Tax Time.

[ADP]

Let me be perfectly clear on this point(s).   You want water.  You would like the county to pay for that?  You want a federal inspection for water but not for schools.  You are pissy because Howard spent their tax dollars to improve neighborhoods but there is only one. Did you want subdivisions also?  How about a freeway? But you want the county to pay for this other places?  You said that the road conditions were not improved?  All this and you want lower taxes.  Really.  I don't get it.  How do you offer anything in way of new services without something else giving?    How can you expect services with out payment for them?

Two things.   Are you sure that your evaluation from last year was accurate?  What about two years ago?  If you weren't paying jack for personal property, real estate, or farm ground then and it jumped are you sure it was correct in the first place?  

You don't want any industry.  That would bring people.  You don't want people because that will bring crime.  You don't want crime because that will cost you money, property, or injury.  But yet you are not willing to pay for the services that you feel you  are entitled.  

[Varmit]

 USD 282 OTHER rose the most.  The other rises were Howard City,  Grace Lawn Cem., and Watershed 47.-Wilma

You say that, but yet...

What improvements in Howard?  Where?  I am not seeing any around here.

Thats my point.

ADP, let ME be perfectly clear.  Yes, I want water, CLEAN water that can pass inspection.  Yes, I want decent road conditions.  You know, the things that the county already collects taxes for, but has yet to provide.
It is not that I want lower taxes (but that would be nice) but now I have to pay HIGHER taxes for services that weren't delivered in the first place.  What the hell?? Did someone at the courthouse say "The water sucks, the roads suck, how can we fix this...hey I know, lets raise taxes!! Even though the majority of citizens don't have a lot of money, many of which are doing all they can just to get by, and we have 11% unemployment...that would be a great idea!"

Oh, and as far a being entitled, You're damn right I am.  I have paid my taxes and held up my end of the bargin. They have not.

[jerry wagner]

USD 282 OTHER rose the most.  The other rises were Howard City,  Grace Lawn Cem., and Watershed 47.-Wilma

You say that, but yet...

What improvements in Howard?  Where?  I am not seeing any around here.

Thats my point.

ADP, let ME be perfectly clear.  Yes, I want water, CLEAN water that can pass inspection.  Yes, I want decent road conditions.  You know, the things that the county already collects taxes for, but has yet to provide.
It is not that I want lower taxes (but that would be nice) but now I have to pay HIGHER taxes for services that weren't delivered in the first place.  What the hell?? Did someone at the courthouse say "The water sucks, the roads suck, how can we fix this...hey I know, lets raise taxes!! Even though the majority of citizens don't have a lot of money, many of which are doing all they can just to get by, and we have 11% unemployment...that would be a great idea!"

Oh, and as far a being entitled, You're damn right I am.  I have paid my taxes and held up my end of the bargin. They have not.

I am pretty sure the USD Other is the LOB portion of the budget.  It was necessary to raise it to the maximum levy to be able to maintain school services at the level they were with the reduction in student population.  On the subject of the county taxes, have you reviewed the county budget? 

[ADP]

West Elk maxed out the LOB and what do you know your taxes went up.   I bet they stay up as long as the LOB is maxed out.  Why do you think I have been trying to get the anti-school faction to listen about passing the bond issue.  If you don't lower the LOB your taxes will stay high forever.  It is never been to me about closing one school or both.  It has been about saving money to lower taxes and keep students educated. 

Because one person posting on a forum has not seen any improvements in Howard then therefore there has not been any.  Blighted properties with critters, pests, rodents and pigeons are removed from the community and this is not a positive thing.   

Elk county does not provide water.  They don't build water treatment plants.  They don't tax you on water lines that are not even built yet.  They don't have the skill level or the financing to handle such tasks.  We don't have a budget for water.  We do have a water district or two in the county.  We are trying to get financing for RWD 2. We are trying to build good sound water lines in the north half of the county.  We have presented this to members of the state water board and USDA for funding.  One agency says we are too poor to afford to pay the bill once the water system is built.  The other says we are too rich for it to fund it.  I really don't think this will have an impact on your tax burden.  Ever.  Your wallet will suffer.  New water comes at a hefty price.  About $8 a thousand gallons.

[ADP]

On the subject of the county taxes, have you reviewed the county budget? 

  Some one might have to attend the budget hearing before you could review the county budget.  I really don't think there was anyone there.  Commish or two.....

[Varmit]

Because one person posting on a forum has not seen any improvements in Howard then therefore there has not been any.  Blighted properties with critters, pests, rodents and pigeons are removed from the community and this is not a positive thing.   

First of all, I don't live in Howard, I live in Grenola, don't get to howard much.  Secondly, if the county is paying to fix up howard, great, so long as other towns in the county are included in that clean up.  Haven't seen any around here.

[jerry wagner]

Because one person posting on a forum has not seen any improvements in Howard then therefore there has not been any.  Blighted properties with critters, pests, rodents and pigeons are removed from the community and this is not a positive thing.   

First of all, I don't live in Howard, I live in Grenola, don't get to howard much.  Secondly, if the county is paying to fix up howard, great, so long as other towns in the county are included in that clean up.  Haven't seen any around here.

As I stated previously, the county was not the one paying to clean up Howard, the property owners within the city limits were, through their property taxes.

[Varmit]

Okay, my mistake.

[ADP]

I don't think the county pays for any thing in any towns except half the maintenance on the county roads that also are shared by the cities.  I think the county paved/overlay-ed/chip and sealed the blacktops from the cities to the cemeteries through towns.  The county does not even pay taxes on the land it has inside the city limits.  Which is kind of funny.  You can charge a county  for services like water and sewer paid to the city.  But the land that the lies inside the city limits are not subject to county tax so there fore are not taxed by the city either.   The city on the other hand charges for services to owners of property in the city which is also in the county but doesn't pay tax on the city property to the county.  Entities are freeloaders. 

If you get rid of the less than beautiful property near you then you raise your property value.  My living near a toxic waste dump would deteriorate the value of my property thus lowering my taxes.  If you remove blighted homes from surrounding neighborhoods your property value goes up thus raising your taxable burden.  The same is true for the entire county every time a sale of a property occurs it changes the property value of similar properties.  As the market changes statewide the valuations change.  That is why your property is worth a different value on the tax roles every year.  It is base on comparables from across the state and the county has no power to change the values.  Locally the county can not increase or decrease the land values based on budgets needs.  You have the control the appraiser has to prove what properties yours is comped to get fair market value. 

[Sarah]

I don't think the county pays for any thing in any towns except half the maintenance on the county roads that also are shared by the cities.  I think the county paved/overlay-ed/chip and sealed the blacktops from the cities to the cemeteries through towns.  The county does not even pay taxes on the land it has inside the city limits.  Which is kind of funny.  You can charge a county  for services like water and sewer paid to the city.  But the land that the lies inside the city limits are not subject to county tax so there fore are not taxed by the city either.   The city on the other hand charges for services to owners of property in the city which is also in the county but doesn't pay tax on the city property to the county.  Entities are freeloaders. 

If you get rid of the less than beautiful property near you then you raise your property value.  My living near a toxic waste dump would deteriorate the value of my property thus lowering my taxes.  If you remove blighted homes from surrounding neighborhoods your property value goes up thus raising your taxable burden.  The same is true for the entire county every time a sale of a property occurs it changes the property value of similar properties.  As the market changes statewide the valuations change.  That is why your property is worth a different value on the tax roles every year.  It is base on comparables from across the state and the county has no power to change the values.  Locally the county can not increase or decrease the land values based on budgets needs.  You have the control the appraiser has to prove what properties yours is comped to get fair market value. 

Which is interesting since the housing market is the lowest it's been and houses are worth half what they were.  So in that respect, property tax should be going down, yes?