UPDATE 12/13: Transportation Funding Tax Finds Mixed Results
Updated 12/13
More on the growing concern about the state's transportation funding package is in today's Metro section.
Originally posted 12/4
In the struggle to generate income for state road projects, Fairfax and Arlington counties might tax commercial property at a lower rate than initially planned. Prince William and Loudoun counties have already decided to reject the tax spelling possible trouble for the transportation funding agreement. Read about it in this story from today's Metro section.
By Focus on Fairfax |
December 13, 2007; 9:36 AM ET
| Category:
Economy, Taxes
,
Transportation
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Posted by: jimfoster22152 | December 31, 2007 9:08 AM
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To me, in this area of "educated citizens", it never ceases to amaze (yes, amaze) me about the complete and absolute missunderstanding of what causes property tax increases. To me, it is simply amazing. Unbelievable. But true!
From what I can perceive, voters really do believe that an increase in a property's value automatically causes a property tax increase.
That is simply NOT true. Not even close.
Property taxes go up because the Board of Supervisors, or other governing body, adjusts the property tax rate (after considering new assessments) so that property taxes will go up.
It's just that simple. End of story. That's it. Period.
This has been going on for years and years and years and years in Fairfax County.
Voters in Fairfax County still apparently think that an increased assessment caused past hikes in property taxes. Educated voters? Sometimes I wonder.
Voters complain about increases in property taxes without stopping long enough to know what causes the increases.
That's amazing! Simply amazing!!
It's second grade arithmetic, if voters would just pause for 5 seconds to think about it.
A case in point is on page B3 of the 12/31/07 issue of the Washington Post where the Post says that retailers in Old Town are balking at a propety tax increase. Case in point (see the Post): ". . . businesses are straining because of the run-up in real estate prices that caused property taxes to soar."
My, my, my! Taxes soared because the governing body set the tax rate at a level (after the considering the new assessments) that caused the property tax hikes.
It's second grade arithmetic. No, maybe first grade.