So, to summarize, Property Taxes were increased at a time when Property Values decreased. Only a small percentage of homeowners appealed their Property Taxes - resulting in a $98,000,000 reduction over three years. (Hint, when anybody took the time to do the math - almost every property was found to be overvalued and overtaxed - how about an article on that little gem).
What did the municipality do to cover the 'shortfall.' They raised taxes. Read the last sentence - "...that difference translates to about $52 on the municipal portion of the property-tax bill." The irony is lost on the writer. What is the average savings of a Property Tax Appeal? On a $208,002 property? Likely around $100. So, to balance that out, increase the tax rate.
Property Taxes were appealed. Taxpayers won. Property Taxes were reduced. So the government raised Property Taxes.
[Don't worry, the Town Administrator has been doing this for 36 years...]
3 comments:
The cause and effect of taxation is something that I doubt is treated with any degree of attention at the nation's blue chip universities.
And voters rarely rebel, which is why the Tea Party was viewed as vile by the political establishment.
Any reduction in useless services is viewed as a threat to bureaucratic sinecures -- and they will always want to cut the police and fire services first in order to teach the taxpayers a lesson.
That public service should be attended to by PUBLIC SERVANTS is lost on the elitist bureaucrats.
Is this a great country or what?
Great blog! I'm putting yours on mine. Hope you don't mind.
http://thedailysmug.blogspot.com/
http://constitutioncoalition.blogspot.com/
http://breaking-politics.blogspot.com/
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