Property Tax BS!

[JohnnyD]

It is interesting to me that a thread about Property Tax is 20 posts deep and not a single mention of Prop 2 1/2. Towns can't just arbitrarily increase taxes more than 2.5% without requesting an override.

One thing that Bigfish leaves out is if he's paying more money while his assessed value has actually gone down.

As an aside, I've always found the Assessor position being appointed by the town BS. Terrible conflict of interest.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

It is interesting to me that a thread about Property Tax is 20 posts deep and not a single mention of Prop 2 1/2. Towns can't just arbitrarily increase taxes more than 2.5% without requesting an override.

One thing that Bigfish leaves out is if he's paying more money while his assessed value has actually gone down.

As an aside, I've always found the Assessor position being appointed by the town BS. Terrible conflict of interest.

Johnny or Bill, any idea whats up with Mansfield this year? My quarterly bill was up a lot.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Johnny or Bill, any idea whats up with Mansfield this year? My quarterly bill was up a lot.

Jim, swing by this page and see how your value and bill relate to previous assessments.

Town of Mansfield, MA - Property Search

Also, "Mansfield —

After much back and forth discussion, selectman approved a new tax rate Wednesday for the 2011 fiscal year.

Sticking with the split tax rate, the new residential rate will be $14.32 per $1,000 of valuation compared to last year’s $13.33 per $1,000. This means an approximate increase of $120 for the average taxpayer based on median home values."
http://www.wickedlocal.com/mansfield...eld-businesses

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

Jim, swing by this page and see how your value and bill relate to previous assessments.

Town of Mansfield, MA - Property Search

Also, "Mansfield —

After much back and forth discussion, selectman approved a new tax rate Wednesday for the 2011 fiscal year.

Sticking with the split tax rate, the new residential rate will be $14.32 per $1,000 of valuation compared to last year’s $13.33 per $1,000. This means an approximate increase of $120 for the average taxpayer based on median home values."
Higher tax hike for Mansfield businesses - Mansfield, MA - Mansfield News

Thanks Johnny. Up a buck per thousand!
Salty - so the town raised my tax rate. My property value has nothing to do with it. They need more money, they raised the rate. To Fishbones point, property values dont "really" matter. If they need 20 million to run a town and 5 people live there, they have to divide it somehow and so property value is the divider. Its not what determines the money needed. It is misleading. Its not a tax on the worth of my property.

back to my Mansfield gripe - we add a mall raking in tons of $$$ and my taxes go up! Crazy.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Thanks Johnny. Up a buck per thousand!

...

back to my Mansfield gripe - we add a mall raking in tons of $$$ and my taxes go up! Crazy.

No problem.

They add a mall that will provide "over $1M in extra revenue the first year and even more after that." What the town left out is that they were adding $600k - 800k worth of expenses in police/fire resources and the added public works demand. Mansfield Crossing is definitely convenient, I'm there at least once a week. However, exactly what I said 4 years ago would happened has occurred. They advertised to the residents the increased revenue and no one questioned the added costs.

Don't forget the expanded development of Clemmey's lot where the Home Depot and Shaws is. That area is relatively new development.

Between Great Woods, the industrial park, development by Clemmey and the massive influx of residents, Mansfield has always had money to burn. Now with reduced value of the industrial park, few concerts at Great Woods and no new construction, they don't have the money any more.

With all the retail and food services growth, it's only a matter of time before the town institutes a .75% local tax like Plainville has.

[UserRemoved1]

No that's right they don't set rates on prop values they set rates to eliminate budget shortfalls.

I'm still waiting to hear from Bigfish.

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Thanks Johnny. Up a buck per thousand!
Salty - so the town raised my tax rate. My property value has nothing to do with it. They need more money, they raised the rate. To Fishbones point, property values dont "really" matter. If they need 20 million to run a town and 5 people live there, they have to divide it somehow and so property value is the divider. Its not what determines the money needed. It is misleading. Its not a tax on the worth of my property.

back to my Mansfield gripe - we add a mall raking in tons of $$$ and my taxes go up! Crazy.

[Backbeach Jake]

Here's a hard and fast, carved in stone, unbreakable rule for you:
Taxes Never,Ever Go Down!! We are servants of the State, we serve the master, the master will not be denied and the master does not sacrifice. Period.

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Johnny or Bill, any idea whats up with Mansfield this year? My quarterly bill was up a lot.

I am appealing

[UserRemoved1]

Bill come back later and tell us how you did pse. Be interested to see what you saved for the time invested.

Originally Posted by striperman36

I am appealing

[nightfighter]

Comp rates around north shore.


How Does Marblehead's Tax Rate Compare Across North Shore? - Marblehead, MA Patch

[fishbones]

Salty, I'm a little confused here. You say that the property assessed rate is based on comparable MLS sales in the area. Then you say that the tax rate is adjusted so that the town budget can be met each year. Then you say that they can't just arbitrarily increase taxes to meet their budget targets.

Houses in my neighborhood have sold for 20 to 40% less over the last 3 years than they were selling for prior to that. My assessed value hasn't gone down in the last 3 years.

If they need to meet a town budget number and they have a huge deficit, what is the town going to do? They can't increase the tax rate more than 2.5% without it going to town meeting for a vote. If the real estate markets reflect a big decrease in sold prices in a town, how can they assess the home at a higher rate to make up the budget shortfall? By your logic, they have to do something to make up the deficit. If the assessed value is strictly based on "MLS sold prices", how in the hell can the value of a property go up without any improvements having been made?

And to your point about there being a mistake made on my neighbors property a couple years ago, nice try but you're wrong. The surveyors and assessors maps both clearly show that the land was not useable, and the maps had not changed since the home was built. The town was throwing poop against the wall and hoping some would stick. They figured if they did it to enough people, some of them wouldn't question it.

[UserRemoved1]

Originally Posted by fishbones

Houses in my neighborhood have sold for 20 to 40% less over the last 3 years than they were selling for prior to that. My assessed value hasn't gone down in the last 3 years.

So
Why haven't you filed for an abatement? The town isn't going to do it for you???


"If they need to meet a town budget number and they have a huge deficit, what is the town going to do? They can't increase the tax rate more than 2.5% without it going to town meeting for a vote. If the real estate markets reflect a big decrease in sold prices in a town, how can they assess the home at a higher rate to make up the budget shortfall? By your logic, they have to do something to make up the deficit. If the assessed value is strictly based on "MLS sold prices", how in the hell can the value of a property go up without any improvements having been made?"

I'm not the one who makes the laws/bylaws. It's what we were told is how it's done and this was echoed by my real estate agent who has no iron in the fire...

"And to your point about there being a mistake made on my neighbors property a couple years ago, nice try but you're wrong. The surveyors and assessors maps both clearly show that the land was not useable, and the maps had not changed since the home was built. The town was throwing poop against the wall and hoping some would stick. They figured if they did it to enough people, some of them wouldn't question it."

All I will say is PROVE IT. I don't believe it for a second. Kennedy wasn't shot he's still alive. If you really believe this happened then you got one hell of a lawsuit against the town.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by striperman36

I am appealing

I just got off the phone with them. I took the new annual tax and divided it by 4 (qtrly) and the amount due was over by about $100. It didnt make sense to me.
They said that the town is on a fiscal y/e of June. So, the last 2 quarterly payments (in 2010) are actually "estimated" and that I now (and I assume you too) have to make up for the last 2 quarters at the new tax rate.
Nuts.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

It is interesting to me that a thread about Property Tax is 20 posts deep and not a single mention of Prop 2 1/2. Towns can't just arbitrarily increase taxes more than 2.5% without requesting an override.

One thing that Bigfish leaves out is if he's paying more money while his assessed value has actually gone down.

As an aside, I've always found the Assessor position being appointed by the town BS. Terrible conflict of interest.

It can go up incrementally 2.5% over one year, but over, say, 10 years, it can go up exponentially.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Mike P

It can go up incrementally 2.5% over one year, but over, say, 10 years, it can go up exponentially.

Compounding interest... 2.5% hasn't kept pace with inflation.