Caldwell and Nampa Mayors Suggest Higher Assessed Values on
Property
It has been reported to THE GUARDIAN Mayors Nancolas and
Dale have had discussions with the Canyon County Assessor to have property tax
assessments reflect an average of 107% of full market value. Idaho Code calls for all County Assessors to
assess property at 100% of full market value.
Idaho Tax Commission requires all county assessors to submit
statistical data to support they are in compliance with this requirement. There is a provision for some deviation from
the 100% of market value requirement but it must be within 90% to 110% of FULL
MARKET VALUE. Sanctions for
non-compliance are severe and involve the State Tax Commission taking over the
assessment duties, loss of sales tax revenue as well as losing funding for
circuit breaker funds for the elderly.
Currently, Canyon County is at 97% of full market value for
all property in Canyon County. Mayors
Nancolas and Dale have quietly made requests to Canyon County Assessor Gene Kuehn
and his staff to raise the assessments in Caldwell and Nampa by a full 10% to
reflect an average of 107% of full market value for property within their
cities.
Right now, nearly all taxing districts are up against the limit for tax
levies as a percent of property value, hence the attempt to raise the
values. The Canyon Assessor’s staff are
well within the limits set by the Idaho Tax Commission.
Perhaps these two politicos need a class in “Belt Tightening
101.” No word from either of the city
councils about passing resolutions publicly asking the county to increase
property assessments so they can increase tax revenue without increasing the
levies.
Here's a link to the IPT Story in the Suday Edition of the paper http://www.idahopress.com/news/local/nampa-officials-say-they-didn-t-ask-for-property-tax/article_36538cb6-b2b6-11e1-8360-001a4bcf887a.html
Here's a link to the IPT Story in the Suday Edition of the paper http://www.idahopress.com/news/local/nampa-officials-say-they-didn-t-ask-for-property-tax/article_36538cb6-b2b6-11e1-8360-001a4bcf887a.html
I am sure Mr. Kuehn is abiding by the principal that property is valued under IC Title 63-208 at full market value. The statistical reference is to certify that the assessment roll is in compliance which if it is 97% it is well within the determined tolerance. It would be a violation of the Assessors duties and State Law to intentionally make a deviation to arbitrarily change it after the fact which apparently the Mayors' intend to ask him to do.
ReplyDeleteI would think this is a slippery slope that Mr. Kuehn would not want to climb if he would like to keep his job and not spend time defending himself in lawsuits. The Mayors' thinking this is an answer to their self made problems shows their contempt for the law AND the taxpayers and their lack of any character.
I can't believe it, asking the Assessor to break the law to save their bacon.
As a point of clarification I would offer that the acceptable range of values is 90-110% of full market value under Idaho Code. When values exceede 100% and approach the 110% of market value there tends to be a flood of people protesting clear to the State Board of Equalization.
DeleteI found the good people at the Assessor's Office very helpful with questions regarding assessment ratios and how the law works as well as the current average values of 97% of full market values overall.
Their bacon could have been fried if the Assessor would have picked up his phone and called the Attorney Generals office.
DeleteSee what big cowards these politicos are. Had to try to do it the underhanded sneaky deceptive way huh. White, Dale, and Thorne won't even touch this issue publicly. It is an election year next year for them. They would be voted out in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteMany are in agreement with you.
DeleteThat is interesting. When I worked for Canyon County both Dale and Nancolas set proclaimed that the assessor's office need to back off the values....while the two cities were buying property through the urban renewal programs.
ReplyDeleteThey can't change the whole assessment roll now for 2012. The various parts of this are governed by the calendar according to Idaho law. The assessments have been properly posted by the first Monday in June and after allowing four weeks of review for claims for adjustment or exemption be delivered to the Clerk. There is no provision for changing the whole assessment roll now under state law except possibly by the Tax Commission for cause. I shall be forwarding a copy of IC Title 63 Chapter 3 to the respective mayors to place by their porceline thrones for reading when I am sure they will be doing their best thinking.
ReplyDeleteMayor Dale was sure looking sad in the saddle at the Parade America gathering. I was wondering why, now I know. He did not get his way with this bamboozle, and to top it all off his buddy Ferdinand lost the election.
DeleteA reader made a comment that this had to happen before the assessment notices were sent out. Not sure what happened to the comment so here it is.
ReplyDeletepaul
I am very angry at our city officials who are no different that Obama on raining in spending. All they are interested in is taking all of us to the cleaners.
ReplyDeleteOh I am sure there are some things going on in our local governments around here that would make old Nixon jump up out his grave and feel proud of them. They would sure like to see old Mitt-Witt get in there.
DeleteI personally had conversation with assessment personel who confirmed the request of these two mayors for the Assessor to modify/raise values to collect additional tax revenue. The two officials do not have the ethics or honestly to remain as a public servients.
ReplyDeleteMayor Dale also tried to institute a storm water tax disguised as a utility fee. Later dropped and amounts collected and refunded when sued by local property owners. Mayor Dale will go forward trying every avenue possible to pick the pockets of good hardworking Nampa taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on all of this are these two mayors are finally discovering they really can't spend their way to prosperity. It will be interesting to see how all this works out, they have to balance their budgets.
ReplyDeleteI for one will be watching to see if they raid the money on deposit with the Idaho State Treasurer in the LGIP (Local Government Investment Pool). These funds are "rainy day" accounts for water, sewer, cemetary and other enterprise accounts and reflect millions put back for when they are needed for city infrastructure failures and imprvments without going to voters. There was nearly $20 MM the last time I checked on this.
Sewer slush fund? Seems appropriate for both Nancolas and Dale!
ReplyDeleteIt has nothing, absolutely nothing with "spending their way to prosperity," Mr. Aldredge. Have you been to a budget meeting? Do you understand what is going on? I really think you are losing your edge. The fact is, with Obamacare being passed, neither city is going to be able to pay for the benefits that are in place. There are few things that can be done. Raises for city staffers has not happened in several years, technology is expanding and the need for more is not lessening. The fire department has tighten its belt and so has the police department. You are looking at this from a short term standpoint, what about a long term standpoint? There was a reason why I quit looking at this blog and now I remember why.
ReplyDeleteLooks to me that the lucky ones that have a job are going to have to tighen their belts, and do without like the rest of us. The lucky days of the first decade of the 2000's is over.
DeleteAll of you are nothing but a bunch of anonymous internet bullies. My name is ElJay Waite. I am Caldwell's finance director. I am the one who asked the question everyone is blaming Mayor's Dale and Nancolas for. I asked the assessor, "Is there a range of values that is acceptable in assessing property"? The answer was yes and Paul has explained that range very well. My purpose in asking the question was to understand what was happening as I saw assessed values drop to levels that I deeded unacceptable. My home's assessed value is less than what I paid the contractor in 1990 and I did $20,000 in in-kind work. My concern was and still is, how will we pay for police and fire at the service levels the community expects if property tax collections drop below actual costs for these services? Well it happened. Police and fire property tax revenues no longer cover the cost of these services. A federal grant covered fire shortfalls for the next 2 years but after that the city and fire department will be faced with some very hard decisions. Our police chief will cut $500,000 out of the department budget by 2014. All because our homes are valued using short sales and foreclosures as the basis. I disagree with this method and encouraged the assessor to take a more realistic approach as he set values that would determine public safety. I welcome anyone's comments and solutions, just put a name with your comments.
ReplyDeleteMr. Waite, what went on with city and county governments in general was lack of a parsimonious view of managing government spending. People who did nothing but live in their homes they bought decades ago saw valuations and their share of governmental excesses go up and up. Their incomes did not keep pace with the wasteful spending and not making growth pay for itself. You folks in governement expected no end to endless increases in property tax.
DeleteIf the value of my proeperty was predicated on some formula of "full market value" is it not reasonable that short sales and every other form of sale be used to figure my assessed values in a downturn cycle? Now you get to do what we all have had to face over the years with endless increases in taxes and spending and that is learning to live with what you get. Cutbacks are painful for citizens and now government gets to deal with the new reality of what they have for income.
I have seen a 60% drop in my assessed value but the reality is the value means nothing to me until I sell my home, not what the assessor says it is worth. I will continue to live in my home until I can no longer keep after the maintenance and repair OR the property taxes become so burdensome I can no longer underwrite the costs of property taxation, which until recently was more than my mortgage payment. This year my property taxes are still to high but are more realistic.
Here's a suggestion... go to a volunteer fire department if we can't afford the one we have. How much duplication of effort is there with the city and county policing efforts? I read in the Wall Street Journal cities in Oregon are combining building and engineering deparments. Government is full of BLOAT and we expect you to deal with the realities we deal with every day.
I realize there is a price to pay for living in a "free country" but there is a real problem when city and county people make more than most of the people who pay the bills. It is way past time for a "resetting" of government staffing and payrolls so they are more in line with the reality of people not working for the city or county.
It takes no particular talent to run a city government when you can't spend the money fast enough due to all the cash rolling in. but now the tables have turned and it's back to the lean years of the 1970's and 80's.
ElJay Waite again. I see Mr. Anonymous has commented again. You would be suprised and pleased to see how much has already been done to accomplish what you suggest. I agree with you that government needs to be more efficient and be very frugal with tax revenues received. Everything you mentioned I'm working on. That's my job and if you don't like what's happening then get involved and help us. I invite you to come speak with me. 455-4638. I need say nothing more until you come see me and become a part of the solution.
DeleteIt is kind of refreshing to see that the local cities are having to reduce the money appropriated to the police departments. They were just using those funds for research and studies on making political dissent a crime, and keeping the opinion of the masses against the local movers and shakers quiet. Yes, refreshing indeed.
ReplyDelete