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Details on the fire assessment:
The City received a detailed analysis of the Fire Assessment from Government Services Group (GSG) which will allow a residence to examine its financial impact compared to the traditional property tax millage. Based on information from the tax assessor, there will be 872 non-residential parcels that will be subject to this assessment. A total of 375 properties will pay less money than they currently would if they paid the equivalent 1.3 mills and 497 properties will pay slightly more under the assessment.
Out of the 11,431 residential parcels subject to the $60.00 assessment, 8,829 homes will pay more than they currently do under the property tax and 2,602 residents will pay a little less. What is a little? $100? $900? If you check out Golfview and Lakeside and all of College Park, just about all of these people save.
The Fire Assessment will be charged on all residential, non-residential and mixed use properties. It appears that the City manager will be reducing millage by 1.3 mills and assessing everyone the $60.00. The report is flawed in the simple fact that it does not reflect those properties that fall under $50,000 in value that would not have to pay this millage. Instead, they calculated the millage as if those properties were paying.
Then comes the BULL: It is important to remember that the assessment process is the most equitable way for making sure that our Fire Fighters are rewarded for their service to the community and for their dedication and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice 24 hours a day ....7 days a week.
The Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce will now owe $3,081.39. Combine that with the electric bill they owe! Many of the wealthy will be saving money and the poor or those living in properties of much lesser value, will be making up the difference.
How did our Commissioners fair?
McVoy...will be paying $25.61 more
Maxwell...will be paying $3.90 more
Golden...Will be paying $124.74 less
Mulvehill...will be paying 32.65 more
I will be paying $60.00 more.
Ms. Sharpe should be happy. She will be paying $153.90 less.
So.... I'm sitting here in my tent. I'm minding my own business and am startled a little when I notice the corner...... down low..... what is it? Oh, it just my camel's nose. How cute. He just wants to warm his little nose. Well, I guess that would be alright. After all, it IS cold outside, and "It is important to remember that the assessment process is the most equitable way for making sure that our Fire Fighters are rewarded for their service to the community and for their dedication and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice 24 hours a day ....7 days a week."
ReplyDeleteAnd ... it just an assessment and look, it's only costing me a little more. It'll hardly make any difference at all. After all, the City Manager is a professional and she knows what's best for us all, doesn't she?
The fact that Lynn who lives in a concrete structure pays more and Loretta who lives in a wooden structure pays less and two identical buildings sitting right next to each other pay a whopping $8,000 difference is fair and equitable..... right?
Oh look... isn't that cute? The camel is now sticking his little face under the tent. Well it IS cold outside......
We poorer folks who have been protected by the double homestead exemption (the wealthy have this exemption as well) could not help that our homes went down in value. We didn't do it.
ReplyDeleteWe are perfectly willing to pay for anything that makes sense. Fire Rescue makes sense to me but I have a big problem paying for Union pensions when I as a Senior am struggling and not on a pension. BIG PROBLEM WITH THAT, a problem caused by the city. I am still happy to pay a "fair" share.
Instead of now eliminating the 1.3 mils, they should have kept it intact, charged only us poor folks the amount we would have paid if we were not protected by the homestead and raise the millions that wanted...probably illegal.
But now, it seems, the more valuable homes will get the break and the wealthy will get the break and the poor slob pays through the nose.
This is anything but fair and it sure is not equitable.
Just tax me fairly. Stop using this Republican mantra that the rich should get all of the breaks. Tax on the value of your property.
Susan says, "You can not have a situation where most people pay nothing and only the few wealthy pay all." That is an exaggeration but I understand what she is saying. Just make it fair. You haven't, Susan and Commission.
This city is full of poor and working poor and people trying to hold on to their jobs and provide for their families. This assessment is just the start of more to come.
ReplyDeleteLyn have you ever heard back from a commisisoner on any of your points and concerns?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard the Commission had voted for lowering the miliage rate.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the " $158.00" savings will do much for Mrs. Sharpe's proposed tax rate of "$4056.00.You will be happy to know that her market value went up $19432.00 only down $508000.00 from the good old years.
That's a joke, right? They don't answer my e-mails on non-controversial topics.
ReplyDeleteLynn , small businesses are getting nickel,dimed and $100.00 billed to death. My taxes on the building when I purchased it were under $1000.00 ( which I still have copy's of ) this next year they will be over $6000.00 ( of which $800.00 goes to fire/rescue , why do I have to fund fire/rescue retirement/pension when I don't have any of it myself ) if all the new taxes are applied , during the asset debt boom it got as high as $7800.00 per year.
ReplyDeleteThe tags on all my vehicle's have gone up also, one truck went from $81.00 originally to $380.00+ per yr and I have 8 tags to renewal every year + Insurance, this coming new year I will decommission at least 4 which have not made me any money in about 4 years . Government is not creating jobs they are destroying jobs and having a business today is not an asset , it's a liability.
I will see you at the spaghetti diner on Sunday, it will be fun.