What were your 2005 property taxes?

[JBinKC]

Mine went up 100% year over year to $1700 plus the inconveniences of where I live in supposedly a state with historically cheap property taxes. I am very tempted to take my money off of the table and sell out.

[stngymama]

Originally Posted by JBinKC

Mine went up 100% year over year to $1700 plus the inconveniences of where I live in supposedly a state with historically cheap property taxes. I am very tempted to take my money off of the table and sell out.

I think legislators frequently think raising property taxes is the only [best] way to generate revenue. OTOH, here in California, by law they can only raise it (I think) 1% a year because of Prop 13. The consequence however, is that, among other things, the schoois system (secondary and post secondary) is extremely underfunded.
New homeowners, of course, are getting nailed, too, just because of the etraordinary rise in prop.value.
Can't win

[JBinKC]

Originally Posted by stngymama

I think legislators frequently think raising property taxes is the only [best] way to generate revenue. OTOH, here in California, by law they can only raise it (I think) 1% a year because of Prop 13. The consequence however, is that, among other things, the schoois system (secondary and post secondary) is extremely underfunded.
New homeowners, of course, are getting nailed, too, just because of the etraordinary rise in prop.value.
Can't win

The only problem how many persons here has income from their job that stayed in line with these tax raises. Mine definitely hasn't.

[tomkat]

Originally Posted by lillyb

$630 here in Oklahoma on a 1900 sqft home. We bought two years ago for a bargain, I bet we've doubled the value already. I'm sure they'll reasses soon and it'lll go up.

We pay taxes to state and sales tax. We pay taxes on everything! ugh. Might be why the property tax isn't too terrible.

Same here. The 359.00/annually we pay is on a 1640 sq ft home built in 2002. In Alabama we pay state income tax, and the sales tax in my city is 10% on everything!

[Happily]

Originally Posted by stngymama

I think legislators frequently think raising property taxes is the only [best] way to generate revenue. OTOH, here in California, by law they can only raise it (I think) 1% a year because of Prop 13. The consequence however, is that, among other things, the schoois system (secondary and post secondary) is extremely underfunded.
New homeowners, of course, are getting nailed, too, just because of the etraordinary rise in prop.value.
Can't win

There is absolutely NO reason for schools to be underfunded now with the rise in property values (and thus property taxes) in CA. Where is all this money going?!

[DivaJen]

Originally Posted by Happily

There is absolutely NO reason for schools to be underfunded now with the rise in property values (and thus property taxes) in CA. Where is all this money going?!

I'll be curious to see what happens as more homes sell and new owners are paying those higher taxes.

[SuzeOFan]

Aren't Property taxes usually related to the school district you live in no matter what part of the country?

We pay about $6500/year around here around the Philly burbs. The city on the otherhand has atrocious schools. Probably true for most large cities...

Now if I was retired, I'd want to move to a less school-oriented and taxed area. But I have a lot of retired neighbors who choose to stay put. I'm glad for they are here though, because my neighbors are sweet people and we get together around christmas for a little get together. They, because their grandkids live far away in California, and we because our grandparents live in Florida and Massachusetts....

It's kinda funny actually!

[stngymama]

Originally Posted by SuzeOFan

Aren't Property taxes usually related to the school district you live in no matter what part of the country?.......

I think it's more a function of property value: here, at least, there is no direct relationship between actual prop. taxes and school funding; we do however have a special (voter approved) local tax which goes directly to the schools for specific programs. It's assessed at the same time and on the same form. I don't know how other states do it.

[stngymama]

Originally Posted by Happily

There is absolutely NO reason for schools to be underfunded now with the rise in property values (and thus property taxes) in CA. Where is all this money going?!

Ask Arnold

[Ima saver]

The sad things is that so many kids have to go to private school or be home schooled and we still have to pay so much school tax in our property tax bills.

[JBinKC]

$1650 for my house up 100% YOY for only a 1200 sq ft home, $285 for my land investment and $185 for my cumulative personal property which includes a 1996 sailboat, jon boat, motor, trailer and 1994 Ford Escort wagon excluding licenses.

[abowers]

Taxes are crazy here in NJ -- Glad to be renting for the time being. Taxes are so much, because property value is so high.

[frugalfarmwife]

$1,400 on our 48 acre farm here in Ohio and that jumped with a new school levy, almost 80% of our tax money goes to the schools. Also, almost the entire tax bill is the house/barns, actual Ag land is at a VERY low tax rate. We also have State and sales tax.

kj

[stngymama]

Originally Posted by frugalfarmwife

...almost 80% of our tax money goes to the schools.kj

That's amazing! You mean only 20% goes towards social services, physical maintainance (highways, bridges, airports, etc), "homeland security"/emergency preparededness, environmental and consumer protections, support of state personnel, and so forth? Wow!