DeKalb homeowner to school board: ‘We have no more money to give.’ Expect many others to agree.
UPDATE at 6 p.m.: Getting word that new property assessments in DeKalb showing big jumps in some areas despite collapse of housing market. A neighbor saw a $300,000 jump — $400,000 to $700,00 — and has not added onto her house. Is there a glitch in the assessments? Anybody else seeing that sort of rise in their house’s value?
A DeKalb homeowner sent this strong letter in response to the DeKalb school board’s proposal to raise taxes. I thought I would share it here.
I expect the school board members will be getting a lot of similarly unhappy responses to their plan to dig the system out of its financial hole by a tax increase, teacher furloughs, a shortened school year and larger class sizes. Here is the letter:
Here we go again. DeKalb County, this time the school system, is in trouble and we property owners and taxpayers are asked to put in even more money. Our family loves the public education system, we are both government employees, too, but the taxes in this county have gotten way out of hand. We have voted in favor of the additional sales tax each time to help the schools and voted yes to virtually every request by the school board. But please, no more increasing property taxes!
Over the last few years, the county has eliminated the school property taxes for much of our elderly population under the idea they have “already paid their share,” as though suddenly they have no interest in an educated population. This current elderly generation is better off than any that has ever gone before and will almost certainly be better off than the ones to come! In the past 10 years, our personal property taxes have already gone up 71 percent without any change in the structure of our home.
Call it what you will, the county just increased property taxes significantly last year, and refuses to decrease property values, and now the county CEO and the school board both want to increase taxes, too. Please stop.
Please don’t do this. Is this one reason folks start moving to other counties? In the long run, these increases are just hurting the county as it shows no ability to tighten its belt as any good family would rather than just taking more out of every person’s bank accounts.
All these raises have happened while property values were dropping precipitously the last few years. For us personally, one of our salaries is frozen, and the other, the teacher, keeps getting no “changes in the contract amount,” but without increases and at the same time, increasing the length of the school day and not paying for various workdays when the teachers have to work any way.
While one might say, well this is not the school board’s doing, it is indeed its concern. School board members must look at the overall picture of what your population is facing. The board and others have chosen or approved poor superintendents who were being chased away by their former systems and then paid them extravagant salaries renewing contracts just before termination; allowed corruption and stealing of taxpayer money; continued to manage an overly extended central office; and funded programs that should never have been funded.
The state Legislature needs to stop the continuing yearly whittling away at public education in favor of private and the public school boards need to be vocal in leading the charge against this. After the taxes go in place for a temporary problem they never go away. We will be saddled with these extra taxes from hence forward. When times grow flush, we will just see more money being spent and no emergency funds.
When will all this stop and the school board stand up and make the hard decisions that are needed rather than always caving in to special to loud groups and raising taxes? We have no more money to give.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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175 comments Add your comment
Tom
May 30th, 2012
8:06 pm
You have a choice. Raise taxes or cut services. And the feelings of entitlements that people in DeKalb have will support neither choice. I’m glad I left there when I had the chance. The DeKalb leaders are in a no-win situation.
Anonmom
May 30th, 2012
8:07 pm
I’m not sure anyone would really be complaining if we had real transparency, true accountability, and foresic audits. If we honestly believed that the “powers that be” were wisely using taxpayer money for the benfit of the children and then they came to the taxpayers and said “please, sir, we need more” perhaps the answer would be “okay” but not in this climate of massive fraud and corruption compounded by the “equalization” issues.
On a different topic — I thought — really thought — that Dekalb was over the state cap for property taxes and that Dekalb was “grandfathered” in for the constitutional cap on these taxes. So if we are grandfathered in above the cap, how is that they can go ahead and raise the tax even further above the mandated cap when it is a constitutional cap? What am I missing because I know I’m missing something or some taxpayers need to sue for violating the constitutional cap…..
yes i am worried
May 30th, 2012
8:11 pm
I am hearing outrageous stories of jumps — I expect massive appeals and a lowering of the tax digest. Problematic for both the school system and county governments.
Barge
May 30th, 2012
8:17 pm
Now is the time to assess an educational tax on all of the apartment dwellers.
Susan
May 30th, 2012
8:19 pm
My assessed value went up almost $200,000 in one year. I’m in zip 30345 and am checking with neighbors to see if we were all hit as hard since most of or houses are very similar. This is insane in the current real estate market!
Earl
May 30th, 2012
8:25 pm
Get the Federal Government out of “Education”,quit taking Federal money, eliminate the ability to transfer out of failing schools, have communities run their school system, and hold their local administrators responsible, and demand their teachers do the job they’re paid for. It’s a crime to see kids who can’t read and write. They’re in middle and high school, and they’ll just go on the dole or in prison when they leave the school system.
A Conservative Voice
May 30th, 2012
8:44 pm
Hey, y’all ready to march on the “Palace” yet? en masse? Let’s do it……lemme know when
You know, y’all are gonna get really tired of these high taxes, particularly when it looks like they’re being used to fund a “Jobs Program”.
@catlady
May 30th, 2012
5:53 pm
I am wondering who in their right mind would want to buy Dekalb county property with taxes so high? The school board is shooting itself in the foot by continuing to raise taxes.
To Catlady – I’ve been saying this for awhile now, just not in the same way as you stated.
Mike
May 30th, 2012
8:46 pm
50% jump from 2011 in 30345…highest assessment by far in 10 years of ownership. Something’s wrong.
Shocked X 2
May 30th, 2012
8:59 pm
1. Lee @ 7:02 pm — and these are teacher salaries for working only 9 months of the year — correct?
2. Our CYV increased by $400,000!!!
3. Worst part is we double pay for our children’s school since our 2 children have been in private school since K!!!
4. What are our options to protest this, e.g., besides filing appeals?
Shocked X 2
May 30th, 2012
9:03 pm
Sorry — my point # 2 should read children’s “education”, not “school” (I’m so worked up looking at our Assessment I can’t think and type…).
Mary
May 30th, 2012
9:05 pm
Zip code 30030, my property value has gone up 60% from last year’s while the increase is minimum for the next street. 50% increase in Decatur taxes when my salary has been going up by 2%? I might have to move after 20+ years in the same house. I do hope this is an error, I cannot figure out how these assessments are calculated and they seem arbitrary.
alm
May 30th, 2012
9:12 pm
bootney farnsworth – Why have PDS 24 if not to show the BOE meetings. Big scaredy cats! Show the current BOE meeting live and run it on a loop till the next meeting and cut EVERYTHING else.
Catlady – I would gladly move to Decatur city limits. I don’t mind paying higher taxes if I’m getting a return in investment. I’m NOT getting it with DeKalb.
Barge – It’s factored in their rent.
I live in 30341 and it went down this year but it was way too high last year.
PM
May 30th, 2012
9:16 pm
y’all act like you’re talking to “normal” educated, caring overseers to put out such an appeal to seize unwarranted increases re taxes. You see on Channel news who you’re talking to: childish, stupid, and you-know-what-else. These people could care less about REASON. What they’re thinkin’ ’bout is how their hairstyle is, getting in their nice car —- you got the picture? I know you do!!!!!!!
BlahBlahBlah
May 30th, 2012
9:16 pm
@mountain man, you’ll see from my second post that I’m not upset about the 2 mill increase. But as many others have pointed out, once that 2 mill increase takes effect, Dekalb will be at their limit. No more tax increases. Then what? Maybe they’ll finally make some tough choices.
And it sure looks like Dekalb’s computers messed up in some of those nicer neighborhoods. $400k to $700k seems crazy. If they do their homework and research comparable sales they should easily win their appeals.
crankee-yankee
May 30th, 2012
9:19 pm
Shocked X 2
May 30th, 2012
8:59 pm
1 – 10 months/year actually face-to-face with children (AUG through MAY). Then another month of staff development (have you heard of the new “common core” standards? When do you think WE learn about it?)
I won’t be out of school until the third week in June, got a 1 week conference the second week in July then will start up again the fourth week in July.
Where do you get your information? 9 months?
Then the state determines to give me 10 months of pay but spread it out over 12 months?
Do you have a clue as to what you are talking about?
3 – Sending your kids to private school is a choice.
4 – Your vote is your best protest.
Former DCSS Teacher
May 30th, 2012
9:26 pm
Dear Lee @7:02: I have taught in Dekalb for over 20 years and my salary never came close to $90,000, or even $70,000 or $80,000 for that matter. The figures you are reporting are the MAXIMUM a teacher in that position could make if he/she taught for over 20 years and had a Doctorate. Just thought you should know. The average teacher in Dekalb makes between $38,000 and $50,000. However, since you’ve probably never taught school before, I should add that teacher salaries should be doubled. Please don’t get me started about “only working 9 months” – we work all year long. During the summers, we attend mandatory classes for new programs, teach summer school or tutor, or take a job in retail just to pay the bills and put food on the table.
Joe
May 30th, 2012
9:30 pm
So shocked!!! We are in zip code 30338. The assessed property value from Dekable county has gone up from $386,500 to $474,700. We just refinanced our house in Feb and appraised value was $375,000 with improvements.
crankee-yankee
May 30th, 2012
9:35 pm
Lee@7:02
You are guilty of manipulating and misrepresenting data to make an uninformed point.
Why do you think you need to lie to make your point?
Shame on you and you too Shocked X 2 for your uninformed opinions.
HSTeach
May 30th, 2012
9:42 pm
As a teacher whose salary didn’t clear $40,000 with an advanced degree once cuts were made last year, I can promise that those numbers are for the outlying 20 plus year doctoral teacher, a position which is not remotely the norm. I would LOVE to make that much, but I will be lucky to make half that after over a decade of service, so don’t, just don’t call someone who makes half what their education merits overpaid. Or if you must, please, please come take our cushy jobs. I will gladly let you talk to the parole officers I know better than I know parents, to the pregnant teens considering their bleak futures, to the freshmen kids working jobs to help their families stay afloat, to the kids who scan mug shot sites for their friends’ faces, and to the adminstrators and educrats who tell you that your job will soon hinge on the scores of children who are 3-6 years behind grade level. Then please report back on your findings.
Inside view
May 30th, 2012
9:44 pm
@bootney farnsworth; you’re funny. Although I find your sense of humor engaging, it’s no laughing matter.The voters of Dekalb shouldn’t be surprise that the school system is broke,when you have a bunch of clowns running the show, you’re going to have a circus.
Dekalbite
May 30th, 2012
9:45 pm
1. Appeal
2. When they deny your appeal, go to the Board of Equalization. They must come up with 3 comparables that are as close to your house as possible (sold within the last year).
3. If you are not satisfied, go to Superior Court. Appealing in Superior Court is only $50.00.
Joe ND
May 30th, 2012
10:07 pm
- We need a new county: a North Dekalb county and a new school board, let start a petition
- If you examine the foreclosure data you will see it’s highly concentrated in South Dekalb
- North Dekalb is paying the highest taxes in georgia and getting the worst education outcome in the state, Gwinnett has some of the best parks in the nation and Dekalb some of the worst. Not sure where the tax money is going.
- Dekalb has many assets (Emory, airport, location) but the non-representayive and inept government is doing its best to ruin it. The
ScrewedByDekalb
May 30th, 2012
10:26 pm
30345 here. They doubled my assessment from last year, 250K to 500K out of nowhere. No I do not have money to pay double my property taxes every year and unless the appeals process works Dekalb will end up with another foreclosure. Hope this story blows up and the county corrects their ridiculous assessments.
Tea Party Meber
May 30th, 2012
10:27 pm
Tipical tax N spend librals running the govrenment.
Dekalbite
May 30th, 2012
10:30 pm
I appealed my property taxes last year. Turned me down so I went in front of the Board of Equalization. They offered us a 13% reduction and gave us the comparables they came up with (they could not come up any comparable even near our assessment). We agreed to the 13% reduction even though the appraiser we paid for an independent appraisal said 21%. Now I open my new tax bill and it’s back to last year’s assessment. Assessments are supposed to be frozen for 3 years according to state law so I’ll call tomorrow (along with everyone else I guess).
I know it only costs $50 to go to Superior Court so I’ll look into that as well. There is something either very corrupt or very incompetent going on in DeKalb. I’ve lived here for 30 years and never have I seen such blatant disregard for state laws. For any lawyers out there, if there is a class action suit, put this on DeKalb School Watch and I’m sure you’ll get plenty of takers. There are millions at stake for property owners. I promise you’ll make plenty of money. This is also an ignorant bunch.
Geoff
May 30th, 2012
10:33 pm
I got my tax assessment today. I am in Tucker(30084) and it went up 20% from last year. I would be jumping for joy if I could get the “fair market value” they assessed to my property. I think the best I could get would actually be closer to 30,000$ below.
Hurricane
May 30th, 2012
10:36 pm
I’m in 30087. I’ve dropped from $212K in 2010 to $138K on this year’s assessment.
FTR, I totally against any tax increases for the DCSS. There are still plenty of places where they can cut fat out of the budget.
Let’s face it, DeKalb is just a poorly run county, both government and school wise. I’m tired of my tax money going to this incompetence.
Enemas for Easter
May 30th, 2012
10:37 pm
Mine went down 16 large.
30083
K From Da Wood
May 30th, 2012
10:39 pm
Dekalb County Schools themselves know that they are top heavy. There are more administrative employees making big bucks then there should be. This is not my opinion, but the results of a study performed when the new superintendent took over. With that said, my property assesment far out paces the averages that I have seen for my home value and it’s a losing proposition. The schools that are zoned for my neigborhood are poorly performing schools, so selling my house that is already valued at far less than I owe is not possible. Yet my assesment has gone up to pay for the short comings of a poorly managed system with an abundance of under performing schools.
Maureen Downey
May 30th, 2012
10:46 pm
@To all, I just put a call into Burke Brennan, chief communications officer for DeKalb, about these crazy assessments. I am baffled by reports of 60 percent increases over last year year — some of which are now coming to me via my AJC email from readers — given the steep decline in home prices in the county.
In fact, the AJC reported just this month about DeKalb:
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-mailing-assessments-by-1442364.html
And last year, we had a story that DeKalb undervalued houses:
http://www.ajc.com/news/surprisingly-low-property-values-971241.html
Dunwoody DeKalb
May 30th, 2012
10:48 pm
30360 DeKalb Dunwoody from $183k in 2011 down to $126k in 2012. Time to apply for the property assessment freeze.
http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/TaxCommissioner/homesteadGen.html#applications
Enemas for Easter
May 30th, 2012
10:48 pm
Apparently my comment was over looked.
My assessment dropped $16,000…..
madmax
May 30th, 2012
10:49 pm
most teachers i know make in the $35,000 to $50,000, which they certainly deserve, but there are positions paying $70-$90,000 for elementary school teachers who have gotten doctorates through online colleges which the state requires that school districts pay these outragous salaries.
Time for that to stop! Also there are positions paying well above what they should get without benefitting the students. each district should be allowed to assess salaries and make changes before taxpayers take it into their own hands.
Atlanta Mom
May 30th, 2012
10:51 pm
Well, I’m in fulton, 30324, and my assessment went up $120,000 resulting in a tax increase of $2,200. It’s hard to stay in the city when property taxes alone cost $700 a month.
Maureen Downey
May 30th, 2012
10:53 pm
@En, I saw it, which makes it all the more confusing how other people’s houses in DeKalb went up so much. A real estate agent sent me a note that every property in DeKalb is selling for far less now.
Maureen
Lee
May 30th, 2012
10:59 pm
@Former DCSS Teacher, all my infomation came from audited actual salaries per the State of Ga website http://www.open.georgia.gov/
Click on Salaries and Expenses and follow the links. You can export to a spreadsheet and spend three minutes slicing and dicing.
An no @Crankee-Yankee, I don’t lie or manipulate the data. Don’t have to. Dekalb does a good job of spending outrageous sums without anyone having to cook the books for them. Go to the link above and prove me wrong if you can. Good luck.
Dekalb County Taxpayers are SHEEP
May 30th, 2012
11:21 pm
Most north Dekalb families send their kids to private schools and still pay school taxes. Is this crazy or what? Stand up for your tax dollars and unite against the incompetence in the Dekalb school system that keeps you from sending your kids to the public schools. Why pay for schools you don’t send your kids to because they are run by incompetents. Baaaaaaaahhh
Atlanta Media Guy
May 30th, 2012
11:50 pm
30341 here our assessment is down! Not surprised since ours went a bit high last year.
Double Jeapordy
May 31st, 2012
12:07 am
I am a certified employee at a DeKalb County School as well as a resident in a neighborhood in DeKalb. I do understand the position that the school system is facing however, with a very large reduction in my salary, an increase in the insurance preminums and now a proposal to increase my property taxes, please help me to understand how do they expect me to pay more in taxes with far less money? I won’t be able to pay them! A raise in taxes and a reduction in pay( Right Sizing the pay system) will encourage more of the employees of DeKalb County School System to purchase, lease purchase, rent homes in neighboring counties and completely walk away from their home mortgages in DeKalb. Employees like me will no longer be able to afford to work and live in DeKalb. When many walk away and even less money is collected in taxes, how will that serve to help the school system’s budget deficit?
Dekalbite
May 31st, 2012
12:26 am
The Fernbank community has Marshall “Revenue enhancements may also be necessary” Orson running for the BOE to promote their interests.
They want Fernbank Science to stay in their community no matter how expensive and ineffective, the IB program with that 18 per class ratio for Druid Hills to remain as is, redistricting not to touch their community, and a brand new school – all at taxpayers expense.
They are not worried about class sizes at the elementary level since they have so much gifted money they can keep class sizes low. The money they get from the PTA and the Fernbank Elementary Foundation means they can hire a Spanish teacher, a full time science teacher to ensure their children have engaging science lessons over and above the regular classroom, and abundant technology equipment. Does everyone understand why they will get behind Orson? They have learned how to work the system and it works so well for them. Marshall Orson is part of that system. No wonder they love him.
d
May 31st, 2012
12:30 am
One thing to keep in mind when dealing with teacher salaries (even the ones who got the online doctorate before the state closed that loophole) is that the majority of the salary comes from state dollars, not local dollars. You have to first compare the state salary schedule to the DeKalb salary schedule. The difference is all DeKalb pays…. for a lot of teachers, it’s very small to nothing (unless you are a brand new teacher or are nearing retirement – even then, it’s under $11,000 a year).
Another Voice
May 31st, 2012
12:38 am
Our entire Dunwoody neighborhood’s 2011 assessments were exactly the same as prior year – no recognition of drop in values. How did they do that? Well, they lowered the amount for the buildings, but jacked up the land valuation considerably —- and just coincidentally, everyone had exactly just enough increase on land to offset the building drop. Go figure… no changes to the amentities or nearby area, no new parks or special situations … just one assessor too lazy to do the work, and with a huge chip on his shoulder about “dunwoody people have money to keep their houses up”. Dang, wish he’d look at the house across the street, with no gutters, peeling paint and stuff.
Adjacent neighborhood saw the combined valuations drop 10-15%. What gives?
I will be appealing again, since we have our share of foreclosures that have dropped the value of our homes, even if Mr. Assessor/Attitude can find three homes that sold high – — of course, those with biggest lots, extreme renovations, and back up to a lake.
And the School system thinks I should pay more? They should be glad so many families in this area have their kids in private school, or they’d really be scrambling, having to add hundreds of teachers and classrooms. But, I don’t want the low standards of a DeKalb education for my children, so I pay tuition for private school and am happy to be able to do so. But soaking me even more to pay for the mismanagement of DCSS? Hmmmm…. wondering how much I can market my home for and move to Gwinnett.
Gone Fishin'
May 31st, 2012
12:39 am
Still fighting with the incompetents at tax assessor’s office about 2011 assessment which was valued at 25% higher than what I paid for it in 2010. There are quite a few buffoons in this county government as I am beginning to learn….
Gone Fishin'
May 31st, 2012
12:42 am
D:
Exactly where do you think the money from the state to pay teacher salaries comes from? The fairy tax assessor?
Smoke Rise Mom
May 31st, 2012
12:43 am
Board of Equalization in DeKalb is a sham. I appealed my 2011 appraisal and went before this so-called board which consisted of two old women. One actually was awake. The other totally comatose. The one who had a pulse told the other how to vote. I had expected there to be an odd number of members on this board so there could be a tie-breaker just in case. They completely ignore the foreclosures all around me because they are smaller houses. My 2012 appraisal is the same. Guess I’ll appeal it just out of spite. Not expecting any fairness in DeKalb County. I just wish I could take a fraction of property taxes I’ve paid all these years and put it towards my children’s education at the school of my choice. It looks like my only choices are homeschooling or sending my child back to that school for juvenile delinquents called Tucker Middle School where making good grades and enunciating your words are deemed “acting white” and therefore totally uncool.
Another Voice
May 31st, 2012
12:45 am
@BlahBlahBlah – once they reach the maximum on mils, then they will be workign with the friends in the assessors office to make sure that everyone’s valuation goes up, up up. Watch what they assess your land value at – it will go up, even if the building value is decreased. That’s so they can start raising both again — and have a bigger base on the land value. And once they’ve gotten it, it is very hard to get the Board of Equalization to reconsider.
Honestly, I think the Board had an agenda this year, too —– they would lower the valuation on building, but would not change land values. My land valuation went up over 30%. Explain that, with no changes in the neighborhood, no new amentities in area …. just one lazy assessor/appraiser employee, and now I’m stuck with an inflated land valuation. This stinks.
We need organized action to refute this and get it fixed before 2012 gets locked in.
crankee-yankee
May 31st, 2012
12:56 am
@Lee
I stand by my assertion, you are cherry-picking a few outliers and making a blanket statement.
Did you tell the readers Dekalb employs over 16,000 people?
Did you tell the readers over 14,500 of the employees make less than 70,000/year?
I choose $70,000 because you mention it as a number you have an issue with.
Is less than 70,000 OK?
Barely 10% of the workforce is above the $70,000 mark.
Without saying so, you insinuate the high salaries are commonplace.
Tell me, do those top paid 1,600 or so people not deserve what they make?
Do you know what they do? What level of schooling they have? How much experience they have?
What would they be making at an equivalent job in the private sector?
Maybe there are anomalies (I’m sure there are) but you offer no background information to address them.
You disparage a kindergarten teacher for making what you have determined is too much, would you not want your child to have an expert teaching them at their most tender age?
So you give ME a break.
I’ll leave you with this thought, how about the highly paid bankers who do nothing more than push money around, do they deserve their salaries after what has happened? Where is the outrage for that?
d
May 31st, 2012
1:09 am
@Gone Fishin – I’m not saying the rest isn’t coming from tax dollars as well, but it is a different pot of tax money. What I am saying is that when we look at the $73M deficit, there’s actually not much more of that that can come from reducing teacher salaries even more. DCSD has run that course nearly to the end.
Lou
May 31st, 2012
2:15 am
zip 30345 House value for a 3-bedroom ranch built in 1960 went up almost $93,000 (from 202k to 295k), making taxes almost $1,100 higher than 2011. No improvements to the house were made in several years. On the notice of assessment, one is given three ways to appeal. Which one?? I’m not familiar with the appeal process at all. Would someone please explain. Thank you.
john
May 31st, 2012
2:30 am
Still over 8,000 foreclosures in DeKalb this year and it has you wondering how your property assessments could still go up? Here is how.
You rich white people that vote Republican get the sky high increases to support the poorer black neighborhoods that will vote for the black democrats. Otherwise if your taxes decreased like they should, that would mean the poorer higher crime neighborhoods would have to pay their fair share for services and schools. Which means their taxes would relatively sky rocket and they might start to vote Republican. Welcome to spreading the wealth around.
So, let’s see, DeKalb teachers went on a $300,000 StimUwaste vacation to Hollywierd, CA.
GA-4 Hank Johnson (democrat baby killer) got a $10,000,000 TIGGER grant paid for with StimUwaste money to install LED lights at a MARTA station while MARTA cuts bus service and drops routes to the poorest black people in DeKalb that simply can’t work or even get to things such as the doctors without them.
Such wise stewardship of money. $16 trillion in debt and counting with Obama racking up $5 trillion to make Bush #43 look frugal.
The interview with the heavy set poor black woman too poor to afford a car and is going to lose her job because the bus lines will no longer run anywhere close to her, I truly feel bad for you. You work at a job steady for close to 20 years taking public transportation and paying taxes, and then suddenly you get stabbed in the back because you are not cost effective to serve and pretty much no one gives a hoot. YET YOU PROBABLY VOTED FOR THE IDIOTS JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE DEMOCRAT AND BLACK just like how 95% of the blacks voted for Obama.
How is the 50% unemployment for black youth treating you now under Obama?
You poor old black folks with a paid off $150,000 house in Nov 2008, off Columbia in Decatur, that now have a $80,000 house, do you still have Obama’s back? Because he sure is giving your back side the treatment.
Sooner or later people are going to acknowledge God’s commandment of Deut 28:12 (debt) and Luke 1:36 (abortion) and fire both the democrats and so called republicans or this country is over. The 40 year probation period is up for both.