Posted on 09/02/2007 8:23:44 PM PDT by george76
Levies increase despite decline in home values.
Residential property taxes rose an average of $161 in cities and towns across the state in the past fiscal year, as home assessments hit historic highs despite declining market values.
The average property tax bill for a single-family home hit $3,962, up 4.2 percent from the previous year. Taxes climbed 7 percent or higher in more than 65 communities, according to data from the state Department of Revenue.
Since 2000, property taxes have shot up nearly 50 percent, from $2,679, far outpacing gains in wages, which climbed 30 percent statewide over the same period,
"There's a double whammy going on for homeowners," said Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. "There are increasing residential property taxes on the one hand and cuts in local services on the other."
"Each year, more cities and towns are facing a tighter squeeze. The implication of holding town tax rates is to broaden cuts in programs and services," resulting in layoffs of teachers and other municipal employees, said Widmer.
The assessment and tax averages included about 340 of the state's 351 communities.
More than three-quarters of the state's cities and towns raised their property taxes in fiscal year 2007 to just under the limit allowed by law, according to data from the Department of Revenue.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
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"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Unfortunately, this isn’t just a problem in MA.
Crazy state pensions, democrats, big dig, democrats, corruption/nepotism, democrats.....
Yep, and the sheeple in that state will in all likelihood continue to vote in the Fat Teddys, etc., just like the sheeple in my state (IL) will continue to vote in the Turbin Durbins, Hussein Obamas, etc.
It never ends.
Were it not for our Initiative process (which is constantly under attack), this state would be like Venezuela.
We have the same problem in California, but they passed that prop 13 back in the 70’s it helped for a while but then more people could afford a house so demand went up and so did the price. In short if they want your money they will take it.
>>Both studies found that immigrants used government services at a greater rate than native-born residents did. The New Jersey study found, for instance, that the typical immigrant family received about $4,044 annually in government services, about 11 percent higher than the average native-born family. At the same time, immigrant households paid about 8 percent less in taxes. The net result was that “the average native household generated an annual fiscal surplus of $232” to government, while “the typical foreign household was a net burden of $1,484.” The gap was even wider in California, where immigrant households produced a net deficit of $3,463 each, because so much of that state’s recent immigration had been in the form of low-wage, low-skill workers.
Though the study did not distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, it did break down foreign-born households by the regions of the world from which they had come. In both states, the study found the steepest deficit in Latin American households, which in New Jersey consumed 26 percent more in government expenditures than the average native-born family, but paid 38 percent less in taxes. By contrast, immigrant households in New Jersey that hailed from Europe or Canada actually consumed, on average, less in government services than the typical native-born family, and paid nearly as much in taxes. <<
Northern Virginia is no better. Fairfax County’s property taxes are insane.
My father saw this coming in the early 70’s ... bought a piece of Pearly Mae’s Havasu City ... built and moved in ‘78.
Also happening in many parts of Pennsylvania as well.
I pay almost $4000 a year and what do I get? Not much. A little plowing in the winter and potholes patched after weeks or months.
The last Republican in Massachusetts, please turn out the lights.
Tell me about it. Mine went up 40% last year (and another 5% this year).
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