You can see just how close nearly every taxing entity is to the maximum taxes they can extract from taxpayers. Next year will be budget crunch time. The numbers above are multiplied against the total assessed values of property withing the boundaries of each entity. If assessed values go up this year then look for your taxes to go up as well. Right now, the tax cap prevents the annual 3% increase. The biggest tax all but ignored is government spending at all levels despite economic conditions.
Canyon County Assessor is in the process of trying to assign values to all taxable property in Canyon County. We typically get these new notices in the mail after the May election cycle.
Now lets watch our pandering legislatures raise the levy caps.
ReplyDeleteIt won't take a legislative act to raise property taxes. The "cap" has taxing agencies under the gun for now. I had a conversation with several people in the County Assessor's Office last week and it looks like property values will be increasing. Increased assessed value will allow taxing agencies to raise taxes by as much as 3% or back to the max. allowed by the "cap" multiplier in the tables above.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, there will be a series of override elections for school districts. The Caldwell School District override election will increase your taxes by $255 per $100K of net taxable value.
Seems to me the idea that property values have increased in Canyon County from 1-1-11 to 1-1-12 is delusional. I have been trying to dispose of several properties during this period and pricing NOW is substantially worse than a year ago. Looks like the BORED of Commissioners will be hearing an awful lot of protests in June if your assessor buddies hold to their comments. The budgeting personalities for the capped districts should be in for some really disgusting surprises which will certainly warm my cold heart a bit.
ReplyDeleteBeing an unfortunate owner of commercial property in Caldwell, and trying to get any kind of return on my investment, and not being able to keep the property rented or leased, let alone sell, when the assessor tells me my property has increased in value, it will be a lie. Being a commercial/industrial property owner in a high tax town like Caldwell is a liability, not an asset! The 50% exemption for home owners has placed the tax burden on anyone who has commercial/industrial property. My property tax on this building has gone from $4,000.00 in 2005 to $8,500.00 in 2011. The assessor is trying to goose up the valuations so the bloated spending by Nancolas, Blacker and the rest of them can continue. These guys need to pull their head out and get a breath of fresh air! The people who have invested in Caldwell are being screwed, paying for new graders,trucks, and all the other crap these dud's running the city, love to spend taxpayer money on. A high tax town like Caldwell will not attract new investments. If you think your property is valued to high or unfairly, protest to the commissioners!
ReplyDeleteThis is what is called trickle-up economics. They pick the pockets of the middle class, to support the greed and self serving interests of the elected officials, and other officials lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteNO NO NO to the thumb um guy above. They don't need to pull their heads out. If they leave them in they may STRANGLE. Maybe their is a god.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Caldwells' (and Nampas' for that matter) high and unjustified commercial property tax rates. Do you think appealing to the commissioners will have any effect? They are the hogs that are feeding at the trough themselves. They aren't going to cut their own throat.
ReplyDeleteIn 2008, the total number of property tax challenges to the BOE (board of equalization) were still a VERY small fraction of the total number of taxpayers here in Canyon County.
ReplyDeleteThe fact remains that the taxpayer must be prepared to challenge the valuation with market price comparison, based on sales of similar properties.
This fact makes it difficult for the average Jane or Joe to accomplish.
Historically, the majority of challenges were dealt with by oral negotiations which smoothed just enough "ruffled feathers" to reach a settlement.
Contrary to comment above, the assessor is prohibited from making arbitrary increases without sales numbers to support the increases.
I encourage everyone who feels that an increase in assessment is not warranted, to request a hearing before the BOE. The instructions on how to do so is written on the back of our assessment notices.
Unfortunately, a vast majority of taxpayers simply do not question why their house payment goes up each year (due to taxes). Trying to get answers from one's mortgage company on ANY problem is mission impossible these days. Most simply give up and pay the tax increase.
I do not anticipate any real ground-swell of taxpayer revolt anytime soon.
Most people do not have a clear understanding of what the County Assessor is charged by statute to do in every Idaho county. They simply try to establish a fair market value for all property and that is pretty much it. Appraisals are an inexact science at best. The question most people have to answer for themselves is would they consider buying or selling their property for the amount the County Assessor has on the property.
ReplyDeleteToday, the market is very volatile and can cause a lot of angst for homeowners when they see property values too high.
The biggest worry we should all have is wasteful spending of scarce tax dollars by our elected officials. I would include Urban Renewal spending in this category as well.
You know, there are many ways for the taxpayer to revolt, the first and easiest way is the ballot box, another way, for those with the means, is to publicly litigate the abuses of some of these officials. The taxpayers can also form steering committees to explore ways on how officials can be recalled. The people have many tools in the tool box, we just need to use them.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to me the sheer numbers of people who complain but will not make the effort to exercise their rights to vote. Much blood, treasure have been spent to safeguard this constitutional right.
ReplyDeleteThe other amazing thing is how worked up people get over Congressional and Presidential races v. the huge amount of control they have in local elections but simply will not become engaged in the process. I have missed a few opportunities to vote but certainly less than the number of fingers on one hand in the last 45 years.