Posted on 11/06/2013 4:55:32 PM PST by ConservativeInPA
HAMPDEN TOWNSHIP — According to a tentative budget passed recently by the board of commissioners, Hampden Township is holding fast to its record of approximately 35 years now without a tax increase.
Township Manager Keith Metts said he doesn’t believe any changes will be made to the budget before the final version will be adopted by the commissioners at the Nov. 26 meeting.
If that is the case, the millage rate will remain at 0.156, or $15.60 for a property valued at $100,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at pennlive.com ...
Hampden Twp. is in Cumberland County five miles west of Harrisburg, PA. The contrast between Hampden and Harrisburg is dramatic. School funding in Hampden is 1/3 lower than Harrisburg and below the mean for the state. County taxes are 2/3's lower than Dauphin County, where Harrisburg is situated. The two places are polar opposites in every regard. Citizens of Hampden have one of the best schools in the state ... Harrisburg is one of the worst. We enjoy low crime and unemployment. Harrisburg is just the opposite. Hampden is fiscally sound ... Harrisburg is in receivership. Property values ... well I figure you can guess that one.
The reason for this is simple. One place is filled with conservative Christians and the other is not.
PIng
All they really have to do is announce your property is worth a lot more than last year. lol
and I mean
A LOT.
$15.60 is crazy good.
There was a county-wide property tax reassessment a few years ago. I think that happens every ten years. My tax bill went up about $8.00. That means my property value was up about $50k.
The key to keeping taxes down is to raise hell. People went nuts over the reassessment.
Personally, I do not like the concept of property taxes. To me it means you pay rent to government and in reality there is no property ownership. I much prefer a consumption tax.
I don’t like the idea of property or income taxes either.
I’m closer to the MD border so at the last reassessment my tax bill went up 40% because all the “comparable properties” were overpriced Ryan Homes McMansions thrown together in less than 2 months. We call them the “45 day wonders”.
Are you in York or Adams County?
Plus it helps that you have the USN’S Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg attached to your location. :)
Not exactly. That is a huge chunk of property, but they do not pay property taxes to the township. On the other hand it has been somewhat stable employment for some in the township. Many that work there do not live here. And on the other hand, businesses have some income from folks that work at the depot. I could probably come up with a couple of other hands too.
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