Posted on 12/23/2002 11:38:57 PM PST by JohnHuang2
Homeowners are getting hit with higher tax bills this year as local governments hike rates to compensate for falling revenues and decreasing federal aid.
Using U.S. Census Bureau figures, USA Today reports that nationwide, Americans paid 10.4 percent more in property taxes for the year ending June 30 compared to the same period a year earlier – an increase that was the highest since 1993, the first full year of the Clinton administration.
Also, taxes for the first half of this year were up 14.1 percent compared to the first six months of 2001, while second quarter taxes skyrocketed 24 percent compared to the first three months of 2001.
Worse for homeowners is the fact that dozens of other municipalities are considering property tax hikes.
"There are probably 60 to 70 cities of 100,000 population that are contemplating it today," said David Brunori, editor of State Tax Notes, a non-profit publication that tracks tax trends.
Some of the increase stems from higher property values, but city, county and local governments also are raising tax rates to balance their budgets in the face of declining revenues.
The surge is prompting some analysts to predict that voters and homeowners will rebel in some states, like New Jersey, where the rate increases are the highest.
"New Jersey voters are in near-revolt over their property taxes," said Clay Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, a research group in Hamden, Conn. The group polled New Jersey residents between Dec. 3 and 9.
"They hate property taxes more than all the other major taxes combined," Richards said.
Some dramatic property tax increases have been publicized.
Earlier this month, New York City approved an 18.5 percent property tax increase, while neighboring Westchester County, N.Y. – considered one of the wealthiest – is examining a 28.6 percent hike.
In Atlanta, meanwhile, officials hiked rates 50 percent this year, while Minnesota expects to increase rates at least 10 percent in 2003.
Most major metro areas in Montana – including Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, Billings, Bozeman and Butte – increased property tax rates in 2002.
Some neighborhoods in Chicago have seen property taxes increase 75-100 percent. Coupled with utility increases, some rents have reached record levels. And Wisconsin raised property taxes 5.36 percent and 4.98 percent in 2001 and 2002 respectively.
"It is unfortunate that homeowners are being asked to bear the brunt of irresponsible spending policies," Peter Sepp, of the National Taxpayers Union, told the paper.
Property taxes reportedly make up around 70-75 percent of a local jurisdiction's revenue. They pay for everything from police and fire protection to garbage collection and park maintenance. Cities and localities are also having to bear costs of homeland security. As costs for those services increase, so too, must revenues, supporters say.
But homeowners are upset. This year, NTU said it has received many more requests for its 22-page pamphlet, "How to Fight Property Taxes."
"This year, we've had several thousand requests," said Sepp, up from a few hundred in normal years. "It's going through the roof."
The crux of it is taxes, and spending... the Mayor & Commission basically spent money like a bunch of drunk sailors on leave, ran out, and decided they "had" to raise property taxes 43%- which would drive many poor residents, and small businesses out of town.
Well, that provoked a firestorm, so they went back and "only" raised our taxes 18%- so fewer poor folks will be driven out of town...
I won't bore you with endless facts and figures, but let's just say that it looks like the recall will not even need to be done, because there is evidence of criminal malfeasance by the mayor and all 5 commissioners.
This is an offshoot of that Nov. 5 "Earthquake" that rocked Georgia, and the nation. DNC/DLC spin to the contrary, it's still rocking things. Citizens are fed up with having their pockets picked constantly "for the children..."
It's a good time to be a citizen-activist.
OH BULL$H!T This is the same crap you hear from California. Yet they keep voting for tax and spend liberals. Revolt my butt... Vote Democrap and you get what you deserve.
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