Trying to Help People in Wauwatosa

Posted: Nov. 13, 2009

I have always tried to help people in Wauwatosa, that do not have a voice. In the past, I have had issues with our schools, for the safety of our children and parents that do not know, what goes on behind closed doors. Examples would be when the elementary schools would spray pesticides and herbicides around the play areas of our children during school in session, or painting the hallways and other rooms in all our schools in the dead of winter, with no fresh air entering their classrooms. No one, but myself would question these issues , because after all, the parents are not sitting in these rooms or playing on freshly sprayed grass, like our children were, and when someone's child would come home with headaches or just not feeling good , they would never connect it to the schools environment. These were very tough issues for me to do, and had to connect with a lot of organizations and media to change what was happening. Not many people would take on issues like these. The school has changed their outlook and these processes and are handled, a little more careful now. I do feel, I did help a lot of children, from getting sick, and that was my only reward to me, that I stood up for children that had no voice .

Now we have the issue of people losing their homes or having a hard time paying taxes or providing for their families and now I am trying to let people know that the housing market has changed and I have friends losing their homes. City hall and our schools, are out of touch with what is happening, out in the real world. As long as they can keep rising your taxes and patting themselves on the back, and getting their benefits, their happy. They do not care if you are struggling or not. So now I am trying to help people stay in their homes. Long term residents, you should try to get their property taxes lower, so you can provide for your family better. Housing values have dropped 20% to 30% in Wauwatosa and we are still paying taxes on a higher assessment, then what you can sell your house for. Back then, houses were being flipped and resold at high values and we got taxed on those values. And that was fine if you were an investor, but it was not fine for someone that wanted to stay long term in their homes.And the city and schools took advanage of that. but times have changed and people are stuggling.

So at this time I would like to say that, Wauwatosa City Hall is now excepting objections to your assessment, if you think your value of your home went down and maybe you can cut down your property taxes and use that extra money for your family, instead of the non-sense that we are paying for now.

We all have budgets and we have to do the best we can to stay above water. Just don't say property taxes, when you go down there , just say assessment.

Anyway I hope people can get back on they feet soon, and everyone can be happy again.

Joe Heder