p777 login

p777 login MINOT — Measure 4, a constitutional amendment to abolish taxes on property values, went down in flames last month, with more than 63% of North Dakotans saying "no." The measure campaign, called End Unfair Property Tax, was organized by former state lawmaker Rick Becker. It failed to win even a single county. The closest the measure got to a majority anywhere in the state was just over 47% of the vote in Ward County. It lost, I think, not because North Dakotans, who are perpetually aggrieved with their property taxes, are necessarily against change, but because of two factors. The first, and somewhat less important reason, is that the spokesman for the campaign was Becker, a deeply polarizing and unpopular political figure. The second and far more critical issue is that the proposal gave voters no inkling as to what might replace the current property tax regime. Would it be another form of property tax? Would other taxes or fees go up? Could we be assured of efficiently funding local projects and keeping some semblance of local control? In essence, voters needed to know they wouldn't be jumping out of the frying pan of the status quo and into the fires of the unknown. Becker and the Measure 4 campaign couldn't deliver any convincing assurances. So Measure 4 flopped, but we're about to have a significant debate about property tax reform during the coming legislative session. And you know what? Even though Measure 4 was a very bad idea, some of the ideas its supporters are kicking around are worth taking seriously. A reader forwarded to me the minutes from the last of the Measure 4 committee's meetings, which was held Nov. 19 in Minot. In addition to closing out the books on their campaign, the committee discussed what sort of reforms they would and would not support going forward. The things they say they'll support? And what won't the committee members support? I'm impressed, given what an astoundingly bad idea Measure 4 was. I should note that some of the property tax proposals that have been made public are already coalescing around some of these ideas. Rep. Scott Louser, R-Minot, for instance, is proposing legislation that would have the state take over K-12 funding (Louser estimates that this would be a 25% to 50% reduction in property tax bills, depending on where you live), coupled with a cap on taxes that could be rolled over from budget cycle to budget cycle if a governing entity doesn't use its full tax. There will be more proposals — there are already dozens of drafts ready to be filed ahead of the regular session — but what the Measure 4 committee is backing serves as a good framework for what reform should look like. "The things they support are very much in line with things I support," one person who worked on the campaign against Measure 4 told me. Caps, at this point, are a given. State lawmakers have appropriated billions to buy down property taxes, but I'm not sure many North Dakotans can say they've felt the relief. Expect lobbyists for local governing interests to fight hard against them, but every lawmaker I've spoken to since Election Day has indicated to me that caps are all but assured. But the calls for ending foreclosures and reforming tax exemptions? Those are superb ideas and should be central to any property tax package from this legislative session. Property tax foreclosures don't happen very often, but they do happen, and what happens more frequently is that someone who can't afford the property taxes voluntarily sells before reaching the point of foreclosure. Moving to liens provides adequate accountability for failure to pay without the draconian step of foreclosure. Taking a hard look at property tax exemptions, too, is a good idea. We can start with a simple question: Are they actually working? Have they had measurable success? If not, ax them, but even if they can be said to be working, are they worth the cost? Every new property tax exemption narrows the property tax base and puts upward pressure on the bills of every taxpayer who didn't receive an exemption. Good tax policy consists of taxes that are broad, simple and low. Property taxes in North Dakota have increasingly become narrow, complicated and high. Exemptions are a part of that problem. Again, Measure 4 was a bad idea, and I'm glad it failed, but the committee backing it has some good ideas on how we move forward. They deserve credit for that.

Bhopal: Chief minister Mohan Yadav told mediapersons on Monday that govt was cracking down on ‘wasooli' (extortion) at toll barriers. "Our govt started taking some tough measures soon after its formation. One of them was to stop ‘wasooli' at toll barriers. We were getting complaints about this and we are putting an end to it. We will not tolerate corruption. Govt till take action at any level required," the CM said, adding that good governance is a priority. The CM's promise of action comes at a time when Lokayukta's Special Police Establishment (SPE) has uncovered crores in cash, jewellery and property from the house of a retired RTO constable, Saurabh Sharma , in Bhopal. SPE's Bhopal unit has formed a three-member team to probe the alleged disproportionate assets of Sharma and his associates. This decision follows income-tax department's seizure of 54kg gold biscuits, Rs 10 crore in cash and documents revealing transactions worth over Rs 150 crore. Lokayukta is now collaborating closely with I-T department to examine these assets and incorporate them into the ongoing investigation. I-T sources said they have found documents indicating transactions of more than Rs 20 crore per month. The Lokayukta investigation , being conducted under Prevention of Corruption Act, centres around allegations of corruption and illegal accumulation of wealth by Sharma. DG Lokayukta Jaideep Prasad confirmed that investigations are on and Sharma's family members, including his wife, have been summoned for questioning. Sharma was granted compassionate appointment as a constable in the transport department following the death of his father, govt doctor R K Sharma, in 2015. During his service, Sharma was posted at various check posts across the state and allegedly accumulated significant wealth through corrupt means. He opted for voluntary retirement in June 2023 Investigators say Sharma used his ‘illicit earnings' to purchase benami properties in the names of his wife, mother, sister-in-law, and close associates, including Chetan Singh Gaur and Sharad Jaiswal. Sharma is also linked to businesses, including hotels and a school in Bhopal. The investigation began after a tip-off, and the Lokayukta team obtained a search warrant for Sharma's properties. On Dec 19-20, 2024, search operations were carried out at two of Sharma's houses in Arera Colony. In one house, investigators found assets worth over Rs 3.8 crore, including foreign and Indian currency valued at Rs 1.1 crore, gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 50 lakh, and household items and vehicles valued at Rs 2.2 crore. At the second house, used for official purposes, daily-use items and luxury goods worth Rs 30 lakh, 234kg of silver valued at Rs 2.1 crore, and Rs 1.7 crore in cash were discovered. The total inventory from the second property amounted to Rs 4.12 crore. Preliminary investigations suggest Sharma's total movable assets could be worth Rs 7.9 crore. Summons have been issued to Sharma's wife, mother, and close associates, including Sharad Jaiswal and Chetan Singh Gaur. Additionally, income-tax department uncovered further evidence adding another layer to the investigation. The department seized a significant amount of cash and gold from an Innova registered in Gaur's name. Investigators are scrutinizing bank accounts linked to Sharma and his aides. The probe is expanding to include a review of the operations of the hotels and school linked to Sharma and his associates. Some politically influential individuals are said to be under scrutiny. There are allegations that I-T officials did not receive support from local police during the searches. In order to recover the car loaded with gold and cash, they had to rely on SAF jawans deployed for other cases. Speculation is swirling among higher ups about how Lokayukta missed the car during its searches. Even more intriguing is who tipped off the I-T department about the abandoned SUV loaded with cash and gold late at night. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword . Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes , messages , and quotes.Biden's broken promise on pardoning his son Hunter is raising new questions about his legacy WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s decision to go back on his word and pardon his son Hunter wasn't all that surprising to those who are familiar with the president's devotion to his family. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president has raised new questions about his legacy. Biden has held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns. It was part of an effort to draw a deliberate contrast with Republican Donald Trump. Now, both his broken promise and his act of clemency are a political lightning rod. Some Democrats are frustrated over Joe Biden reversing course and pardoning his son Hunter ATLANTA (AP) — Already reeling from their November defeat at the polls, Democrats now are grappling with President Joe Biden's pardoning of his son for a federal felony conviction — after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who operates above the law. The White House on Monday struggled to defend the pardon, claiming the prosecution was politically motivated — a page out of Trump's playbook. That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats who are angry that Biden’s reversal could make it harder to take on Trump. Hezbollah fires into Israel-held area after multiple Israeli strikes in Lebanon since truce began JERUSALEM (AP) — Hezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel after multiple Israeli strikes inside Lebanon since a ceasefire took hold last week. The militant group said the volley, its first during the truce, was a warning shot in response to what it called repeated Israeli violations. Israeli leaders threatened to retaliate, further straining the fragile U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire. Israeli strikes in recent days, including a string of hits on Monday, have killed at least four people in Lebanon. U.S. officials said the ceasefire was largely holding. Key players in Syria's long-running civil war, reignited by a shock rebel offensive BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s civil war has exploded back onto the world stage after insurgents poured out of their main bastion in northwestern Syria and seized large parts of nearby Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and dozens of nearby towns and villages.. The insurgents offensive triggered the heaviest clashes in the country since a March 2020 cease-fire brokered by Turkey and Russia, who back rival sides in the conflict. Five countries have military presence in Syria including the U.S. that has troops deployed in the country’s east, Turkey that controls parts of northern Syria, Israel that has presence in the Golan Heights and Russia and Iran that have been a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Woman driving drunk who killed bride still in her wedding dress sentenced to 25 years in prison A woman who admitted to drinking and who was driving well over twice the speed limit when she smashed into a golf cart killing a bride who had just got married at a South Carolina beach has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Jamie Lee Komoroski pleaded guilty Monday to reckless homicide and three felony driving under the influence charges. Police said the 27-year-old drank at several bars on April 28, 2023, and was driving 65 mph on a narrow Folly Beach road when she slammed into a golf cart leaving a wedding. The bride, 34-year-old Samantha Miller, died still wearing her wedding dress. Florida woman sentenced to life for zipping boyfriend into suitcase, suffocating him A 47-year-oldFlorida woman has been sentenced to life in prison for zipping her boyfriend into a suitcase and leaving him to die of suffocation amid a history of domestic and alcohol abuse. Circuit Judge Michael Kraynick imposed the sentence Monday in Orlando on Sarah Boone for the 2020 killing of 42-year-old Jorge Torres. A jury deliberated only 90 minutes Oct. 25 before convicting Boone of the second-degree murder of Jorge Torres after a 10-day trial. Boone had insisted she was herself a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Torres and had pleaded not guilty. Great Lakes region gets yet more snow after a weekend of snarled Thanksgiving travel Some storm-weary residents of the Great Lakes region saw additional snow and faced the prospect of even more accumulations this week. Lake-effect snow continued to fall on parts of western New York that were already blanketed with a foot or more over the past four days. Lake-effect snow warnings were in effect through Tuesday night in parts of Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. Snow showers fell in western Michigan overnight, and heavier, persistent snow of up to a foot was expected to follow Monday. Stock market today: Rising tech stocks pull Wall Street to another record NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid mixed trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Monday after closing November at an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared after saying an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or the company’s board. Retailers were mixed coming off Black Friday and heading into what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Cyber Monday shoppers expected to set a record on the year's biggest day for online shopping Consumers in the U.S. are scouring the internet for online deals as they look to make the most of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon on Cyber Monday. The National Retail Federation coined the term for the Monday after Black Friday in 2005. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people’s regular routine, Cyber Monday continues to be the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to steady discounts and a fair amount of hype. Several major retails actually started their Cyber Monday promotions over the weekend. Consumer spending for the online shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday provides an indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays.

Former world champion Rob Cross is back in action at the PDC World Darts Championship tonight as he faces Scott Williams. Cross won the tournament back in 2018 but crashed out of last year's tournament at the semi-final stage, losing to teenage sensation Luke Littler. He comes into this year's championships as the fifth-highest-ranked player and is expected to reach the latter stages, but his opponent tonight will be eyeing an upset. Williams is no stranger to causing a stir either, having made headlines during his stint at Alexandra Palace a year ago due to some controversial comments. Following his 4-3 win over Germany's Martin Schindler in last year's third round, Williams told Sky Sports: "I've never had the crowd on my side like that. I know we won two World Wars and one World Cup but that was... the German fans in here were huge." The broadcaster was then forced to apologise for the Englishman's 'offensive language', with Williams - nicknamed 'Shaggy' - later issuing an apology of his own. Expressing his regret, he wrote: "I was advised to come off social media, just X, what I said in the last interview on stage was stupid, genuinely stupid. The guys from Germany know I love Germany. "My deepest apologies to anyone who took offence, I have had a lot of messages from people who haven't taken offence, but that has gone now and I am looking forward to Monday," he added. Williams continued to play up to crowds in his first round win over Niko Springer at this year's championships, as he pulled off a 'no look' 180 on his way to a 3-1 victory.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bollywood Icon Datuk Shah Rukh Khan, who is currently in the country, thrilled attendees at the opening ceremony of Bin Zayed International (M) Bhd, a Dubai-based company opening in the city centre here on Saturday. Khan, who was the special guest at the grand opening of the Dubai-based company's new venture expressed excitement about coming back to Malaysia after some time. "I know I am too small of a person to be a friend but I think I am a friend of Malaysia and UAE. Thank you for coming together and it was so wonderful and warm to meet everyone here,” he said at the event held at The Exchange 106, here on Saturday (Nov 23). The actor, who’s presence at the event brought smiles and happiness to the attendees, also applauded the global collaboration between the UAE and Malaysia with the expansion of global investment leader Bin Zayed International Group Of Companies (BZI) in the country. He added that the expansion was an important step in fostering economic ties between both countries, noting that progress is only powerful when it is shared. BZI is a Dubai-based conglomerate that specialises in construction and energy, trading and industry, real estate, technology and financial services, owned by Sheikh Khaled Zayed Saquer Al Nahyan, a prominent businessman and member of the UAE royal family. - BernamaGREELEY, Colo. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ALLO Fiber is pleased to announce its fiber broadband network build of the City of Boulder, CO. ALLO anticipates construction to begin in the spring of 2025 in city rights-of-way and easements. This fiber connection will enable world-class internet, broadband, cybersecurity, managed services, telephone, and video services for residents and businesses. City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde said, "We are thrilled to work with ALLO to bring affordable and reliable high-speed internet to every corner of Boulder. This partnership will provide significant benefits to our community. From empowering students and small businesses, to supporting remote work and ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age." ALLO was founded in 2003, and over the last 21 years has expanded its fiber footprint to reach over one million in population, with a goal to end the digital divide. ALLO maintains a commitment to offering local, hassle-free products and services to the 48 communities it serves. ALLO Colorado General Manager Bob Beiersdorf stated, "We are extremely pleased to be building a world-class fiber to the premises (FTTP) network in Boulder . The opportunity to offer multi-gig, symmetrical speeds to residents, businesses, government, and the education community with consistent network reliability opens the door to immense possibilities for the city. Partnering with the City of Boulder is paramount in providing equitable services to its residents and that spirit of partnership has been exceptional to date." The fiber network will feature up to 10 Gigabit speeds for residents and up to 100 Gigabit speeds for businesses, providing equal upload and download speeds optimized by ALLO's world-class Wi-Fi 7 routers. Boulder residents, businesses of all sizes, and governmental entities will be supported by ALLO's fiber-rich network, which delivers active and passive solutions without installation fees or restrictive contracts. Internet, data transport, cloud connectivity, video, voice, next-generation firewalls, cybersecurity, and phone systems are included in ALLO's comprehensive communications, entertainment, and business products and services. Boulder is ALLO's eleventh market in Colorado . ALLO currently has customers in Breckenridge , Brighton , Brush , Eaton , Erie , Evans , Fort Morgan , Greeley , Hudson , and Kersey . Visit AlloFiber.com/ Boulder and AlloFiber.com/careers for more information. About ALLO Communications ALLO Communications, a leader in providing fiber-optic services, has been dedicated to delivering world-class communications and entertainment services since 2003. With a commitment to building Gigabit communities, ALLO serves over 50 communities across Nebraska , Colorado , Arizona , Missouri , Iowa , and Kansas . ALLO is known for reliable fiber networks and customized technology solutions that support businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit AlloFiber.com . Tanna Hanna Vice President of Marketing Tanna.Hanna@allofiber.com 308-633-7815 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-power-of-allos-all-fiber-network-coming-to-boulder-colorado-302338556.html SOURCE ALLO Communications