Property Tax discussion again

[Davey Crockett]

There is a name for it when a government dictates what it thinks is best for the state or nation regardless of what the people vote on. A good example is the medical marijuana program here in ND.
If your not aware , The dictators butchered what we voted on and turned our good intentions useless piece of garbage. There have been some real POS representatives in ND for a long time and they keep getting voted in. Al Carlson was a ring leader and we finally got rid of him but that is just one example.... So many more to go and so little time, Crooked people are usually the hardest to pin down. You guys that vote for or against a representative based on their opinion on just ONE topic need to pull your head out of your ass and take a look around.

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I was once proud to be a republican and rightfully so but times have changed. There is no political party worthy of my praise anymore.

 

[westwolfone]

As long as they call themselves Republicans, North Dakotans will vote 'em in.

Not a lot of independent thinking going on around here.

 

[Davey Crockett]

As long as they call themselves Republicans, North Dakotans will vote 'em in.

Not a lot of independent thinking going on around here.

North Dakotans have been bent over and taking it from behind for a long time but I think some are starting to get a little sore.

 

[Obi-Wan]

The answer is No. Benefits go to those in a "special" class. We have made so many special classes and you are a bigot if you don't think (pick a class) should get special benefits. Here are some: LBGTABC, non-white, old, poor, really poor, single parent, special needs, ADHD, OCD, addicted, in recovery, vets, farmers, aliens, refugees, disabled, seasonal worker, unemployed, homeless, and on and on and on.

shit I strike out on all the listed categories what does that make me ?

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As long as they call themselves Republicans, North Dakotans will vote 'em in.

Not a lot of independent thinking going on around here.

.

If you recall we had the three amegos in DC when Obama was elected and what did that get us ? Joel's brother was sent to DC and again what did that get us ?

 

[Retired Educator]

I'm going to be in the minority and not very popular. I've read some ideas about replacing property tax and using the legacy fund is suspect. The fund is sizable but wouldn't last very long if used totally to replace the property tax. Where would we be back to then? Not to mention that was an initiated measure where the measure specifically said only the interest could be used.

I'm not a lover of tax, I'd prefer to pay no tax. No property tax, no income tax, no sales tax, none. I also realize that s not possible. I'm not in the camp that says I never own my house with property tax. I own my house free and clear as well as some farm land. The property tax doesn't go towards a payment, it's a payment for services. It pays for road maintenance , fire protection, police protection etc. Perhaps it would be better if we all owned some equipment and each of us was in charge of so many miles of road maintenance and each of us hired our own police officer. Hardly practical.

For elderly there is the Homestead Tax Credit where they are allowed to not pay much of their property tax. Go to your county office and ask for the forms. Fill them out and much of your tax bill is removed. Not difficult and open to everyone based on income. If you are wealthy your taxes will remain, if not you will save most of the tax bill. Not true with sales tax.

If you don't like your tax bill, have you ever been to a Tax Equalization Meeting. Schools, cities, and counties all hold them yearly. You have the opportunity to express why your tax bill is unfair. It can't be just that you think it's too high but you can protest that your property value is not fair. Mistakes are made,usually in miscalculation of square footage or maybe in crop acres. I'm betting that none of property owners would be willing to sell the property for what it's been valued. If you think your local politicians are spending too much you also have the opportunity to attend their budget hearings. Also held annually. At those meeting you can express your feeling about where too much is being spent. It doesn't help much to just say "You're spending too much." It's much more useful to have some suggestions of specific areas where cuts could be made. Since I was in the education field as well as a city official for many years I can assure you that those meetings rarely had anybody attend. It's so much easier sit downtown at the coffee shop and complain.

In addition, also based on many years of working in a field where much of the money needed to operate on came from property tax I know first-hand how few people want to use their time to run for a position (school board or city council) to make the decisions necessary to operate a city or school.

Now that I've pissed off most of you that was not the intention. The intention was too suggest if you don't like the way things are going, get involved and do something about the issue. As a, what i considered a wise and knowledgeable man, once told me, "If you're complaining about a problem without suggesting a solution, all you're doing is whining."

 

[eyexer]

Take a look at the ND long tax form and how many different tax credits there are. How many "patronage" jobs are out there for people with political connections? We have too many counties and too many colleges. We have school districts that need to be merged.

last I looked it seemed like half those tax breaks were for the ag community

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Take a look at the ND long tax form and how many different tax credits there are. How many "patronage" jobs are out there for people with political connections? We have too many counties and too many colleges. We have school districts that need to be merged.

last I looked it seemed like half those tax breaks were for the ag community

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This is what happens when one party is in complete control and not even challenged.

the problem with that is when you look at the country democrat politician are be nailed for corruption at probably at 10-1 ratio vs Republicans.

 

[Brian Renville]

RE, I don't see much wrong with anything you posted. I'm in full agreement with your feeling on participation. I have a certain amount of experience with local government and the amount of people that even inquire about meetings or even agenda items is slim to none, most months it's none. That being said the folks that run their mouths on social media and say they are going to do something are 90+% full of crap and the ones that do bring an issue to the agenda rarely show up. It's 100% public knowledge what gets paid in for property tax and pretty much anyone who runs their mouth about streets, sewer, sidewalks, parks, etc has no clue what it takes to fix and maintain any of it. I know what it's like to look at tax(property) income and say "No wonder all our stuff is falling apart, we don't have any taxpayers." Many reasons for this of course and one reason is the elderly, now I feel it's a persons responsibility to do the best they can to provide for themselves financially in retirement but I also feel those of us of working age have a responsibility to our seniors to produce at a high enough level to take care of them as well. Now here on NDA I'm generally speaking to the choir about producing for a living but it's important that our younger generations know they have a duty to their community, the most important part of that is providing for themselves and them some. Some of the things brought up here like building schools aren't as clear as some might make it sound. Williston has been in a constant school battle while at the same time 45 miles away Watford City is has been building new ones to accommodate the population constantly with more on the way. They voted on the bonds then secured the funding when a large chunk of the bond isn't even needed. Why did they get help? They said they wanted it. Williston keeps telling the people that would jump in with funding that they don't want new schools so why would anyone with the tax dollars offer something they keep saying they don't want? A no vote doesn't tell the state that they should pay for something it tells they you don't want something. Expecting the state to read peoples minds with a no vote is something my wife would expect. All that being said maybe their state delegation is doing a horrible job in relaying the info on the no vote but still the people said no so..... Honestly however the biggest reason I've been given for counties and states for not pitching in that I've heard in my experiences is "No one has ever asked." I'm a guy who generally says no reason to tax anyone one penny more and on a federal level that couldn't be more true, also every chance you get to remove a tax it's probably a good idea these days. Be careful however, while most folks here say the areas who produced that tax should have everything they need before they should have to share I bet every one of them would applaud their local delegation for bringing home every penny to the contrary, and ya can't blame them for it either.

 

[eyexer]

I'm going to be in the minority and not very popular. I've read some ideas about replacing property tax and using the legacy fund is suspect. The fund is sizable but wouldn't last very long if used totally to replace the property tax. Where would we be back to then? Not to mention that was an initiated measure where the measure specifically said only the interest could be used.

I'm not a lover of tax, I'd prefer to pay no tax. No property tax, no income tax, no sales tax, none. I also realize that s not possible. I'm not in the camp that says I never own my house with property tax. I own my house free and clear as well as some farm land. The property tax doesn't go towards a payment, it's a payment for services. It pays for road maintenance , fire protection, police protection etc. Perhaps it would be better if we all owned some equipment and each of us was in charge of so many miles of road maintenance and each of us hired our own police officer. Hardly practical.

For elderly there is the Homestead Tax Credit where they are allowed to not pay much of their property tax. Go to your county office and ask for the forms. Fill them out and much of your tax bill is removed. Not difficult and open to everyone based on income. If you are wealthy your taxes will remain, if not you will save most of the tax bill. Not true with sales tax.

If you don't like your tax bill, have you ever been to a Tax Equalization Meeting. Schools, cities, and counties all hold them yearly. You have the opportunity to express why your tax bill is unfair. It can't be just that you think it's too high but you can protest that your property value is not fair. Mistakes are made,usually in miscalculation of square footage or maybe in crop acres. I'm betting that none of property owners would be willing to sell the property for what it's been valued. If you think your local politicians are spending too much you also have the opportunity to attend their budget hearings. Also held annually. At those meeting you can express your feeling about where too much is being spent. It doesn't help much to just say "You're spending too much." It's much more useful to have some suggestions of specific areas where cuts could be made. Since I was in the education field as well as a city official for many years I can assure you that those meetings rarely had anybody attend. It's so much easier sit downtown at the coffee shop and complain.

In addition, also based on many years of working in a field where much of the money needed to operate on came from property tax I know first-hand how few people want to use their time to run for a position (school board or city council) to make the decisions necessary to operate a city or school.

Now that I've pissed off most of you that was not the intention. The intention was too suggest if you don't like the way things are going, get involved and do something about the issue. As a, what i considered a wise and knowledgeable man, once told me, "If you're complaining about a problem without suggesting a solution, all you're doing is whining."

the legacy fund measure read they could only tap interest unless 60% of legislature vote to use principal. Nobody is proposing to use only the legacy fund. There will have to be a broad approach. Using some legacy funds, raising sales tax, etc. little here little there and you can easily replace property tax money. If the voters insist on keeping property taxes then we need to charge every home owner the same amount per square foot on their homes. Fair is fair. If you hand a 1500 sq ft home in Tim buck fuck and a 1500 sq ft home in Fargo they should pay the same. Valuation shouldn’t be a part of it. Then make farmers pay on their homesteads too. Fair is fair. If you insist on valuations then all farm land around Williston needs to be taxed at a value of $12,000 an acre since that’s what the city of Williston paid for the pasture land they bought for the new airport.

 

[Davey Crockett]

a 1500 sq ft home in Tim buck fuck and a 1500 sq ft home in Fargo they should pay the same.

Why should someone out in the boondocks who maintains their own sewer/water and infrastructure pay the same property tax as someone in Fargo ? Kinda like the local fella here who tried to sell me a $ 50 building permit for $ 250 for a cold storage shed.


when you look at the country democrat politician are be nailed for corruption at probably at 10-1 ratio vs Republicans.

Dems have the most but only lead by a small margin..


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...al_officials_convicted_of_corruption_offenses

 

[BrokenBackJack]

No way farmers should be exempt of their homestead taxes.
Either everyone should be exempt or no one should be exempt.

 

[SDMF]

I'm not in the camp that says I never own my house with property tax. I own my house free and clear as well as some farm land.

If you believe that stop paying the taxes and see how long it takes until you no longer own it.

Or, less politely, you're a fuggin idiot if you believe you own it but still have to pay taxes on it.

 

[Davey Crockett]

that was worthy of two thumbs up but the limit is one per post.

 

[Kentucky Windage]

No way farmers should be exempt of their homestead taxes.
Either everyone should be exempt or no one should be exempt.

This isn’t entirely accurate. I’m not sure about other counties, but that has been done away with in my county.

 

[Davey Crockett]

I thought the homestead tax credit was state wide ? I get pissed every time I see jobs created to do over engineered projects . The house I grew up in is still on the farm and hasn't been lived in for about 20 years and not even close to livable condition. I requested a tax reduction since it is abandon and my taxes went down but I have to request this every year and send in paper work. I keep on them to come up with a solution to somehow just eliminate the paperwork for everybody and condemn the house or what ever they need to do but you can't tell them how to run their business.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

This isn’t entirely accurate. I’m not sure about other counties, but that has been done away with in my county.

Not in Wells County.

 

[Sluggo]

shit I strike out on all the listed categories what does that make me?

Me too, it makes us tax PAYERS.

 

[eyexer]

Not in Wells County.

I think what your talking about are farmers primary residence in town.

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Why should someone out in the boondocks who maintains their own sewer/water and infrastructure pay the same property tax as someone in Fargo ? Kinda like the local fella here who tried to sell me a $ 50 building permit for $ 250 for a cold storage shed.


when you look at the country democrat politician are be nailed for corruption at probably at 10-1 ratio vs Republicans.

Dems have the most but only lead by a small margin..


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...al_officials_convicted_of_corruption_offenses

Because those in Fargo pay for their sewer and water also. And where you live is your decision. And you shouldn’t get a reduction in your property taxes because of where you live when you have the same size home as someone somewhere else.

 

[sl1000794]

Why should someone out in the boondocks who maintains their own sewer/water and infrastructure pay the same property tax as someone in Fargo ? Kinda like the local fella here who tried to sell me a $ 50 building permit for $ 250 for a cold storage shed.

Davey, I think most towns/cities have a combined water/sewer bill (they assume 99% of water usage goes into the sewer) so property taxes do not cover that. At least that's the way it has been where I have paid taxes.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Not sure if we are on the same page, First off the farm residence tax break is for the rich farmers , Us little guys have to work off the farm to make a decent living and if you work off the farm you make more income off the job that the farm and it disqualifies you for the tax break. The homestead credit is good for those that qualify for it but the way it's set up now there's no way we will qualify unless I divorce my wife and we just shack up.

Now onto taxes based on square footage , In town they plant your trees, Move snow so you can get to work in the morning , Provide parks , ball diamonds ,Soccer fields, water parks , provide and maintain walking trails and the list goes on.


Here I am on a 120 year old farm living in a 60 year old house and I am on the hook to provide all the things that a city provides for you so you will have a big job on your hands to convince me that I should pay the same taxes per Sq Ft as you do in town, You chose to live there pay your own damn taxes cuz I don't want to pay them either. lol

One thing I hope you never see is that farmers pasture land valued and taxed at the airport rate unless the city is in dire need to purchase it . That very thing happened right under your nose where retired people had to sell their property because they couldn't afford the taxes in Williston. I am pretty sure you cant just raise the value on farmland and force them off . Anyway, I'm not bitchen about my taxes, but I don't want to pay the same as the boys do in Fargo or what you must pay in Williston or I'd have to sell out , Force out just like the old people in Williston.

 

[Davey Crockett]

''And you shouldn’t get a reduction in your property taxes because of where you live"



It's not like I'm getting a reduction in my property taxes, More like you have an increase in yours because where you live is your choice. Your trying to drag us small town and farm dwellers into your big city tax base based on our square footage . It ain't gonna fly.