What a bunch of whiny deadbeats.

If you're so broke, I'll send you my $1 tax rebate. It's the least I can do ... and it's about all I'm willing to do.

Your Comments are Welcome!

Just out of curiosity, what is the crime rate comparison between North Huntington and Hempfield?
The Dude - July 02, 2008

Good question!

Unfortunately, Hempfield doesn’t submit a uniform crime report (UCR), so it’s not easy to answer:

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_08_pa.html

I’ll try and get a comment from Troop A Greensburg, but no promises. They may not talk to independent web journalists, or whatever the heck I am.
Webmaster - July 02, 2008

This bit of nastiness doesn’t surprise this Norwin graduate. I trusted Hempfield residents less than those Penn Trafford folks.
Schultz - July 02, 2008

I’m not about to defend Doug Whiner. er, Weimer, ‘cause I think he’s full of it too.
Not will I dispute that Hempfield takes great advantage of what is pretty much a loophole.
Hempfield has had a committee studying the police question for about 2 years and their residents’ survey (unscientific) showed there’s very little crime that rises to the felony level and the vast majority of those who reported they were victims said they had experienced vandalism.
What we have in Parasiteland: Auto theft (though not nearly as much as Monroeville Mall & gee, Monroeville has like 50 cops, right?), drunk drivers, retail theft, bar fights, kids who throw eggs, people who turf yards with their cars.
What we don’t have: Rampant drug dealing and the incumbent mayhem (hookers, shootings, etc.)
I also won’t apologize for paying low taxes. I chose to NOT live in Allegheny County for many reasons, including taxes.
I live in ZERO fear of crime and don’t own a gun.
I’ll pony up my headtax (though $100 is excessive and I’ll bet Pallone & Casorio both know it’ll never fly) rather than have my township spend many more millions to start a force from scratch.
Yer Ol' Boss - July 02, 2008

@Yer Ol’ Boss:

This is a loophole that should be closed, and I don’t think $100 a year (was not too clear in the article so lets say year…which comes out to .27 cents a day) is going to break the back of Hempfield township residents. You pay more a year in fees to your cable company then you would pay for police coverage. Heck $100 a quarter ($400 a year or 1.10 a day) is still less than you’ll ever pay for cable per year.
PPL - July 03, 2008

Umm…Excuse me. I do not know if you know this, but the two areas that you have just assaulted with your words are two of the more wealthier areas in the state. Unity Twp. for the past four or more years have been building new homes in the area. I do not know of anyone in the township that is on welfare, or if they are they are not sitting at home, they are out looking for jobs to get off of welfare. Unity Twp. also houses the State Police Barracks for the county. Yes a lot of us are upset with the idea of having to pay extra for the state police to keep doing what they are supposed to be doing, protecting this sate. Also, we are not a city or a borough; we do not have a need for our own police force. Please do a little more research before you go off ranting about two major areas in Westmoreland County. Just because one person from Hempfield has said something that offends you, does not mean everyone feels the same way about it as the one person did.
Justin - March 19, 2009

Congratulations, Justin. You just replied to a story that’s almost a year old. The news must move slowly out there.

Yes, we know that Hempfield and Unity are two relatively wealthy areas.

That was the whole point. They shouldn’t have any problem paying for police protection. Why are they still sponging off of poorer communities like Greensburg, New Kensington and Monessen? That’s why I call ‘em “welfare recipients.”

As for Hempfield and Unity being “townships,” so what? Lots of other townships —- smaller than Hempfield and Unity —- pay for police protection, including North Huntingdon.

See? There’s plenty of “research” in this story. Notice the links? You can go check out where I got the statistics from, and everything.

Sorry to sound so sarcastic, but Hempfield is a well-off, populous community. It ties up Troop A Greensburg more than any other community in Westmoreland County, and pays nothing in return. The other taxpayers of Pennsylvania are subsidizing them. I’m tired of it.
Webmaster - March 19, 2009

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