Q: Why is lowering property taxes important?
A: Because they are too high, and if we're not careful they will go higher. Home
prices have roughly doubled in the past five years. Are you able to pay twice the tax you paid five years ago?
If not, should you be forced to move out of Cambridge (or reduce your standard of living) just because you were "lucky" enough
for your home to go up in value? Of course not! Vote Hees #1 to reverse the tax increases.
Q: What about property rights in general?
A: Even though rent control is long gone, some Cantabrigians just need to know where
their candidates stand on this dead issue. I am wholeheartedly against rent control. It not only hurts landlords,
it hurts would-be tenants by keeping units off the market.
Nationwide, eminent domain abuse is becoming the new property rights issue. The Supreme Court recently
ruled in the 'Kelo Decision' that a city can hand over your home to a big corporation just so they can build a hotel,
etc., that generates higher tax revenues. While this may not happen in Cambridge -- yet -- it makes lesser abuses more
likely. Don't think so? At the August 1st City Council meeting one of our councilors -- I won't say which one
-- made the following request which was well-received by the rest of the Council:
"We must find out more about this recent Supreme Court
decision and the changes it entails ..."
Why, to learn how to protect our residents from overzealous university or corporate expansion?
Nope!
"...to see what new opportunities it provides us!"
That ought to tell you which side they're on.
Q: I rent. I don't pay property taxes. What about me?
A: You pay them indirectly through your rent. But regardless of that, as
a Libertarian, Bill Hees is for less government intrusion in your life overall. This means defending your civil liberties,
and whenever possible favoring effective, voluntary solutions over bureaucratic big government programs.
Q: Where do you stand on foreign policy issues x, y and z?
A: Trick question! Bill Hees is for local government governing locally.
In case you're not aware, the Cambridge City Council has a habit of making proclamations concerning events far outside their
realm, for example condemning Havana, Cuba, for their large Christmas display. Then there's the Cambridge Nuclear Disarmament
and Peace Commission. Huh?!? Cambridge government should stick to governing Cambridge (as has already been pointed
out by one other candidate, Andre Green).
One justification for the Peace Commission goes like this: Schools that receive federal No Child
Left Behind funds are required to hand over students' contact information to military recruiters, which many Cambridge officials
object to. In response the Peace Commission sends these students anti-military propaganda to counter the recruiting.
So this is what it comes down to? We need big government programs in order to fight other big government programs?
That's absurd! Why not just turn down the "free" money in the first place and manage our schools locally? Cambridge
schools are not suffering from a lack of funding. They are already well funded at over $17,000 per year for each student!
Q: With two Libertarians running, Bill Hees and Jim Condit (plus Republican Andre Green), won't
you "split the vote" of those who believe Cambridge needs fiscal responsibility?
A: That's the beauty of Cambridge's voting system. Just vote Hees #1 and
Condit #2 (and Green #3 if you're a Republican). While in serious need of fiscal responsibility in government, Cambridge is
a socially progressive city, so Libertarians are the only way to fix Cambridge City Hall.
For more information you may want to see Bill's answers to a candidate questionnaire recently presented by the Progressive Democrats of Cambridge to all candidates in the City Council race.
Also, read Bill's questionnaire responses and compare them to those of the other candidates on the
Cambridge Civic Journal site.
