Do increased property taxes cramp YOUR style?

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi,

OK, I admit it. I think property taxes are almost obscene...They really hurt the elderly and those on a fixed income, etc, etc. I am more of a pay-as-you-guy, at least up to some reasonable limit. Say we give everyone a $500,000 deductible on their primary residence. That would be OK with me… I would prefer to pay tax on income, rather than my house, which is not much better than average if that anyway...

Back to the question I am trying to ask. Do you find yourself thinking that you would like to build a barn for your tractor, a garage for you truck, maybe fix your driveway, or finish the siding on your house, but then thinking…man, if I do that I will just be increasing the taxes I have to pay to live here?

Or worse, that I may be laying the foundation for losing the place where I love to live when I get older and start living on a fixed income? And have to choose between paying those taxes and food for the table? Or medical expenses, or whatever?

I'm just curious, because recently whenever I want to improve something, I keep thinking that not only am I spending money to make something nicer/better, but then I have to pay for the privilege of buying the materials and putting out the effort to make that happen, FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!

I'm not anti tax, we have to pay for the services we get, but I can't understand what having a dirt driveway or concrete really has to do with anything in reality. Or what difference it makes if I have a garage to park my old van in, as compared to a bit of grass to park my Mercedes on [and no extra tax for having that expensive car that costs more than my home-build garage…]

Guess I'm ranting…back to the original question…does fear of increased taxes limit your desire to improve you property/abode?

Am I the oddball here? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[thcri]

Henro,

I don't think you would be the odd ball. I am in agreement with you for the most part. I think there should be a tax on your income and your income only. I just built a fairly nice house in the last two years. I worked hard for a long time to fulfil a dream. That is why I now have a CUT. But I got my first tax statement that included the house and not just the bare lot. I just about crapped. Now I do want to put a shed up in the back to store my boomer and utensils. But I know if I put up a shed, and it can't be a steel one by code, it has to be built just like my house my taxes again will increase. It really kind of stinks because if I could build that shed and not have to worry about keeping it because of taxes like you said, I would be putting a bunch of people to work. Instead the people that are paying the majority of taxes are now holding back and no one is working.

I might get myself in real big trouble here, but I still think the big boom we had in the Clinton year's came actually from Reagan's trickle down economic's. I am not one of the rich people, but I do look at it this way, if the rich are spending, then the others are working and then the working are spending. If you give tax relief to the rich they will spend it, instead we have a bunch of people that think those that paid all of the taxes shouldn't get any of the relief.

The pistons, rods and bearings in the tax business are bad, worn out and really need an overhaul. I usually vote less government.

Don't get me wrong. I believe there is programs that need to be. But if we only knew how much waste is in a program we would be just sick.

Murph

 

[frank_f15]

i am soon to be one of the elderly retired folks u speak of, and yes the taxes scare me, they just keep going up,and up and up but what really ticks me off is that 3 years ago i had a large 3 car garage built, so as a good citizen i wnt to the town hall for a permit, x #$$$$$, then they asked the size of garage and the price went up,i said why does the size increace the cost of permit, they told me because they had to send inspectors out to inspect, my question,u send inspector to inspect anyhow, so what possible difference could it make on the cost of permit? i mean he has to inspect a 2 car, so why does it cost more to look at a 3 car??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[thcri]

I am a heating contractor and they go by the price. Percentage of dollar value. You see it takes longer to shoot the breeze on a three car over a two car??? I know that is not the truth but it is hard to understand sometimes.

Murph

 

[thcri]

Frank,

The other thing here is not the amount of inspections they have to make, it is how much money do you have?? You see if they think you got money, they will get you as much as they can. If you can afford a three car when they could only afford a two, then you have to pay more.

I am also upset with the fact that they just think they can build new schools, new court houses by just passing a bond issue. And you know what, it is only gonna cost tax payers a $35.00 per month. I am sorry, but most people living on the social security plan that was suppose to be so great can't afford $35.00 per month. But you have no choice in the issue.

Henro, I think you started me on something here. I better quit posting here or someone might kick me out of tractorbynet. My gander is up. LMAO

Murph

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I've been in this war for the last 8 years, and am mightily weary of taxes. The State of NY is bankrupt and has outbondes the total assessed value of the state, so every 6 years they reassess.
The last time around, the assessor told me, "we have no comparables for your farm, so we took a guess". In 8 years, my assessment has tripled twice, and I have fought it back down to just 150% of the original value twice. Both of these fights have cost me money, and I sure don't get to deduct that cost from my taxes.
Around here, they are doing all possible to tax agriculture out of town cause houses can be assessed higher than fields.
The politicians figure 90% of people move within 7 years, so they can do what they want to, and the new owners won't figure out what happened. The local "school" just floated a 56 million bond to build "for the children". This is upstate NY, on the south shore of Lake Ontario, and the temperature outside right now is 7*. One of the "for the children" enhancements to the school will be a 100 foot wide staired entrance to the high school, about 14 steps high, and it will be HEATED to "save snow & ice removal costs". Of course, a few more million are being spent on energy conservation. My thinking is that it is little wonder Jimmy can't read or add 2+2 with this kind of thinking from the top of the "education system".
Am I building a thing that can be taxed, ABSOLUTELY NOT!
I'm a regisered Ag District property, and I remind the politicians every chance I get. I don't need sidewalks, or street lights. I'm already paying tax on 16 feet of property the county annexed a few years ago by making the road 4 rods instead of 2, without paying me for the land. I'm paying Fire Tax so a bunch of clowns can buy a $300,000 truck that can't pump any more water than a $150,000 truck, and carrys less hose.
The average sheep doesn't have an idea how much tax he pays cause the taxes are included in the house payment. He will accept inflation, cause he doesn't know better.

 

[rancar]

<font color="blue">"...does fear of increased taxes limit your desire to improve you property/abode?..."</font>

NO!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Yes,
In Maine you never own your house even if it's paid for. I pay
over $3000.00 for a three bedroom cape and a two car garage. You just keep making payments to the town! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[TCowner]

Yes, the ever increasing appetite of public servants for money through increased taxes cramps my style. I may irritate a few public employees with this post but it is my opinion. Government officials at all levels fail to understand the concept of living within your means. There are times when the public is more willing to part with our money. This is not that time. Government officials also fail to understand that it is OUR money, not theirs. We made, they did not. When taxes are decreased they make a big deal about what they did for us. You know, they ALLOWED us to keep a little more of our money. That is pretty nice of them. Increasing property taxes through the county accessors office gives them an automatic increase to spend as they wish. They actually believe, or try to get us to believe, that we could not function without all of the services that they provide. If the homeless shelter for the blind lesbians in wheelchairs was not funded imagine the horror on our streets with these people wandering aimlessly about. I just shivver thinking about it. Public employees also think that God has granted them a guaranteed increase in salary and benefits every year without regard of the employer's (the taxpayer) ability to pay. Where most of us work, our ability to get a pay increase is directly related to the financial health of the employer. It seems that public employees don't see that. The administrators hand out more money to employees claiming that they must do so to keep their employees. Bull crap!. WIth the salary and benefits that are paid to these employees they will have no problem filling the positions. By granting increases every year without regard to the taxpayer's ability to pay allows the government administrators themselves to get nice annual increases. It they grant 3-5% increases, plus other performance increases) they make it easy for the governing boards (County board of commisioners) to approve the same 3-5% for them. Its a great system for public employees. My long post is not intended to say that public employees should not be treated well nor should they ever get an increase in salary and benefits. I just believe that the government should not be reaching into my pocket for money without making the case for it. If taxes need to be raised to provide necessary services then make the case for it and I can vote you in our out depending whether I believe you. Using the county assessor to get more money by driving around the county adding more value to your property because you put up a small shed to store the garden tractor irritates me. Again, forgive me for this long post and I should be prepared for the response from public employees. I don't believe that the end of world is in sight because the taxpayer says to the county officials, sorry, you don't get more of my money this year. Maybe if I don't have to pay you I will spend that money somewhere that creates a job which results in a brand new taxpayer. The thought of a new taxpayer should have the elected officials drooling with excitement. One more point and then I will stop. My property taxes are not included in my mortgage payment. I pay mine twice each year and piss and moan each time. Putting property tax payment in escrow with the regular monthly morgage payment may be easier to budget but frankly makes it easier to the county officials to take the money. Most property owners probably couldn't estimate what they are paying in property taxes. Its too easy. If every May and October each of us had to write the check to the county treasurer I believe we would be more willing to hold the county officials accountable and vote them out if necessary.

 

[rancar]

<font color="blue">"...the ever increasing appetite of public servants for money through increased taxes cramps my style...</font>

Well, my friend, it's those increased taxes that pay for increased costs of doing what many take for granted....such as snowplowing in Winter, pothole repair in Spring, road shoulder maintenance and mowing in the Summer, sign replacement to ensure road safety, etc. Trucks, sand, salt, plows, mowers all cost increased amounts to purchase, maintain, and operate not including costs for operators to run this equipment. This only addresses transportation issues, a field I work in and am somewhat familiar with. It doesn't cover the increased costs for a host of other related matters that cover public health, welfare, and safety.....essential services that the public rarely sees but nevertheless has to be addressed in some manner.