Property taxes are figured on the 1975 rate, and the city fathers are talking about raising them twenty-five percent. I noticed a difference in property taxes between here and Albuquerque. A $50,000.00 house here would be taxed about $1,000.00, but the same house in Albuquerque would only be taxed $210.00 to $250.00. Dentists are so much cheaper there. Dentures cost $275.00 for both top and bottom plates, but here it's $400.00 minimally. The only dentist in the area who makes false teeth for $400.00 is a retired dentist. You must have a referral from one of his pre-retirement patients, for him to see you about anything. He still cleans teeth and fills cavities if you were his patient before he retired. His largest fee for a cavity is $12.00. For any type of specialty work, you must go to another dentist, whose fees are exorbitant.
The Environmental Protection Agency wants to cut the amount of lead in automobile gas by ninety-one percent, as of January 1, 1986. It would raise prices at the pump. I don't know if my car will run on unleaded gas. It wasn't designed for that. I can't afford to buy another car.
In today's society, eighty percent of families, who would normally be home buyers, can't afford to buy their first home, and if you can't buy your first, you can't buy your second or third either.
In 1980 there was a building slump in Albuquerque and building license fees were reduced, but now there's a record amount of building construction, and the city fathers want to raise the license fee. Raising license fees and property taxes was something that happened here and look at us now. I don't see any new jobs created with those increased fees and taxes here.
