The Journal Gazette has an editorial this morning on the property tax “crisis.” The paper accurately points out that the State government created the property tax situation, such as it is. I think this can’t be pointed out often enough given Gov. Daniels’ and other state officials insistence on blaming local government at every opportunity.
Lawmakers are reacting – some might say overreacting – to 2007 property tax bills, many of which were much higher than property owners expected. Some of the most egregiously high bills were in Marion County, where the media reaching the most Hoosiers are concentrated and where residents have close access to the doors of the Statehouse. In some other counties, including Allen, increases were lower, and rebate checks covered much of the increases.
The editorial concludes:
Consider:
• Months after the property tax “revolt,†homeowners began receiving rebate checks, often for hundreds of dollars, taking some sting out of the 2007 bite.
• Lawmakers had already approved $250 million in property tax relief for 2008, money coming from slot machines at the state’s two horse tracks.
• While lawmakers are giving lots of attention to “circuit breakers†that cap an individual homeowner’s property tax bill, another version already in state law was set to take effect this year.
• The state has ordered reassessments for Marion County and other problem counties.
• The big jump caused by trending in 2007 was the first time property values had been updated in six years. The 2008 bills will show only a one-year increase.
Legislators may complain long and hard about high property taxes, but it was the legislature that is largely responsible for the 2007 spike. Lawmakers should be cautious not to create even greater problems with their actions this year.
Anybody here receive a rebate check?
I did.
Lake County rebate checks for 2006 payable 2007 may not be issued before November.
Right before the election, no doubt.
Man, do we have a f-ed up system or what?
Buzzcut,
We’ll receive our rebates just in time to pay our 2007 due 2008 bills in December.
You know they’re gonna screw around again and not get our bills out on time.
And we can thank a Lake County resident for starting this whole mess!
And we can thank a Lake County resident for starting this whole mess!
I have no problem with the new assessment process. Using market rates for assessments is much more fair than the old system.
But why should it take so long to get the bills and rebates out? Other counties have done it in a fraction of the time that Lake County did.
The issue is competance. Lake County Democrats are incompetant.
Did some research – they are expecting Marion County to issue rebates in either April, or after May depending upon what source you go with.
Using market rates for assessments is much more fair than the old system.
Market value isn’t intrinsically more fair than the old tax value system, nor did the Supreme Court say that. It was the lack of standards that made the old system unconstitutional.
My last “market value” assessment was 25% above what an identical house down the block sold for last summer–before the mortgage meltdown. And not only is market value as subjective as any other system, it’s the one most likely to drive the elderly from their homes.
Good point, Dog.
What if we just based it off what we each PAID for our homes? That way the market value is fact (at least at the time we bought it), and old people don’t get screwed?
We got ours in Allen County late last year.
My Mother who lives in Tippecanoe county received hers a few weeks ago. I live in White county and I am still waiting but imagine it will be sent to my mortgage company.
DR, if that’s the case, you need to appeal your assessment.
I think using “depreciation” in the assessment process is totally bogus and incredibly unfair. The old system was such that any house over 50 years old essentially paid no property tax whatsoever, because it was fully depreciated.
The market system is much fairer in that regard. Yes, there will be distortions because of changes in the market, but that’s what the appeals process is for.
In the old system, there was no appealing your neighbors assessment, the one whose house was 50 years old and fully depreciated, despite the fact that it might actually be worth more than your house.
What if we just based it off what we each PAID for our homes? That way the market value is fact (at least at the time we bought it), and old people don’t get screwed?
That is a perfectly awful idea. California does their property taxes that way, and anyone buying a new home gets absolutely screwed on taxes. Geezers who have owned their homes since Prop 13 was enacted essentially pay nothing.
Why should seniors be immune to rising property taxes? They’re just as guilty as anyone for those taxes. Somebody voted these tax happy bastards into office!
And don’t give me any bogus “fixed income” nonsense. Seniors on Socialist Insecurity get COLAs. I didn’t get a raise in ’02 or ’03. Thank god for falling interest rates and refinancing over those years, or I would have been hard up over those years.
The simplest solution, use the system and its’ rules and regulations, to sink the system. It is our right to question any taxes placed upon us, and appeal if we feel the answers are not as they should be. It is clear in state and federal laws,this right is a given, and is stressed in these laws. It is this very right our country was founded upon. As the adult versions of the playground bully, politicians have warped the process, with intimidation, condemnation of those who protest, increasing the taxes on those brave few who do ask questions, auditing those who protest too much,creating fear of the process of government itself. Instead of these few being made examples of, thereby stopping any true appeals, what if EVERY citizen, of EVERY county, were to exercise their right to appeal, to the fullest extent, at the first instance ,when the new assessments are released. It is not a protest, it is not an illegal act, it is each and every citizen,taking advantage of their legal rights under state tax laws, exercising those rights to the full extent they are allowed by law. Thereby forcing those in the system to address these citizens, as PUBLIC SERVANTS, to the full extent each citizen is entitled to, under these laws, as written in their job descriptions. We want answers, they have to give them to us. They manipulate to be sure few use these rights, we as taxpayers show all involved that the few cannot rule the many, overlooking common sense, decency, civility, and the laws themselves. By filing form 130,(downloadable online),with the county assessor,within 45 days, the timeclock is punched for each taxpayer filing, they cannot then deny any knowledge, put it off indefinitely, pawn if off to the township assessors. There are set timelines, they are on the clock to deal with each and every person in a set manner. The volume would bury the system. For good, forcing a fix, an apology, and knowing then what those being bullied can do when having enough of it all ,to the system itself,with all acting as one,them giving assurance to all involved that the reasonable solutions they then enact, will remain in place for good. So simple,just getting all to see the beauty and ease of the solution, and enacting it in enough numbers to make it work. Other additional informational requests, if needed, can be implemented, in person at all government windows, on the phone, to all government phone lines, with request for numerous forms of information, those requests to be in writing, sent to each asking’s home address. All payments can be made at each office, using dollar bills, coins, the proverbial old lady with the change purse, times 20000, at each place of payment. As in the movie Network, we are mad as hell, and we are not going to take it any more. Time to take the playground back for all. If each of us files just one paper, one time, it will be fixed properly, for good. Symbolic gestures are games, actually use papers that will get results.