Property Tax Increase

[Sluggo]

Ours went up about $200. I figured I'll forget about in the hopes my son becomes a failed hockey player only find out that he's really proficient at hitting a golf ball a long ways. Eventually making the PGA tour and making enough money to pay the back taxes.

If you would only let your wife buy that new house, you could probably skip taxes for a year.

 

[HuntFish4life]

Lets see it on the ballet again and see if get passed in a land slide than watch them scramble to find money. Not sure how they get it back on the ballot, but I bet there would be some o Shit moments if it does. #getridofpropertytax

 

[deactivated]

Here's what happened for those past few years. The State started this 'buy down' thing and sent bulk funds to each town/city for property tax reduction. HOWEVER, each city was clever on making more money from the issue by increasing your home taxable values. In the end each city made MORE money than necessary. My taxes never went down. Yes, the State paid down the amount, but with the constant increases to taxable values my slip each year required increases to what I owed.

Now the State stops the buy-down process and, as home owners, we're stuck with another increase to our taxation. Add another $225 this year to the other $225 the past three years and I'm now paying $700/yr more than I was in 2013.

I also live outside of city limits of Bismarck.

I think what you meant to say was that property values were equalized to what the market is. Housing prices were high and remain that way.

 

[gst]

Small schools are hurt by the State Foundation Aid funding formula. It really takes local control out of the picture. Favors schools with larger student bodies. Local control my ass. But voters can only blame themselves. Local governing bodies do not know how to calculate a budget and how to levy taxes. I bet 75% do not know how to calculate income based on the mill levy system.

I don;t disagree with what you say. My guess is that within 15 years the representatives from the states 5 largest cities will outnumber all the rest combined in Bismarck. A primarily legislative based funding source for rural communities at that time puts those communities at a distinct disadvantage.

To compensate small communities likely will have to increase sales taxes within their cities which will likely drive more purchases to larger communities that will likely receive a disproportionately higher level of funding from the legislature and their representatives. So what will stop these small community businesses from closing their doors at that point impacting these towns even more?

NO ONE answered those questions when the property tax measure was being debated. Provide that answer and I would whole heartedly support ending property taxes.

 

[LBrandt]

Here's my beef with property taxes. Why should I have to pay for services I do not use? I do not have kids, why should I pay for your kids school? 75% of the fricking tax money goes to the damn school! I'd rather see my entire property tax bill go to fix and maintain my township road that I actually use. I had to pay to put a new culvert in the damn thing myself because the fricking township was broke!

You have to help pay for the "FREE" public education.

 

[SDMF]

Had property taxes been eliminated, I don't believe for 1 second that I'd be paying less tax overall. But, here are the 2 positives that to me, outweigh any of the funding kerfuffle.

1. Real and true property ownership. Neither your home nor your land could be confiscated for back-taxes.

2. All current sitting legislators from both the senate and the house, R or D would immediately become accountable. No more of this, "Well, that's the system we have to work with." Or, "That's the way we've always done it." No more 75yr old rules and regs bullshit. I truly believe thats the reason why this failed, neither party wanted to have to work that hard, nor have to answer tough questions regarding tax/funding choices/votes.

I am no fan of property tax as it never allows true ownership of property, but the "pox" of the loss of that "chance" mentioned should fall on those that sponsored the measure and never came up with a means to ensure rural/small communities had viable priority in the allocation of needed funds.

In the discussion during that measure NO ONE ever told us how far down the line a town like Antler ND would have been behind Fargo in prioritization of funding at the legislative level.

The simple truth is Antler could put a 75% sales tax on goods sold there and not receive enough funding to paint the town sign. So do the residents of these small towns and rural communities stand in line begging for the scraps that fall off Fargo, Minot and Bismarck's tables where many do pay increased sales taxes to pay for city improvements?

So, though you've chosen to live in a low population density area you're concerned that you can't afford what it costs to stay there if you don't get $$ from the big cities?

 

[Marbleyes]

Here's my beef with property taxes. Why should I have to pay for services I do not use? I do not have kids, why should I pay for your kids school? 75% of the fricking tax money goes to the damn school! I'd rather see my entire property tax bill go to fix and maintain my township road that I actually use. I had to pay to put a new culvert in the damn thing myself because the fricking township was broke!

Probably for the same reason someone else had to pay for your school back in the day.

 

[Bfishn]

My taxes actually went down about $75, but because of the end of the 12% buy down, I’ll be paying about $275 more than last year. Schools are 44% of my bill. Suprisingly they didn’t increase my house value one penny. This is in Bismarck.

 

[deleted member]

i used to be in the "abolish property taxes" group. i now think i was wrong. just saying...

 

[tikkalover]

Haven't gotten mine yet, but I bet all you guys that don't live in Minot, that our raise will be the biggest in the state.

 

[Sluggo]

Haven't gotten mine yet, but I bet all you guys that don't live in Minot, that our raise will be the biggest in the state.

Well if you guys didn't need aid getting over a 100 year flood every other year....wait, or is that Fargo....or Grand Forks. I can't keep track.

 

[DirtyMike]

If you would only let your wife buy that new house, you could probably skip taxes for a year.

IF that happens, kid numero dos is next. I'm gonna blow up the tracks before the train gets to the bridge.

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I know a guy that can teach him to play golf. Just saying.

He's going to be a lefty. no way around that.

 

[Trip McNeely]

im rural bismarck and mine went up around $350 this year in top of the already ~200 increases the last few years. valuation stayed the same but mill levy went up. i got the bill
in the mail the same day i got my 3 vehicles regration renewel slips and bill for auto insurance. i came to the realization im not doing things properly. living an honest hard working life is for the stupid....where and how do i become an illegal alien as not paying my fair share sounds pretty awesome.
. im to a point where it feels damn near hopeless trying to better myself and family..... i think we are at a straw that broke the camels
back point in nd...... cant believe our polititians are that inept theyd go from a braggadosious surplus to this in 3 years. fkn sickening, listening to them talk about budget short-falls while un-needed pet projects get fast-tracked. we have an illegal alien issue in nd as well, at least in bismarck. wonder how much tax is thrown away or not collected
because of them....... starting to think there may be a swamp in bismarck too that needs draining

 

[Davy Crockett]

Flash back ~This boom is here to stay, What are we going to do with all this money ?

Live and learn.

 

[deactivated]

im rural bismarck and mine went up around $350 this year in top of the already ~200 increases the last few years. valuation stayed the same but mill levy went up. i got the bill
in the mail the same day i got my 3 vehicles regration renewel slips and bill for auto insurance. i came to the realization im not doing things properly. living an honest hard working life is for the stupid....where and how do i become an illegal alien as not paying my fair share sounds pretty awesome.
. im to a point where it feels damn near hopeless trying to better myself and family..... i think we are at a straw that broke the camels
back point in nd...... cant believe our polititians are that inept theyd go from a braggadosious surplus to this in 3 years. fkn sickening, listening to them talk about budget short-falls while un-needed pet projects get fast-tracked. we have an illegal alien issue in nd as well, at least in bismarck. wonder how much tax is thrown away or not collected
because of them....... starting to think there may be a swamp in bismarck too that needs draining

That is nuts. You lost me after you said your valuation stayed the same but mill levy went up. From 2007-2016, ND average taxable valuations have increased steadily. State wide average mill rates have decreased.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Probably for the same reason someone else had to pay for your school back in the day.

Back in the day -- schools were not the fancy buildings we have now. You also didnt have busing. You didnt have all the special programs (i am not talking about special ed) i am talking about programs such as avid. You didnt have all the sports -- our school had a very limited hockey program. The schools are out of control --how can a parent vote no. The ones that vote no are the ones that do not have kids in school. Do we need all of this ? I think the question is should individual parents pay for these special services and sports - my answer is yes. Including avid - my kids didnt get avid because they tested that they were ready. I remember my kid coming home and said yep all the avid kids got a special meal today at lunch. I said remember and vote accordingly. The kids in sports - thats another one - imo if your income reaches a certain level you pay for your kids program from coach, portion of facilities - yup yup and more yup.

My brother lives in spokane - they offer a program in which you send your kid to eastern wa college when they are a junior (the red field school). They cover the tuition and yes each school district saves a ton of money. Why because the college only charges them 8k per year vs. high school costs of 15k a year. BOOOOMMMM!!! Granted I am sure like our state the college is supplemented - however not to the tune of 7k. ND has a cost of 12-13k per year but in West FArgo i bet its higher more like 15k. ND would never consider such a move - why because its a system that just keeps rolling in more dough.

Do i think the schools do a good job - yes ---- changes make more efficient and make the parents pay for some of the extras that have been taken on by schools since the good ole days.

 

[H82bogey]

IF that happens, kid numero dos is next. I'm gonna blow up the tracks before the train gets to the bridge.

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He's going to be a lefty. no way around that.

Perfect, they are easier to teach!! When should we start?

 

[DirtyMike]

I don't use a lot of the things my taxes are are used for. I also don't get worked about about it either. Special assessments however, are BS. A portion of my the street I lived on was replaced this summer. I do not drive on that portion, but my end of the block got hit with the specials. However, I know one day, my part of the block will need road work so it'll even out. The sky is not falling.

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Perfect, they are easier to teach!! When should we start?

So I've been a lefty all my life and now you're saying they're easier to teach?

 

[gst]

So, though you've chosen to live in a low population density area you're concerned that you can't afford what it costs to stay there if you don't get $$ from the big cities?

No. I am concerned that the reality will cause thousands of others besides just myself that are often forced to shop in larger cities paying their self imposed sales taxes becasue our small communities can not afford furniture stores auto body shops ect to pay monies we see no direct benefit to our communities over and that we have a diminished say in how those state collected tax dollars are allocated.

You know that whole "taxation without representation" thingy that started a little something a couple hundred plus years ago.

So can YOU explain to us how small rural communities will be able to effectively self fund for the same level of necessities larger cities do without the scenario I describe happening or lobby effectively thru the state legislature for their share of the allocations that no one else did during that measure debate or are you just looking to start a fight?

Perhaps you can share how townships and counties will fund their operations thru self imposed funding when property taxes are gone. Or will Renville County with their one representative in the House have to compete with Cass County and their multiple legislators at the legislature.

Enlighten us please.

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For the record, I have my own well for water, my own sewer, and the ability to plow my own road to the hiway in the winter. I pay for my utilities thru our local coop. And take care of our own garbage disposal. I have yet to have needed the police at my home and have only required an ambulance once in the 75 years my family has lived here.

So I think I can afford to live where I choose just fine.

And if I charge the county for plowing the 8 miles to town so the blade guy that lives by us can get to the county shop to open the roads during blizzards like we had last year I might even come out ahead.......

 

[H82bogey]

I don't use a lot of the things my taxes are are used for. I also don't get worked about about it either. Special assessments however, are BS. A portion of my the street I lived on was replaced this summer. I do not drive on that portion, but my end of the block got hit with the specials. However, I know one day, my part of the block will need road work so it'll even out. The sky is not falling.

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So I've been a lefty all my life and now you're saying they're easier to teach?

Yup assessments sucks. All I can say is, Thank you north Washington widening project. Next time use lube.

Yeah man, lefty's are easier for golf. When the teacher is a righty, its like looking in a mirror. Makes it easier to show the student as you stand in front of them. Granted, lefty's titty sprinkle the game of golf, but that's another thread.