Posted on 09/06/2006 7:05:08 PM PDT by Vob
More than 80 Mexico Beach homeowners met with Rick Barnett Friday morning. They all had one thing in common.Their assessed home values have skyrocketed and their property tax is through the roof, and the tone seemed to be the same throughout the room.One woman said her mobile home and small piece of property she purchased for $25,000 several years ago was appraised this year for $200,000.Another man says his home went up in assessed value by 400 percent. His property taxes jumped from $2,000 last year to $10,000 this year.The owner of Mexico Beachs Driftwood Inn says the increased property values are making her reconsider her investment.Peggy Wood, owner, said, One of the buildings went from 600,000 to 2 million, 700,000. If I were a business owner I wouldn't come into this area, and as a business I'm considering whether I should stay."
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
What really should happen is that property taxes should be abolished.
The next American Revolution may well be fought over taxes, as was the first one.
The tax on homesteaded property is capped at 3% a year in Florida. The article isn't specific (a poorly written MSM article, imagine that) but the properties in question must be second homes and business properties.
I have property in adjacent Bay County. The problem is not the property appraisers, who are just doing their jobs. It is the county commissioners who set the millage rates. They can set the millage rates to compensate for the high property values. They choose not to do so. And for the most part, these are fairly conservative politcians in this part of Florida. It doesn't seem to matter. They all love the windfall. The only recourse is to throw them out of office and replace them with more conservative commisioners.
I think that the gov't should be obligated to BUY property for the exact amount they appraise it at, at the owner's discretion.
I always kinda liked an idea once proposed by Robert Heinlein.
For tax purposes the value of one's property should be self assessed, ... , with the caveate that one is forced to sell to the first guy who comes along willing to put up the price you put on your property ;O/
That should keep 'em everybody honest...
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