[at-l] 'View Tax' Triggers Revolt in Rural N.H.

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C)]

Make the word "collector" in the last paragraph read "assessor." I seem to be fixed on people collecting my taxes for some reason.

Weary

> ------------Original Message------------
> From: "Bob C" <ellen@clinic.net>
> To: RoksnRoots@aol.com, AT-L@Backcountry.net
> Date: Tue, Nov-1-2005 2:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [at-l] 'View Tax' Triggers Revolt in Rural N.H.
> 
> " One big reason the reassessment has alarmed townspeople in Orford and 
> 
> beyond is that housing prices _ and consequently property taxes _ are 
> shooting up 
> in New England because of an influx of vacation-home buyers and 
> retirees 
> willing to pay top dollar for beautiful views. "
> 
> It's a myth that property assessments reflecting increased property 
> values automatically increase tax bills. Assessments are simply a way to 
> distribute the tax burdens according to the value of the various 
> properties in a community. If the citizens of a town or their elected 
> representatives don't increase spending, you can double or triple all 
> assessments and have zero impact on tax bills.
> 
> The people who are impacted by a revaluation are those whose property 
> values have increased more than the average of property values in a 
> community. In most states, most property assessments are based on market 
> value. It's mostly a statistical calculation. In a fair revaluation 
> everything that impacts on value as reflected by the market is considered 
> when a property is assessed. Fairness requires that the value added by 
> views be part of the tax equation. 
> 
> Otherwise people without views would be subsidizing those rich enough 
> to purchase views, or are unfortunate enough to have inherited houses 
> with views. 
> 
> As values change, so does the relative tax burdens of residents of a 
> community. In general the total of taxes paid on all the property in a 
> community is a product of what the community chooses to spend -- not 
> whether overall property values are increasing.
> 
> The exception to this generalization are those states that assess 
> "rich" communities with a state tax that is then distributed to poorer 
> communities in order to better distribute the overall tax burdens of a 
> state. Maine once tried such a state tax, but it was repealled when all the 
> influential rich folks protested having to support those living in poor 
> communities. 
> 
> Weary, a certified Maine tax collector, who served 12 years as an 
> elected assessor. And whose house has a great view that he pays for annually 
> when his property tax bill comes in.
>  
> 
> 
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