Is anyone outraged by the 33% tax increase ? (Chattanooga, Ridgeside: sales, real estate)

[nb1968]

Is anyone outraged by the 33% tax increase ?
Is it a done deal, or can it be stopped?
How can this be justified in this economy? All other municipalities are tightening the belt and cutting back.
When is the next election to vote these fools out?

[dasmarian]

What's ironic about this is that much of the proposed increase is to cover the "areas recently acquired by annexation" with city services. But the whole point of annexation is to lower costs via consolidation. Instead, Chatt is getting a huge increase in property taxes which is counter to the original argument.

If you want to live in Chattanooga and not worry about these outrageous policies, consider a home in Ridgeside. Surrounded by Chatt on Missionary Ridge, our taxes are much lower than Chatt's current rate and could be about half after Ron gets done with you. A beautiful, hidden community with great families, we're not affected by this new outrageous proposal -- we never voted to allow annexation and never will. You could consider us the New Hampshire of Tennessee!

[peppermint]

I, too, am outside of the city. The problem, as I understand it, is that city officials were supposed to be raising fees and taxes, etc. over almost a decade. No city official wanted to approve it because they feared being voted out. Now, there's a huge problem and whoever votes for it is doomed. It's crap really. City officials (politicians in general) need to "man up" a little at a time and not slap people with these taxes and fees all at once. I would be frustrated if I was in the city, for sure.

[Amos Ives Root]

Your elected officials are trying to do the fiscally responsible thing and raise income to match rising expenditures. The time to get mad was back when Bob Corker was mayor spending all of your money. Now its come time to pay the piper, and I'm glad Chattanooga is doing it by raising taxes rather than just selling bonds like every other place would do!

The main people that are hurt with higher property taxes people speculating in real estate and seniors on a fixed income, and in my opinion Chattanooga shouldn't be subsidizing real estate speculators.

A rebate should be given for the primary residence of all seniors.

As far as the tax increase goes: raise it to the roof and get rid of our ridiculous 11% sales tax. Annex the rest of the county and make them pay for all the city services they take advantage of.

[peppermint]

Originally Posted by Amos Ives Root

Annex the rest of the county and make them pay for all the city services they take advantage of.

For example?

[Amos Ives Root]

Originally Posted by peppermint

For example?

The municipal citizens of Hamilton County pay for 2/3rds of the services you receive in unincorporated areas of the county. Why do you think taxes are so cheap out there?

It's really frustrating get doubly taxed to pay for services that you don't get. Especially when its services for that very special class of American retard: the super commuter that just HAS to live in some McMansion they can't really afford in the exurbs.

If I were they mayor I'd start deliberately closing roads to make it harder to get into the city and let the county residents really swallow that "we don't need you" pill.

[dasmarian]

Originally Posted by Amos Ives Root

If I were they mayor I'd start deliberately closing roads to make it harder to get into the city and let the county residents really swallow that "we don't need you" pill.

Yea, Chatt should put up a bunch of walls and a drawbridge and dig a big moat too.

[peppermint]

Originally Posted by Amos Ives Root

The municipal citizens of Hamilton County pay for 2/3rds of the services you receive in unincorporated areas of the county. Why do you think taxes are so cheap out there?

It's really frustrating get doubly taxed to pay for services that you don't get. Especially when its services for that very special class of American retard: the super commuter that just HAS to live in some McMansion they can't really afford in the exurbs.

If I were they mayor I'd start deliberately closing roads to make it harder to get into the city and let the county residents really swallow that "we don't need you" pill.

I'm not trying to be thick here; I actually have no idea what you mean. What services are the county residents receiving that the city residents are paying for? Do you mean the roads?

I have no clue what you're talking about in the second paragraph so please explain it to me.

[Fitgerald]

I look at this tax increase from a different perspective. The police dept is pretty lame (remember the gang shootings at Coolidge Park), and the roads here are nothing to brag about. If the city is mismanaging the funds they already have why give them more?

[VolDude]

If "nothing to brag about" means "you may occasionally feel as if your car will fall into the other side of the earth", yeah, our roads are nothing to brag about. Pothole City.