Posted on 10/04/2005 12:41:05 PM PDT by 2banana
Sounds like you have not been introduced to "Special Assessment District" yet. My taxes went up 25% in one bite. Cathedral City, CA
Yep, we are still just share cropping.
Stories like this are what caused California's tax revolt.
Why don't people in NJ and PA revolt?
I guess the answer to that is don't buy a home in such a district.
One of the main problems is that we have been snookered into thinking that the only acceptable means for educating children is to place them in huge warehouses for 6 hours a day. As long as this is seen as the only valid method property taxes will have to be increased to meet the demand of rising school age population. I wonder how much money could a County/ City and/or School District save if it encouraged and supported vouchers, home schooling, upper level highschools ( junior and seniors) being modeled after community colleges. I wonder why more school districts are not looking at abandoned commercial building to use as schools, instead of always building new ones. I think as long as gov't schools are a monopoly you will not see relief from property taxes. I don't have a problem with paying my share of taxes from things that benefit us all. But more and more public education seems to be a case of throwing good money after bad.
Accept this was after the fact, and any city can do it, so watch out, you are next.
No, I'm pretty sure every city cannot do it--that is, create a special assessment district.
It's only going to get worse.
There's a district south of where I live that has a school tax rate of ~$32.50 per $1000 of assessed value. That is (I believe) the highest in the state. This is a RURAL district that has cut all winter and spring sports, field trips, extra stuff and STILL has a tax rate that high.
And that rate will become the new baseline for the District - it only goes up from there. Unless the collective bargaining unit agrees to major concessions, health care will go up, etc., etc.
I talked to someone who lives in the town and he has never seen so many houses for sale at any one time. The effects will not be felt right away in the town - but in 2-5 years, when people will simply not pay that much $$$ in taxes to live in the town, no matter how nice it is.
Elba, NY
I never voted for Rendell, even when he was mayor. Can't blame me.
As though folks under 65 have extra money hanging around??
My father is 76 and still works. He sold his home and is now renting. I'm not sure how much if any money they have socked away.
I pay $3,006 per year in school/real estate taxes for my 1,100sqft condo. I'm in Lower Bucks County, Bristol Township.
The school tax portion of that bill is about $2,400.
We just put out condo on the market yesterday. We are looking to move to an adjacent township where taxes will be about the same or less for a single home averaging between 1,000sqft and 1,500sqft.
Go figure.
Oh and I tried to run for school board back in 2001, Bristol Township has a 3:1 ratio of Dems or Pubbies. They keep voting in Democrats and they keep complaining about local taxes.
If it was more than a penny they are overpaid, and I'm note so sure that the penny is not an overpayment.
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