Does Anyone Else Have The "ViewTax"?

[8561]

The answer is yes, for real estate value but no for taxes. Besides property taxes being a ripoff, I look at it another way...

If I pay X amount of dollars from some property, I should have to pay X amount of tax as long as I own it. I can't help if some yahoo decides my property is worth more a year later.

Sorry, I have to disagree. Property taxes (at least here) are based on valuation, and real estate valuation changes every year. By law, assessments have to stay within a certain percentage of actual sold prices during the last 12 months. If they fall out of compliance, all assessments have to be re-assessed. It's not some yahoo, it's the law of supply and demand in the real estate market.

In regard to the taxes being a rip-off, agree completely. We have no sales tax and no income tax, therefore we rely heavily on the property tax.

 

[Ductape]

Perhaps my confusion is more about how the "view" is so heavily taxed now, as opposed to five, ten, or twenty years ago. Waterfront property has always been taxed as waterfront property. Can the same house really be taxed for $200,000 more in value now, than it was five years ago..... when the view was the same five years ago? Yes, property values have gone up..... but anything on a hill has gone up VERY disproportionately. Since when is living on a hill equal to living on a lake?

 

[Ductape]

BillyP.....that is really the problem around here. The valuation is based solely on the opinion of the one guy who ownes the assessment company....what his idea of what the property might sell for, and not based on "like" properties nearby that have sold recently.

Coming to a state near you ! New Hampshire Starts 'View' Tax

 

[MikeD74T]

The answer is yes, for real estate value but no for taxes. Besides property taxes being a ripoff, I look at it another way...

If I pay X amount of dollars from some property, I should have to pay X amount of tax as long as I own it. I can't help if some yahoo decides my property is worth more a year later.

Billy P, You can do that if you convince the rest of your town, county, whatever to spend less on services forever until there are no services then you'll just pay for services your self. Taxes are only to provide services, no services - no taxes.

 

[8561]

I hear you, and I'm not arguing that it isn't a big jump and I couldn't tell you first hand if the jump is too large to make sense. The only thing I might say is that the opposite view might suggest that those properties have been underassessed all these years. It seems like perhaps these view enhanced properties might be one of the reasons towns fall so quickly out of assessment ratio, and it is now being addressed after many years of improper assessment.

As far as valuation, I don't think it is quite as arbitrary as you portray it. Property appraisal companies are certified and all reappraisal cycles offer an opportunity for the homeowner to dispute the appraiser's findings by presenting comparable assessments. I'm not arguing with you that the system has some inequity and inefficiency, because it absolutely does.

Please ductape, don't get the impression I'm not on your side when it comes to fighting taxes. Anyone who stands up against taxation is a friend. I'm just not convinced the view tax is as out of line as some believe it is. Probably just a difference of opinion.

 

[BillyP]

Billy P, You can do that if you convince the rest of your town, county, whatever to spend less on services forever until there are no services then you'll just pay for services your self. Taxes are only to provide services, no services - no taxes.

I guess that's the difference between here and there. We have state, city and county sales tax.

Since we don't have high property taxes here, I should have let you all discuss and cuss this among yourself.

If you don't think something is wrong with your property tax evaluation, then pay up and more next year.

I might add though. One of these days the government will have to learn to operate within a budget.

 

[Ductape]

Tim, I don't get the impression you're not on my side on this issue. I have not been hit by the issue myself...... though i do feel my taxes should be lowered based on what i have to look at on the other side of my road ! It is something that has come up recently in conversation, and i was curious to know if any other state in the U.S. is using this "view tax". It is my understanding that the view tax was "invented" by the assessment company as a way to sell his services to towns, I.E. "hire me to do your reassessments, and i'll generate $xxx,000 dollars in new tax revenue for your town". It just seemed to me that charging extra for a view in N.H., would be similar to charging extra tax dollars to anyone who has a house on a level lot in the prarie states, or charging extra tax dollars to people in the pacific northwest because thier lawn grows greener with all the rain.

This isn't a personal issue with me, i had just never heard of any other state having a view tax and was curious !

Scott

 

[8561]

Ductape - hard to argue with any of that (not that I'm trying to).

Billy P - Amen to the budget comment, although I find it hard to agree with the budget in most cases - the overruns just add fuel to the fire!

 

[Doc_Bob]

I might add though. One of these days the government will have to learn to operate within a budget.

They have, they live within our budget!
Bob

 

[jpm]

remember taxes are goverments crack, they can't say no ,and can't stop using as much as they can get, and do not want to