politicalmonster

Looks like this conversation is talking about two seperate websites. One is the Tax Commissioner site, where you can pull up current property tax bills, and even pay them online. This is free, and is not scheduled to go to a subscription service from anything I can see. The second is the Tax Assessors site, which is where you can pull up all kinds of information including values. They are going to offer two levels of service: a free access plan which provides all the basic information a normal homeowner would want, and a subscription service geared more toward real-estate and mortgage com

The precincts have voting machines that use memory cards to store the votes. Those cards have to be carefully accounted for at the precinct with checks and balances for totals completed before they come back to the main tallying site. If there are any discrepencies or problems they would need to be worked out prior to leaving the voting place. Once all of the totals are balanced, they are delivered to the election office, where the hundreds of individual cards have to be inserted and read into the state election system. Any kind of technical issues can cause delays at this point, and as with a

Don't marry her daughter... -PM

I feel for ya, but i still don't see how this is a 1st Amendment issue. The government isn't preventing you from making a statement, but they are saying they don't want you working for them in any capacity. I think you are 100% justified in feeling shut out, but it still isn't a 1st Amendment or any kind of "rights" issue, and trying to connect one to the other weakens your overall case. Good luck to you. -PM

I don't know if I would go that far. Hackers are also more sophisticated with alot more bandwidth to use for nefarious purposes today. -PM

Again, let me reiterate. I do not HATE the government. I do not have any emotional attachment one way or the other to government. I have been on both sides, having worked for government and military in the past. I think public safety is a legitimate use of government. I just don't think the government needs or has a right to my personal information if I don't want to give it to them. Why is that so controversial? We are supposed to have a limited form of government. That is how the Founding Fathers designed the Constitution. (And no, I don't claim to be a Constitutional scholar, but anyone

Why don't you tell us how you really feel? Some of us aren't trying to make a big political statement, just participating in a civil (sometimes)discussion on this site as to the validity of the additional information asked for by the census. I'm not trying to "stick it" to anyone. Just don't feel the need to answer. Also, I don't support the invasive measures in the Patriot Act if they aren't supported by the Constitution. Finally, if an IRS worker were at my door asking for information they didn't have a right to, and I knew it, I would tell them the same thing. Although why an IRS worke

He also didn't say that my personal information was Ceaser's(continuing your biblical metaphor for government). And nothing in the laws of our land say that it is either. I am not paranoid, I am not upset, I am not a fanatic. I just don't feel that I need to give this information. If you do, then that is great for you. I am a Christian, and I don't think Jesus cares a whole lot if I filled out the question as to what kind of house I have or what race I am on the census. I am just that comfortable in my faith I guess. -PM

That is what I was going to post. There is a history of abuse of this information. Yes, maybe the government already has it in various places, but it would be a bit tougher for them to consolidate it from the various sources than having it all at their fingertips in one nice tidy database from the census. What I don't understand is why so many people feel that this is just dandy and ok? Why would you trust the government to handle this information (which can obviously be misused) in an appropriate manner? Can you point to anything the government has done to warrant that kind of trust? I can'

Wow again... Why are people so critical of anyone that doesn't feel like it is government's business what race my family is, or what kind of house I have, or if anyone in my family is hispanic? It isn't because I am too "self-important". I just happen to feel that it is none of the governments business. And yes, as someone else pointed out, that information is probably available somewhere online, and if the government really feels they need it, they can google it just like anyone else. -PM

Wow, harsh! So just because someone doesn't like the way government is acting, they should move? Then should they move back when the next administration comes in if they are more to their liking? Life in America is great! But it would be even better if our government weren't spending so much of our money on goofy plans to redistribute it to those not paying taxes anyway. Just because some of us don't feel the need to answer all of those unneeded questions on the census forms shouldn't mean we have to move, does it? -PM

If any of you realistically think that your average civil service county employee is going to do something that will most likely get them fired just to "protect" the citizens from something like this which is a complex government fiscal issue that most probably don't understand fully, you aren't being realistic. Most county workers are just like you and me, working and doing their jobs to feed their families, not participating in grand schemes to get one over on the taxpayers. -PM

You are confusing County Clerk and Clerk of Courts. Clerk of Courts is an elected position and part of the judicial system. County Clerk, (which Beverly was in addition to administrative assistant for Jerry Shearin) is a County position. (Might be considered an appointment, but I am not sure). -PM

Ummm, ok. I simply put forth my military service since you repeatedly have told others that they cannot point out your flaws in Constitutional reasoning since you have served, and they haven't. I didn't want you to mistakenly believe the same of me. And you didn't prove anybody wrong, especially me, with your paraphrased quote from foxmeister. If you read the entirety of the actual code 8 U.S.C 1481, you will see that nothing he did fulfills the requirements for renunciation of citizenship. Simply declaring that you renounce your citizenship doesn't do it, even if you do it on youtube. There

Well, apparently, military service provides some increased ability to debate the Constitution, so let me step in and say that you are 100% wrong in your statement that he gave up his citizenship when he joined Al-Qaeda. If it is proven in a court of law that he denounced his citizenship by voluntarily swearing an oath to another country, or by serving in another countries military, or if he is convicted of treason, then yes, he will lose his citizenship. But until then he is an American citizen, and should enjoy the full protections provided by the Constitution which I also served to defend. (

Nothing in your post, or in the decision by the SCOTUS precludes or overrides the rights given to an American citizen by the U.S. Constitution, which in this case is the right to full due process protection. If you truly believe that you want to protect our country and our way of life, you will see that upholding the Constitution for all American citizens is of the utmost importantance. Now, if they are not american citizens, and captured during combat, I don't think they should be able to access our judicial system at all. -PM

Actually, you are still afforded the protections of the 5th Amendment, even if it is a civil case. I don't have the case off the top of my head, but it has been argued and decided by the Supreme Court already. -PM

I disagree. They haven't been charged with any criminal acts, so there is nothing for them to answer for. The only thing "jeapordizing our national security" is the breakdown in security protocol at this function. That isn't their fault. And the 5th Amendment is there to protect the individual from this kind of ridiculous witch-hunt, among other government abuses. If we ignore individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution, then we won't have a nation to secure. -PM

There are very few areas that you can access in the administration building if you are not an employee. Mainly the lobby areas, HR, and the Tax and Tag offices on the third floor. (Which does have a security guard) -PM

Am I the only one that sees the humor in the fact that the new CEO for playboy is named Flanders? -PM

There is no comparison... West Metro Meats is better than any other place around. -PM

You all do know that you only have to boil water if you are in the areas experiencing low water pressure, right? -PM

Well, mine was about what I expected... $200 higher than last year, but less than my 2007 tax bill. (I think I forgot to claim the homestead exemption that year, though...) -PM

Actually, I think they were in the process of changing vendors for the online bill payment site. The link appears to be up and working now though. -PM