[Greenday]

Can anyone help us? My family and I are new to ct and I just recently received a car tax bill in the mail for ~$500.00. When I called the assessor office they told me it's b/c my car is 2003 and that in July to expect a bill for $900..... Now my husband's car is also registered in CT and he has a 2006 car, we have not received his yet but you can imagine it will be higher. Is there any means of us getting assistance for paying this tax or is there any relief programs around, please let me know. Thanks

[Rich Lee]

What you have received is an interim personal property tax bill. It is pro-rated from the time of your vehicle registration in Waterbury to the new tax billing cycle.

Each July, property taxes are due covering a one-year period of time based on assets recorded on the city/town's grand list THE PRIOR OCTOBER 1. In other words, the bill due 07/01/2007 will reflect personal property on the grand list filed in the tax assessor's office on 10/01/2006.

You won't be billed again until 07/01/2008. If you move before 10/01/2007, you should NOT receive another personal property tax bill from Waterbury on 07/01/2008.

There are no relief programs to my knowledge. Unfortunately, the amounts you provided sound reasonable for a town/city with a tax rate near 55 mils.

If each jurisdiction offered an assistance program, most folks would take advantage of it thereby eliminating the purpose of the tax! The good news (yes, there is some) is that you may deduct this amount from your income taxes!

Welcome to Connecticut: close second to the People's Republic of Massachusetts (from the McLaughlin Group) in resident tax burden.

[Greenday]

Thank you Rich Lee, I just really think that it's absurd to charge someone for something they own, it's not as if it's a house where the land that it sits on is not yours. Anyway, I guess this is our welcome to Waterbury!

[TLA2009]

If you think your car taxes are high in this city I hope you dont own a house. Imagine paying over $6000.00 a year for a 1600 sq foot house. That is my reality!