Not quite accurate. I pay a *seperate* bill for sewer service and garbage pickup. I suppose the taxes pay for the sewer pipes that were put in, but how many years does it take to pay that off?
Hard to evaluate the number of occupants, and it can change pretty easily.
There is no one perfect way to assess taxes. A quiet family of six will put less strain on the public systems that a a couple on welfare with a wife beating husband where the police come out on a weekly basis to haul hiss ass to jail overnight. Should snow plowing be assesed on the number of cars you own, the distance you drive, or the street frontage of your property?
If you promise not to go out after dark should you still pay for street lighting? If you don't drive should you pay for street repairs?
Don't get me started on the waste in our shool budgets.
Thats how it started in Germany in the 1930's.
Good German people acceptd the changes for the good of the people, the state, their security.
And in 1945, we blamed them for doing it.
And no giant mutant octopi roaming the streets and sucking out people's brains.
Finally, somebody gets it.
Life is good.
Oren
They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
Sure. If I ran my credit cards up to the limit, bought plasma TVs, new cars, luxury cruises, etc, life would be good.
But who is going to pay the bills?
That's what this government has done. Your grandkids will pay for the "good times".
They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
Get a date. Work hard, save and also have fun. Cut up the cards, plan for the plasma, pay off the car before you retire, enjoy the cruise.
Life is good....
Mrs "Buck Turgidson"?
Honestly tell me now that you have sat down with your grand kids and discussed financial planning.
Oren They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
Your grandkids???
Keyboard to chair malfunction. This was sent to soon, meant the next post.
Oren
They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
Local governments receive a certain amount of federal dollars. As federal taxes are lowered, local governments receive less federal money. To make up the difference, property taxes are increased.
S
Depends on the state and how hard they make it raise taxes. Also, I have yet to see anything remotely resembling a 1:1 increase in state taxes resulting from a decrease in Feds.
I know this is off-topic for the group, but I can't resist jumping in here. Why should money for local functions go through Washington, so they can skim their 20% off the top? If it is money for local government functions and infrastructure, it be paid by local taxes. This whole 'federal aid' thing is a scam. 40+ years of this 'free' federal money has resulted in way too much power flowing to DC, and Federal usurpation of functions that should be done at the local, county, and state levels. He who has all the gold makes all the rules, etc.
rant mode off
And to throw in a little to keep this on topic- last year, the township I am in decided to build a new fire station/municipal building. They also, on the fourth try on a non-standard election day, finally got a bond issue approved to pay for it. Last week, I got a letter stating they would be coming around to re-assess my house, and that I could expect them when they knocked at my door. I just replaced the HVAC, and the roofer starts Monday. Are these PM replacements likely to bump my assessment even more than they would likely raise it anyway?
I've got a folder from when I bought this place last year, showing what all the actual sale prices on this loop-street subdivision were for the last several years. Should I make a point of mentioning that if I am home when they do their walkaround? I what the nearby houses are worth, so they shouldn't try pulling a number out of their ass?
aem sends....
It is a way of getting things approved. Uneducated voters will vote against a particular item if it is funded locally, but the idions will vote "yes" if the state or feds pick up 80% of htthe e cost. See, we're getting a good deal. Just try to explain where that state or fed money is coming from and they give you a blank stare.
Assessment is often required by law every 5 or 10 years. Normal upkeep should not affect anything. Adding rooms, adding a bath or pool will. You will probably find each house on the block to be very close to each other if no major changes have taken place. Most of the work is done by independent companies that have no interest in giving you a higher or lower than normal assessment. They have also heard every lame excuse too.
Assessment does not always mean a tax increase. If every property in town is doubles, the mil rate of the taxes would be cut in half. It does make for corrections if industrial property changes in relationship to residential though.
[snip]
It also helps cover the local cost of meeting new federal mandates, requirements which originate in Washington and direct local governments to do something but without providing funds for the task.
And if the local governments say No, exactly what can Washington do about it? Cut off the money they stole in the first place?
Well, there is always the nuclear options- IIRC, the state legislatures, acting in concert, do have the theoretical power to call another constitutional convention, even against Congress' wishes. I know it'll never happen, and I shudder to think of what else they might change, but methinks somebody does need to remind Congress about who works for who.
aem sends...
Then you're one of the few.
But it is still OUR money. School boards complain about unfunded mandates, but in reality, they want them so they can continue to build an empire with taxpayer money, no matter the source. Sooner or later people will realize it takes more than money to educate children, but for not, they will just keep asking for more money.
Not exactly true. In Illinois, taxing districts have the option to "capture" assessment increases. A typical example is when a 2 bedroom ranch is converted into 5 bedroom McMansion. Taxing bodies can be set up to use that increased assessment to collect more money.
S
Thats because:
1) as Federal funding decreases, local governments cut back on spending, and2) local governments raise taxes in very subtle ways, nickle-and-diming the average Joe six-pack, and sticking it to businesses so that Joe six-pack is less aware of it. The money still has to come from somewhere.
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