The two studies by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation of Washington D-C definitively show Oklahoma’s property taxes to be the lowest in the United States.
These pair of national reports shows Oklahoma’s property taxes ranks among the lowest in the nation. One report ranked Oklahoma 47th among the 50 states for both property taxes per capita and as a percentage of income in 2004.
The state's median property tax for owner-occupied housing rates Oklahoma as 45th and 42nd in property taxes as a percentage of median household income was the summation found in the other.
However, when property taxes were calculated as a share of median home value Oklahoma rose 31st position.
TAVARES, FLA
An agricultural tax exemption and cuts the annual property-tax bill for the grove from about $4,200 to $100.
State law allows government property appraisers to deny tax-saving agricultural classifications for properties that cost more than three times their agricultural value.
The greenbelt law presumes such high-priced land won't be used for farming.
For full article: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-ltax0606dec06,0,1087697.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-lake
CONCORD, N.H. –A $2 billion shortfall in the pension fund for state caused by the
New Hampshire Retirement System, which provides retirement benefits for police, firefighters, teachers, and state and municipal employees, is only 67 percent funded. Since it is not funded, the political community (foxes in the hen house?) wants taxpayers to make up the difference.
Medical costs have inflated however, health care subsidies are not guaranteed under union collective bargaining. In New Hampshire, the state also pays 35 percent of the employer contribution for police, firefighters and teachers, so leaving the system for a defined contribution system means losing the state subsidy.
Many other states are switching from pension plans to defined contribution systems to prevent shortfall and gouging the taxpayers pockets.
Left unchecked, high property and state taxes will eventually cripple the state by making New Hampshire too expensive for businesses to operate in, and for homeowners, too expensive to live in.
Tales of woe have no ears with the tax collector. So you lost your job, your car needs an expensive repair, a hurricane hit and the house is in disrepair and you are a real jam …, you’d think the "public big brother" would cut you a brake?
Even if someone is financially stressed and can’t make payment on their property taxes, don’t expect help, understanding or sympathy. For most states, outstanding property tax bills are assessed a fine of 1 percent per month after the date due, plus a 10 percent penalty after 90 days. After that seizing physical property may become inevitably. The town can take personal property after its taxes have gone unpaid for several months."Those who bought homes and land after New Year's Day are supposed to receive bills from the former owners. Many people never do, but that's no excuse to avoid paying taxes on the property" according to Keith Echols, Florida’s Hall County's tax commissioner
Apparently, Regina Canada is out of control in their appetite for spending taxpayers money. On their city web site they advertise a New Skate Plaza - Public Art Project and Immigrant Sculpture Project and other new expensive s t u f f. Meanwhile some personal care homes for seniors are told their taxes are going up more than 150 per cent.
"One of the operators is Maria Parasran, who runs a personal care home for 10 seniors in the city's Wood Meadows neighborhood.
She recently received a letter from the city saying that after the city rezoned areas from residential to commercial, her taxes would be increasing from $7,000 to $18,000.
"My operating costs now will significantly rise and I have no choice but to increase my fees to the residents," she said. "They should not have to worry about their costs going up because they need additional care and that's now a commercial commodity.""
Some small businesses will be forced to close as a result, she said.
November 24, 2006 | 2:51 PM CT CBC News
The Bibb County Commission this summer asked the state to review the assessors office. Concern about the board of assessors, whose members are appointed by county commissioners, was sparked by this year's property revaluation, which generated 18,358 appeals and stalled the completion of a new tax digest.
Tax assessors have taken the position that elected county commissioners, in calling for the entire board's resignation, are playing to public sentiment without thoroughly reviewing the evidence. Though not specific with details, assessors said they have a few years' worth of meeting minutes and tape recordings that contradict claims made in the state report.
Among the charges made by state investigators is that they could not find documentation to support the 2006 values as fair, uniform and proper. Revenue Department field agents warned the board to hold off on the revaluation because it "could not be ready for timely digest submission," the report says.
For complete report go to:
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/16079036.htm
According to The Tax Foundation, it is estimated that average Americans would have to work 123 days to pay annual state, local and federal taxes. On average all Taxes eat up to 42% of our total income and that doesn’t include hidden taxes. Like gas, utilities, property & state taxes, hotel etc.According to the IRS Americans over pay $320,000,000 a year in excess taxes. The reason is they don't understand the tax codes and the many benefits that are available to them.Meanwhile, in New Jersey
The Legislature hopes to act quickly on the property tax proposals. Lawmakers said they hoped to begin drafting legislation based on the recommendations in the next few weeks and vote on them by the end of the year.
The Legislature hopes to act quickly on the property tax proposals. Lawmakers said they hoped to begin drafting legislation based on the recommendations in the next few weeks and vote on them by the end of the year.One closely watched aspect of the proposals was the plan to provide a 20 percent credit to most of the state’s homeowners. In New Jersey, where the average annual property tax bill is about $6,000 — the highest of any state and more than twice the national average — that would mean a savings of about $1,200.
The Legislature hopes to act quickly on the property tax proposals. Lawmakers said they hoped to begin drafting legislation based on the recommendations in the next few weeks and vote on them by the end of the year.One closely watched aspect of the proposals was the plan to provide a 20 percent credit to most of the state’s homeowners. In New Jersey, where the average annual property tax bill is about $6,000 — the highest of any state and more than twice the national average — that would mean a savings of about $1,200.The state would pay for the credit by abolishing current tax rebate programs, which cost about $1.1 billion, and pooling that money with more than $600 million in revenue from half a percentage point of the state’s sales tax.
For complete article go here: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/16/nyregion/16property.html?ref=nyregion Unfortunately, the talk about scaling back the size, depth and cost of government is not even whispered it seems. That is where economic profit incentives because of low overhead give rise to happier, less stressed out living. Living to feed the government octopus is a prison sentence.
Lawmakers promised to find ways to lower what are the highest property taxes in the nation.
They started out in serious mode but now lawmakers have mired by partisanship and political reality.
"You know what we’re doing?" asked Assemblyman Joseph R. Malone III, a Republican from Burlington County. "We’re giving gumdrops to a terminally ill patient, that’s what we’re doing," he said. That statement capsulated the progress and determination directed at the tax reform intent by the lawmakers. (quoted from a NY Times article)
Commonly discussed cost-effective issues are consolidating town government functions, curbing abuses in the state pension system and revising the way schools are financed carry their degree of political freight.
Political damage and heat in changes for benefits for public union employees and school financing conflicts the Democrats. The Democratic Party’s constituencies, including organized labor are quite vocal about cutting their benefits. Local governments are not likely to volunteer to consolidate some of their functions with other governments with other governments.
"I think there’s a stalemate and a frustration on the committees given that everyone in the groups affected by property tax reform doesn’t seem to be cooperating," said David P. Rebovich, managing director of Rider University’s Institute for New Jersey Politics. "The status quo is really asserting itself during these hearings. I think the Legislature overpromised on this entire process." (quoted from a NY Times article)
The governor suggested a 3 percent annual cap on increases in property taxes, which was as high as 7 percent in recent years. Another is to allow municipalities to impose other taxes.
Re-addressing the state's obligation to state unions, the teacher retirement system, reducing school administration costs and the sharing of services like fire and police work by municipalities can produce some significant savings
None of the two candidates running to be the governor of Iowa seems to have a meaningful plan to reduce taxes. Seems they want to appoint commissions to get ideas. That’s like putting the foxes in charge of the hen house. Most politicians are shameless self-promoters. Does anyone seriously think they will cut entitlements or wages? What's their desire to equalize with the private sector such as Sears, Costco, Home Depot employees wages and entitlements? Do they have the chops to dictate to the government service unions?
Schools and community services need money to run. However larger questions looms. Is there a will to run the government economically? Are the government's employee compensation and entitlement issues addressed? Will there be a percentage ceiling on the budget that links it to the rate of inflation? Are there carrot and stick incentives for decreasing over-all taxes?
Imposing fewer taxes on small businesses and homeowners will have an energizing effect on the economy. Increasing the tax burden will stifle economic growth. The choices seems simple. So where is the leadership?
