[MikefromCT]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

Mill rate is only one aspect of property taxes the other is assessed value. You can have a mill rate drop, but the assessed value on your property rise and your tax will be the same or even higher. This is a very common scenario in CT.

This is exactly what my town did a few years ago. Mill rate dropped a bit, but property taxes went up since they hiked up the assessed value. Sounds like an Enron accounting-type trick to me, but I digress.

Originally Posted by Mr.Gompers

I think Hartford's mill rate is over 70.

It is. It's 74. Highest in the state by far. And that's largely the reason why I would never consider buying property there.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

This is exactly what my town did a few years ago. Mill rate dropped a bit, but property taxes went up since they hiked up the assessed value. Sounds like an Enron accounting-type trick to me, but I digress.




It is. It's 74. Highest in the state by far. And that's largely the reason why I would never consider buying property there.

How Hartford taxes compare to Bridgeport and Waterbury

[jaydez]

In 2009 the Mil rate in New Britain was 35. For 2015 they jacked it up to 49. A year ago there was a new assessment and the property values plummeted. There is zero excuse for a mil rate that high. I cannot wait until I can afford to move out of this damn city.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by jaydez

In 2009 the Mil rate in New Britain was 35. For 2015 they jacked it up to 49. A year ago there was a new assessment and the property values plummeted. There is zero excuse for a mil rate that high. I cannot wait until I can afford to move out of this damn city.

I thought the state pass a 2 year revaluation to help ease mill rate taxes Bridgeport would jump from 42 to 70 mill rate, New Haven 41 to 65.

[Danny K]

Definitely Waterbury with Bridgeport as a close second. I hate Waterbury due to a lot of crime and drug problems. The city is also very run down and schools are horrible. People are not friendly at all, and there is nothing to do there and nothing good about it.

Bridgeport is a dump and also a horrible city, but at least Bridgeport has the beach and its proximity to NYC makes it a little classier, but both of them are low class towns, and not places I would ever consider living in. Also Bridgeport has some nice areas like: Black Rock for example.

Waterbury has no nice areas.

[MikefromCT]

Originally Posted by jaydez

In 2009 the Mil rate in New Britain was 35. For 2015 they jacked it up to 49. A year ago there was a new assessment and the property values plummeted. There is zero excuse for a mil rate that high. I cannot wait until I can afford to move out of this damn city.

You should consider Newington. I remember you said earlier you'd consider using Fastrack once it's available, and there's a stop planned there (as well as a train stop, like they're planning in my town as well). Also taxes are MUCH lower, it's a well-kept suburb with reasonable house prices and the schools are good (if that's what you're looking for). And you can pretty get to wherever you need to be in that town which IMO is a huge convenience. I always find that to be one of the ironies about this state: sometimes our suburbs offer more conveniences than our cities.

[jaydez]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

You should consider Newington. I remember you said earlier you'd consider using Fastrack once it's available, and there's a stop planned there (as well as a train stop, like they're planning in my town as well). Also taxes are MUCH lower, it's a well-kept suburb with reasonable house prices and the schools are good (if that's what you're looking for). And you can pretty get to wherever you need to be in that town which IMO is a huge convenience. I always find that to be one of the ironies about this state: sometimes our suburbs offer more conveniences than our cities.

Newington is actually on the top of the list of where we want to move to. We have a lot of friends who live there and I love spending time there. Choice 2 is Farmington, but I can't stand the rush hour traffic there and we would get so much less house in Farmington than in Newington for the same money.

[Mr_250]

Originally Posted by jaydez

In 2009 the Mil rate in New Britain was 35. For 2015 they jacked it up to 49. A year ago there was a new assessment and the property values plummeted. There is zero excuse for a mil rate that high. I cannot wait until I can afford to move out of this damn city.

I grew up in New Britain and a bunch of my friends recently bought homes there. I couldn't believe the amount of taxes they pay for home and car tax. It really is a crazy amount.

I love New Britain, it is my home, but I would never want to raise a family there. I moved to Southington which is major step up. I had to sacrifice on a home size, but I get more land which is what I wanted anyway. Plus me wanting to start a family, I couldn't see the upside in staying NB.

[MikefromCT]

Originally Posted by jaydez

Newington is actually on the top of the list of where we want to move to. We have a lot of friends who live there and I love spending time there. Choice 2 is Farmington, but I can't stand the rush hour traffic there and we would get so much less house in Farmington than in Newington for the same money.

Farmington is great for different reasons (less densely-populated, low mill rate, beautiful historic areas) but I wouldn't do it if I were commuting to Hartford for that very reason: traffic. Even when I was young I had a positve impression of Farmington, but I've had to commute through that town in the past using back-roads just to get to the highway, and it was a really frustrating experience that I don't miss.

Getting back to the topic question, I guess my vote would be Bridgeport as for the least of CT's cities. You do have nice nieghborhoods (Black Rock, North End) but if you're on 95 and see what's left of the once-prosperous manufacturing area, it's both scary and sad. Also, other than Beardsley Zoo and the Harbor Yard sports complexes, it doesn't really have any points of interest. So what reason is there to go there?

[Raider111]

What is that area in Bridgeport with the identical looking abandoned buildings or warehouses (about 10 or 15 of them in a row). Kind of near the hospital. It has to be one of the most depressing places around.