Tax Tax Tax

[TCJatko]

I'm cheap when it comes to eats... unless I'm taking out the family... Mom loves Seafood and honest to gosh taking her to Red Lobster is something she really enjoys... it is nice to be able to do something when you know it is appreciated.

California License Fees are going up again... bridge tolls may be heading in the $13 range worst case... BART ridership is down two consecutive years... but the "Good News" according to the transit agency is most of the funding comes via taxes so decreased ridership has but a small impact...

That said... if you bought a modest home here and stayed put... Prop 13 can make property taxes quite affordable...

When I bought my 1725 square feet Oakland home... my Sellers were paying $1200 property tax in 2004... the moment I bought it went to $8800 and now 11,400... this is all original 1958 decor... Formica and Lino...

Holy Highway Robbery, Batman! You pay nearly $1 K an month in property taxes on a small house in Oakland?

 

[TnAndy]

I'm in one of the highly over taxed states NY,
my property taxes are kind of high, full property would be over $3000 reduced by $1100 for a veterans exemption,
then an additional school tax of over $3600 and this is on a property valued at $226,000.
And a great many of our town roads are unpaved, no streetlights in town, no garbage pickup (except private), no water, no sewer, Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad,
then add in sales use and income taxes at least I don't have a village or city tax.

Property appraised at $217,000 here. County property tax is $1297.64. (If you lived in city, it would be double that) There is no separate school tax, no income tax, two vehicles run 20-24 bucks year (can't recall exactly) for tags, sales tax is 9.75% (6% on food), few smaller taxes on phone/tv/etc. Garbage pickup runs $16/mo IF you want it....county runs several dumpster stations scattered across county, no charge.

Public water is available much of the county (my valley is one of the exceptions, for which I'm glad....limits development), all roads are paved. EMS is county funded, some firemen are also (mix with volunteer).

Again....I can't see what paying nearly $5,000 more in property/school tax would get us....other than some highly overpaid public 'servants'.....

Ya'll need to get together and have a tax revolt in places like this.....there is simply no justification for that kind of tax rate.

 

[Ken]

Another thing I cannot believe hasn't been done is that when you retire, you stop paying property tax.

Hit your retirement age (same as with social security) and you stop paying property tax on your primary residence. If you own more than one home, you pay tax on the others, but not your primary. I hate the thought of buying a home, paying on it for decades and all the taxes through those years (possibly 40-50 years of property tax) and then once retired maybe have to sell your home to be able to afford to live. Outrageous.

Arkansas Has a Homestead exemption of resident taxes amounted to 300 dollars . but then if you have taxes of say $400 bucks minus 300 taxed at 100 then next year it has raised to 600 minus 300 and again
at same or higher than past years.

Politicians are like hogs being fed into a troth watching what is coming out if bucket instead what is in the troth.

ken

 

[ultrarunner]

Holy Highway Robbery, Batman! You pay nearly $1 K an month in property taxes on a small house in Oakland?

Yes... and the Assessor tried 3 times with surprise visits over the course of a year to inspect looking for improvements... still have the Formica and Linoleum Floors and 1957-58 Kitchen/Bath...

All 1725 square feet... it does have a second garage of 22 x 30 the Navy Commander built when he retired...

What gets me is "We" property owners are not paying our Fair Share because Prop 13 limits Property Taxes... my tax rate is about 1.7%.... Politicians are always looking for more... as an Oakland resident I have the privilege of paying twice for the Oakland Raiders Stadium renovations, county and city portions and the Raiders are moving to Vegas with decades left on the Bonds...

One of my brothers is in a much nicer area with better schools and services, sidewalks, street lights, etc and he lives in the county... 1.1% tax rate... it costs a lot more to live in a city such as Oakland... than 10 minutes away in the county.

The flip side is thinking Washington State would be different but it turned out worse in terms of Property Tax increase being 80%... 1977 home with acreage.

 

[dmccarty]

...
I've paid property taxes on my current property for all the years I've owned it - 51 years - and now in retirement it worries me that some day I might not be able to pay the rising taxes. Its unbelievable that in my remaining years I might be forced to leave my retirement property.

I know a family who lost the family land due to unpaid property taxes. Twas a while ago and it would be the great grandmother to put it in some perspective. The great grand father had died and the great grand mother simply did not have cash. Very much land rich and cash poor. The great grand mother was forced to sell the land to pay the property taxes.

We are talking about 1,000 acres of what was then farm land. That land is now very valuable as Raleigh grew into the country side. If the family had been able to keep the land, they would be millionaires but since the lady had to sell to pay her property taxes they lost it all. It just goes to show that we really do not own our land, the state does, we just rent it. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to have to sell your land, the land you spent a lifetime working on, so the taxman could be paid. :thumbdown:

I have visited the place, though not in years, and it was heart rendering to listen to them describe what used to be vs what is.

Later,
Dan

 

[ultrarunner]

The attitude here is very cavalier... if you own property you are by definition rich...

A lot of the foreclosure action determined by property taxes... "Own" a 500k home with 500k mortgage and 8k property tax bill... run do not walk away... and many in my area did just that...

You could rent that same home for $1500 and have no mortgage or property tax or repair bills...

 

[RSKY]

I do not mind paying taxes for services rendered. Such as the Sherriff's Department, road maintenance, and such. What gets me is tax money being used to buy votes.

RSKY

 

[goeduck]

retired folks shouldn't be allowed to vote?

A retired person”s savings are earned, just in years prior. They pay sales taxes, property taxes, this tax, that tax. Heck SS is just paying them back the money SS took when the wet working, so that is earned.

 

[Oaktree]

NH for one. The legislators in this state never saw a tax they didn't like!

??? Are you referring to N.H. or Mass (as noted in your profile)?
N.H. (technically the cities and towns) do collect a tax when registering a vehicle, but it's not horrible like some I've seen mentioned in this thread. My wife's car is a 2015, and the town portion is under $150. State portion of the registration is based on weight.

Another thing I cannot believe hasn't been done is that when you retire, you stop paying property tax.

Hit your retirement age (same as with social security) and you stop paying property tax on your primary residence.

I wouldn't mind seeing the school portion of my property tax reduced, but just because you're retired doesn't entitle you to free town services IMHO. You still need fire, police, road maintenance. The money's got to come from somewhere, not fair to increase the burden on working stiffs so geezers get a free ride.

What gets me is tax money being used to buy votes.

Not sure what you mean by that. Are you referring to the check-off on your income tax for subsidizing elections?

 

[oosik]

Oaktree - I don't know why you would ever think that the retired folks are getting a free ride. I would venture that most retired folks have paid & paid & paid all sorts of taxes their entire working lives. Also, most retired are on a fixed income and have some degree of difficulty keeping up with ever increasing taxes coming from all directions.

Some day you may see the advantages to reduced taxes for the retired.