Posted by Natalie-VA on February 20, 2006 at 16:32:11:
Yeah, I’m not buying that view of “value”. The houses are the same, the tax should be the same.
Also, if we need to help our seniors from being taxed out of their homes, we should defer their taxes until the property is sold.
This reminds me of the Virginia Beach city council’s recent decision to give another 1.3 mil to a fund they use to help seniors and low income people improve their houses. The lady in the article that received assistance was so happy that she’d now have a nice inheritance to leave to her sons. Absolute BS IMO.
Just my thoughts…might not be a popular opinion, but it’s mine.
I bought a 42 yr. old,4BR,2 Bath,8 room home on 6/29/05 in a Pittsburgh suburb for $189,900. The taxes on this house for this suburb’s school district for 2006 are going to be based on the sale price, with similar and comparable homes paying less school tax simply because they haven’t been purchased recently. Any suggestions? The increase will approx. be $800 per year.
Posted by Max-Va on February 18, 2006 at 20:51:20:
Sorry to say that is how the tax system works in PA. It is a hard pill to swallow, but it should not have come as a surprise if you did your due prior to buying. I have to agree with dealmaker that it is fair however unpleasant.
Posted by dealmaker on February 16, 2006 at 20:59:30:
Sounds like a very fair taxing system to me! That’s actually what proposition 13 (1978) in CA was all about. IOW, why should MY taxes increase because YOU bought a house.
Where I live the total hit on that place would be about %5200/year.
Posted by dealmaker on February 17, 2006 at 17:00:08:
Let’s see, I buy my house in '77 for $36K, living there fat dumb and happy. You come along in '04 and buy the twin house down the street for $500K. If VALUE is arrived at by mutual agreement between buyer and seller, and I’m to be taxed on VALUE, then there should be NO WAY for your purchase to affect my value, and therefor my taxes.
Again, that’s what prop 13 was all about. Generally though (lying, dirtbag) politicians have been able to forestall similar actions by constantly catering to old folks. This is the “can’t let them get taxed out of their family homestead” pandering.