Do increased property taxes cramp YOUR style?

cowboydoc · Feb 18, 2003

You guys are all right on. The problem is most of us are one of the three guys that pays the taxes. Alot of the voting population pays little or no taxes. Of course they're going to vote for more taxes because they don't pay any to begin with!!!

Same thing with corporate america. Alot of the reason that companies are going overseas are taxes and incredible amount of regulations created by some govt. buer. that has to justify why they are a beur. creating more regulations so more govt. can justify why they have a job to play big brother over everyone, etc. etc. Just let people do their work, make their money, spend their money, and get out of the way to the govt. All they do is screw up most things that they try and fix.

thcri · Feb 18, 2003

As long as I am on a roll, here is another one to frost a few things. Another e-mail that I got but never been able to verify if it is true or not. If it is true, it makes a few things boil about where out tax dollars go to. I thought these guys were suppose to work for us, not us for them.

I've read this so many times, I've nearly got it memorized ... It doesn't
>even mention "the Clinton's" fiasco, which tops anything here. I do agree
>there should not be separate 'retirement plans' for different
>stations-in-life' for example Railroad Retirement, Civil Service Retirement,
>Police & Firemen's Retirement and of course the following 'rip-off'. I also
>do not make a practice to 'forward' mail of any kind, but this just gripes
>me enough to do it!
>
>This must be an issue in any election. Keep it
>going.
>
>SOCIAL SECURITY: (This is worth the read. It's short and to the point.)
>
>Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.
>
>Our Senators and Congressmen do not pay into Social Security and, course,
>they do not collect from it. Social Security benefits were not suitable for
>persons of their rare elevation in society.
>
>They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. Many years ago
>they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no
>congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan
>
>
>For all practical purposes their plan works like this When they retire, they
>continue to draw the same pay until they die, except it increases from time
>to time for cost of living adjustments. (There's, not ours.) For example,
>former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw
>$7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand), with their
>wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. This is
>calculated on an average life span for each.
>
>Their cost for this excellent plan is $00.00.
>
>Nada.Zilch.
>
>This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick
>up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come
>directly from the General Funds-our tax dollars at work!
>
>From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid)
>into-every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our
>employer)--we can expect to get an average $1,000 per month after retirement
>
>
>Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000.
>monthly benefits for 68 years and one (l) month to equal Senator Bill
>Bradley's benefits!
>
>Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.
>
>And that change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from
>under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan
>with the rest of us and then watch how fast they would fix it. If enough
>people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe
>good changes will evolve. How many people can YOU send this to?
>Or will you just read this and ignore your rights, saying what good would it do? That's what most people will do.....NOTHING!

I am done now with this thread before I upset anymore people. I probable said to much and will get kicked from TBN

Murph

ejb · Feb 19, 2003

>>Unfortunately, it appears as though the "smaller government" party has deserted us

There is no "smaller government party" anymore. Apparently all that "small government" talk was just that...talk. A way to get elected..

Now that the republicans control the president, house and senate, what possible excuses will they have for record defecits, record spending across the board and record national debt? ...oh yea, national security.

Now the democrats are all of a sudden worked up about the national defecit, but when they were in power it didn'/t seem so important tho them either.

Do people actually realize that for about 26 or 27 of the last 30 years, the government has spent more than they raised? how long can that ponzi scheme continue?

I really had high hiopes that once the republicans controlled all 3 area, some drastic changes would have been made to correct this problem, boy have I been disappointed....

It appears that democrats want to spend like crazy and raise your taxes to pay for it, but republicans want to spend like crazy and tell you nobody has to pay for it....

OK, enough ranting...anyone have any practical methods for reducing and/or eliminating local property taxes? Any success stories challenging your assesments, and/or getting the ag exemption? (both of which I intend on trying this year).

In my town I have noticed several properties have been bought by non-profit corporations and therefore are exempt from local property taxes(and yet people live in the houses and use them just like anyone else)...maybe a grey area in the law, but anyone know about this? Seems patently unfair to the rest of the taxpayers, but if you can't beat 'em, join 'em?

rancar · Feb 19, 2003

"...for about 26 or 27 of the last 30 years, the government has spent more than they raised? how long can that ponzi scheme continue?..."

It'll continue as long as the American people have faith in the U.S. dollar and continue to fund the nation's debt by buying its debt instruments (ie, U.S T-Bills and Bonds).

Any success stories....getting the ag exemption? 

Yes, I have it on my property....158 acres. I'm paying approximately 20% less in property taxes by ensuring it remains in agricultural production. In other words, saying the land is tillable is not enough. I have to prove the land is in ag production by providing the town tax assessor with income statements or copies of federal 1099-R. However, the paper work is minimal and the savings are worth several hundred dollars per year. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Determine if you qualify for the exemption....and if you do, go for it.

....Bob

cowboydoc · Feb 19, 2003

"Yes, I have it on my property....158 acres. I'm paying approximately 20% less in property taxes by ensuring it remains in agricultural production. "

Sometimes that isn't enough rancar. This last year I was involved in a huge dispute with our county. They developed the land right next to some farmground and pasture that i had. This ground has been in ag. use for the last 100 years. We ran 75 head of cows on it and farmed 110 acres in hay, corn, and beans.

Last year when I got my tax bill it had raised about $10,000 dollars. The county had saw fit that since the land next to me was zoned residential they would rezone my ground, without my input or anything. They raised my ground to a $10,000/acre value. They justified this by getting bids from three different contractors, NOT APPRAISERS, contractors. They said they would pay this for the ground. I got a lawyer went to court and fought it. About $12k later in legal bills we lost. Lost the appeal as well. Faced with an astronomical tax bill I was basically forced to sell this ground. It made me alot of money but it was wrong pure and simple.

ejb · Feb 19, 2003

>>I'm paying approximately 20% less in property

20% doesn't seem like much of a break /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif but its better than nothing I guess.

I need a way to cut my taxes in half or better.... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

utahmule · Feb 19, 2003

We get the Ag exemption on our 40 acres. We have to submit our Balance sheet, and a copy of the grazing lease we have w/ a local rancher. Our taxes go from ~$800 to $7.00.

Works for us /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rancar · Feb 19, 2003

Sometimes that isn't enough rancar. This last year I was involved in a huge dispute with our county. They developed the land right next to some farmground and pasture that i had...The county had saw fit that since the land next to me was zoned residential they would rezone my ground, without my input or anything. They raised my ground to a $10,000/acre value..."

That's unfortunate and I feel bad for your loss. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I suppose at some point in the future creeping suburban sprawl may jeopardize my ag exemption status as well and I too may be forced to parcel the land for residential homebuilding. Then, we can commiserate together.

rancar · Feb 19, 2003

"...20% doesn't seem like much of a break..."

Maybe not....but, in my case it comes out to about $400-500 annually in savings and I'd rather keep that amount in my pocket rather than put it in the taxman's.

"I need a way to cut my taxes in half or better...."

Are you able to rent your land for any purpose.....ag use, recreational, etc.? We rent our property for ag production and earn $1,800 in rental income. That income offset along with my ag assessment savings of about $500 reduces my total annual property and school taxes by about 30-35% total....it's not 50% but it's a sizeable amount nevertheless. I continue to think of other ways I can further realize value from the property to offset rising property taxes. Last fall, I hired a dozer and operator to start the clearing of hedgerows....this will be approximately a 3 year effort. When complete, I expect I can put another 20 acres into ag production. This will result in another $600 in annual income. I'm also exploring ways to start selective harvesting of timber on the property (have about 50 acres of mature timber) on a biannual basis....hope to realize another $1,000-1,500 annually in income to offset rising property taxes. In addition, I've been approached by hunting clubs who have requested exclusive hunting privileges for annual fees of about $500 (fee negotiable depending upon whatever I think these guys would pay....last count was up to $500). I've so far not seriously entertained this proposition for two reasons.....1) concerns on who would actually be hunting on the land and 2) insurance/liability concerns. This, however, may be a viable alternative you may want to explore for some income offsets. So, I'm getting to the 50% target and I'm always thinking..... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The real bummer though is rising school taxes that I can't do much about except being vocal on expenditure issues during the annual budget preparation meetings prior to the vote on the school budget AND voting NO when the local school budget is voted on.

Bob

ejb · Feb 19, 2003

The "20%" comment was not a criticsm of you of course, it was more a sad reflection on the fact that they make it very difficult to qualify for the ag exemption , and then its not much of a discount anyway...but of course, better in your pocket then the taxman...