. . ."It's not just Alamo Heights and Spring Branch and Highland Park in Dallas. It's every school district," Bettencourt said.
Local governments typically use increased property values to cover inflation "so they can at least stay even, but for school districts, if their values go up, they don't get the benefit of that," Hochberg said. "That benefit accrues to the state. Instead of putting that money into local school district budgets, we send that directly back to tax relief, which means the districts then have to turn around and raise the tax rate, and there goes the savings.
"The governor takes credit for tax relief while pushing the true costs back into the hands of the local school board members, who now have to take the blame for raising taxes just to stay even," Hochberg said.
School funding likely will be a vexing issue in the future.". . .
Get the full chronicle story at: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5363168.html
"Homeowners still waiting for tax relief from Perry"
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Thunder1 wrote:
Well, looks like we need new faces in the Legislature. Just can't trust what they say or do.....
12/9/2007 12:36 AM CST
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GetAClue wrote:
We finally get some kind of property tax reduction, small though it was, then we promptly voted to raise them on ourselves again! No wonder the politicians ignore We The People. They know we blather on about one thing and then turn around and do another. We don't take ourselves seriously, why should they?
A tax revolt? I seriously doubt it. That would require all of us to wake up from our collective stupor and actually do something to change things. I wonder what that would even look like?
12/9/2007 1:00 AM CST
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Charli wrote:
Property appraisals may take care of themselves depending on the economy and how much the increasing number of foreclosures impact the real estate sector in Texas although in Harris County it may take a lawsuit to force HCAD to reduce appraised values in some areas to reflect market value. There is an average 30% devaluation in market prices in some areas in Florida. Imagine the impact on their tax base.
Imagine the impact of similar devaluation on our tax base here and you will understand that Bettencourt is up against himself. The county no more wants to cap appraised values any more than the city or the school districts do because of the reduced tax base, and the reduced tax revenue, that would result.
As for Rick Perry, well, you get what you vote for. And he is number one on the list of reasons why a growing number of Republicans will start voting for Democrats if need be to get rid of Republicans like Rick Perry.
As for the legislature, well, they believe protecting the public interest is protecting the public revenue. If they stopped spending so much revenue, there would be no need to keep increasing the revenue. Simple economics.
Public service at one time was an obligation but then politics took over and now it is more a sense of opportunity than obligation on the part of our elected officials be they local, state, or federal.
The school districts without doubt are the worst. But time and time again citzens fall for the scare tactics and approve more bond issues.
If the average citizen is expected to "live within their means" then government should set an example. It would be nice if the average citizen could tell their employer what to pay them. That is what government in essence tells the average citizen. They forget that we are their employer.
But so do the voters when they go to the polls and vote "straight tickets" without regard to who, or what, they are voting for.
12/9/2007 1:14 AM CST
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TimeForShowdown wrote:
GIVE PERRY AND HUTCH THE BOOT NOW!!!!!
http://www.bordertradealliance.com/
12/9/2007 3:47 AM CST
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john1945 wrote:
perry was a lousy governor, he never did a thing for texas and i'm glad he's heading up the republican party, because he won't do anything there either
12/9/2007 4:12 AM CST
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apmech wrote:
You will all go to your graves waiting for property tax relief from any politician.Once in office they will do nothing but aim their energies at being re-elected. Dan Patrick is no better.
12/9/2007 4:32 AM CST
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Charo wrote:
The appraised values are not the problem. The tax and spend political fiefdoms are.
12/9/2007 5:05 AM CST
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mikabi12751 wrote:
Charo: appraised values are very much the problem. When our taxes increase by 8-10% every year and the real market values go lower, it's a problem. It took 2 realtors an entire year to sell my house in Alief and they couldn't get near what HCAD appraised it for. I was being taxed on never-realized value. And now where is MY tax cut? I don't own the house anymore.
But Charo, you are VERY correct when you say that tax and spend fiefdoms are a problem. It's really a 2-prong problem. And it better stop and stop now. Phony, paultry "tax-cuts" are no relief. Perry thinks he can fool us with his rhetoric but we're not that stupid.
We need a new governor, lt. governor, and we need Fred Hill booted out on his rear.
12/9/2007 5:53 AM CST
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drglass wrote:
The unfortunate thing is property taxes continue to rise but wages decrease or stay the same. Eventually the middle class will be forced from their homes including myself. I can see the writing on the wall and now know what the elderly have been afraid of all these years. I think that what the county should do is that if you sell your house for greater than it was appraised you have to pay all the back taxes that should have been paid because your house was underappraised. I am sure that many of these mansions have sold for more than they have been appraised for.
12/9/2007 6:41 AM CST
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wsharon wrote:
Yes, something does need to be done about the annual increases heaped upon us by the local appraisal districts and the shell game they are playing. Oops, your tax rates went down BUT we jacked up your appraised home value, so pay MORE!
Sometimes it seems that politicans just give the voters "lip service" by telling them whatever buzz words they want to hear just to get elected and then proceed to Austin (or D.C.) with their own personal agendas.. I BELIEVE in voting to make your voice heard, but sometimes I wonder if it is worth the effort.
I think that sky high school taxes are a very real part of the home foreclosure problem, too, along with the fact that subprime loans were given to those that really shouldn't have qualified for a home loan to begin with. Ann Richards fooled us all with the Lottery that was supposed to be the school tax cure all.. It was years before the money was removed from the "General Fund Cash Cow" and actually DEDICATED to education, yet we STILL have higher taxes than before.
I don't have an answer to the high property taxes we pay, but I am glad we don't have a state income tax. Dare I even mention that illegals in our schools are part of the reason for those SKY HIGH school taxes, too?? In my district, they flooded the town in 5 years, caused a bond election for new schools and tests show they perform the worst and THEN drop out.. All with MY tax dollars??
I wish that a state sales tax could fund our schools, so that every one coming thru TX buying a mcburger, fries and coke could help fund our schools. Will that happen? NO, because it makes sense and in the mean time homeowners are being choked to death on high school taxes..
My house has been on the market for 4 months now with nary an offer at all. I don't think it is overpriced, but if the local appraisal district hits me with another increase this NEXT year, I will fight it tooth and nail. Homeowners NEED property tax relief SOON and NOT lip service!
12/9/2007 6:44 AM CST
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redheart wrote:
Legalize gambling. When you go to Louisiana to the casino, all the plates are from Texas. They are sending all the tax dollars there.
12/9/2007 6:48 AM CST
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CrossEyedMary wrote:
I'm looking at my tax bill. Appraised value went up 23%. Taxable value went up 14%. Tax rate went down 18%. Tax bill went up 2%. Just as I expected, appraised value increase wiped out any tax savings. Wasn't that $2,000 tax break that didn't happen supposed to be only a one time event?
Texas MUST put a 3% cap on annual appraisal increases. It simply is unfair to have your appraised value go up 10% annually or 30% in any given three year period. We don't get 10% more police protection every year. Our infrastructure and governmental services don't increase or improve by 10% every year and our schools certainly aren't getting 10% better every year but we pay more each and every year regardless.
This must change. If it doesn't, there will be a flood of baby boomers moving out of this state when they retire. We will not stay here and pay four times as much property tax as our neighbors do in New Mexico, Colorado, Arazona and Louisiana.
12/9/2007 7:10 AM CST
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CrossEyedMary wrote:
When our take home pay increases 3% annually it isn't right that our property taxes increase 10% annually. It must change. When appraised values increase 10% it should be incumbent on government to provide tax rate DECREASES to the point that tax revenue only increases by the rate of inflation and population increase. Even if they did that it wouldn't take into account all the room they have to cut wasteful and redundant spending. We are WAY overtaxed.
12/9/2007 7:17 AM CST
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Caffeinekid wrote:
This scenario panned out EXACTLY as most people that I talked to originally expected it to. Mr. Martin summed it up in his statement:
"I remember the TV ads. (But) we figured appraisal hikes would quickly wipe out any savings from the school tax rate reduction," Martin said. "Instead, taxpayers can now look forward to also paying the $1 increase in cigarette tax and the 1 percent gross margin tax (on businesses). We will end up paying even more in total taxes in the long run."
Anyone with a brain and any sense of basic mathematical finesse saw this coming.
Now, can those of us continue discussing one of the major causes of the problem of funding schools? You know, illegal immigration? If you really want to stop paying ungodly amounts of taxes each year, fix this problem first and foremost. Then work on the China Price.
We can start by throwing clowns such as Perry out of office.
12/9/2007 7:43 AM CST
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arbhouston wrote:
I can't wait for the property tax relief to go into effect. I haven't gotten any yet. My total property tax bill for 2007 (Harris County, MUD, & Cy Fair ISD) was $35.71 more than in 2005. It was down from 2006 by $126.96. This illustrates the problem - with increasing appraisal values my 2008 tax bill will be even more than the 2006. Any supposed tax cut has already been wiped out by appraisal creep.
Plus the franchise tax increase also needs to be added back in. Yes it does get passed down to you. Haven't you noticed that prices have gone up this past year. Take your total revenue spent in 2007 and times by .005 (the tax rate is complex but it is like a value added sales tax between 1/2 and 1%). If your average spending is $50000 then the additional taxes equaled $250 for the year.
Yes we were taken.
12/9/2007 7:46 AM CST
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Wakeup wrote:
CAD valuation board members lead to becoming lawbreakers or criminals! All fair market value of plaintiffs property on tax code; 260.101 is $4,455.oo as of !st. January 2005, an homestead exempt properties should be limited to only a state ten percent annual increase. The levying of a tax on plaintiffs property based or compared, on higher vaulation is an unlawful levy of property values in the area, creates an illegal lien on plaintiff's proprty and is cload on the title. Leading to be a cime set by CAD board members, elected by local official for unlawful valuation for needed higher taxes to be paid by taxpayers(plaintiffs)benefits to TRIZ program plans or corpate walfare, against baby boomer taxpayer areas.
12/9/2007 7:53 AM CST
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Charo wrote:
Caps have to be put in place on the tax side of the equation. On the appraisal side, all, including residential and commercial, sales price information has to be disclosed just like in other states.
Just trying to solve the problem on the appraisal side will not work.
12/9/2007 8:26 AM CST
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Wakeup wrote:
A broken GOP tax system that leads to CAD valuation crimes, with annually unlawful valuation increase and enforcing property owners to loose and sell property. Benefitting home developers by Gov. Rick Perry against property owners.
12/9/2007 8:26 AM CST
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eastsidenative wrote:
Yes, voters in the Galena Park school district got suckered into voting for higher taxes. The term "tax roll back" election is misleading and should be more appropriately called "tax increase" election.
12/9/2007 8:32 AM CST
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Amadeus wrote:
He's a republican and a friend of W and you are surprised. Bigger lies were told an worse consequences that tax lies. The republican lies have killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis and destroyed their country. Thousand of our innocent soldiers have died. Quit complaining about a few dollars and start protesting the real problem.
12/9/2007 8:37 AM CST
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CasualKilroy wrote:
Keep raising taxes and we will keep paying them.
- Sincerely,
85% of America.
12/9/2007 8:49 AM CST
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NICHOL wrote:
Let's pass a law that if a constituent is elected and doesn't DO what they are elected to do, then FIRE THEM. DO NOT give them a pension/retirement program and this may force them all to do what they say to get elected. When you get a job and can't do what you say you can -- they FIRE YOU!
12/9/2007 8:58 AM CST
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CAD1936 wrote:
If you want good drainage, poliece protection,roads, education for our children you are going to have to pay for them somehow. I believe a state income tax should be implemented even though, I , personally would have to probably pay more taxes than I do now. Its worth it to live here. There is no such thing as a free ride nor should there be.
12/9/2007 9:01 AM CST
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penguin12 wrote:
If you are waiting for Rick Perry to care about common people, don't hold your breath. You are waiting in vain. If you are surprised that he doesn't keep his word, you are incredibly naive. He is a politician. This is America, government of the people by the rich, for the rich. If you run a huge corporation, and want carte blanche to rape the populace, congratulations, AND GET IN LINE, you have come to the right place.
12/9/2007 9:30 AM CST
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j2773 wrote:
Republican governor, working with a Republican legislature, and they still can't get this done. I've learned that Republicans will outspend the Democrats nowadays, and are the absolute worst party when it comes to trying to save money on needless taxes.
It's time for third parties to take a prominent role because the two that keep getting elected obviously have no interest in serving us.
thanks for posting this article and link.
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