2010 property tax

[Guest]

I received my 2010 property tax this afternoon. The increase from last year is 2.12%.

[Guest]

The municipal part is flat and we approved a school budget with a three cent tax rate. So there was an increase expected. Surprisingly for me my taxes stayed flat.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Yes, my assessed went down, perhaps I should have stated that. I was only pointing out that we had approved a school budget increase so I was expecting an increase. We all should have been simply due to that.

[Guest]

[Guest]

At the budget meeting this was discussed.

The town instituted a compliance plan a few years ago. Each year 25% of the town is revalued. The town will be 100% done this year. However, one key comment.

As the town value goes down the rates correspond by going up to make up for the loss. So if the town expenses are 300 for the year and the 2009 property values are 150 then the rate is 2 dollars. However, if the town value drops in 2010 from 150 to 100 then the rate becomes 3 dollars as the expenses are the same. In our case the town has cut expenses and drawn from surplus in order to keep the rate the same. So the municipal portion of the bill should have dropped for homes who have been revalued. You may not notice the gain because municipal is small and the county and school increases will wipe out that loss or stability.

The other issue is the commercial property continues to fall so the burden is also falling more toward the residential.

[Guest]

The other problem is the Township's process for assessing a drop in value is completely non-transparent and doesn't seem to be based in any reality. They lowered my asessment value slightly. But what they lowered it to is token ($20K) versus the fact that there have been two sales in my tiny neighborhood this year, each for almost $200K less than what they lowered it too. And both of those house assessed within a few thousand of mine as well. I just had a bank reappraisal too which also was substantially lower than what the Township says it is worth.

If the Township gets to make up values then not explain their methodology, its not a fair, equitable or valid process.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

Call Steve. He can answer any question anyone has. I just know what was discussed at the budget meeting for the town.

[Guest]

I did call Steve several months ago. Nice guy, but the process is still totally non-transparent. There was no explanation for why the revised rate would still be almost $200,000 above the actual sales in my court, including for the very houses sold. Also, he said we would have to wait almost a year before we could appeal it, even though we never got the chance to participate in the process since it was done automatically by the township.

[Guest]

Maybe a pdf explaining the every 4year assessment should be posted for the public on the townships website. This way black on white for everyone to see. If this is a done deal of some sort, it would make sense to have a document easily accessible.