Letter to the editor: Kieffer MVHC vote drove up Woodbury property taxes

Woodbury homeowners who were sickened to see their 2012 property taxes escalate can thank Rep. Andrea Kieffer for their sticker shock. During the July 2011 special session to end the state government shutdown, Kieffer voted “yes” on HF 20.

This legislation scrapped the Market Value Homestead Credit (MVHC), a program that provided $538 million in tax relief for homes valued under $414,000 and replaced it with a program that provides $0 in property tax relief.

The MVHC reduced property taxes by as much as $304 a year for homeowners, but Kieffer either didn’t comprehend that her vote would drive up Woodbury property taxes – which is troubling – or simply didn’t care if these taxes went up – which is even more disturbing.

On her campaign website, Kieffer writes, “As your legislator, I will continue to support policies that ensure necessary tax dollars stay in our community.” Why, then, within just seven months of taking office did Kieffer vote to eliminate a program that provided property tax relief to most of her constituents, who could have kept the money in their pockets and community?

Perhaps Kieffer is catering to those who own more expensive homes and therefore won’t be impacted by eliminating the MVHC. If so, this is a sad commentary on legislator who is supposed to represent the broad spectrum of her Woodbury constituents, not just those in the very highest income brackets.

No matter how she might try to spin this, the bottom line is that Rep. Andrea Kieffer voted to raise Woodbury property taxes. Period.

Stuart Macdonald - Woodbury

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion, updates, elections