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Old 03-17-2011, 05:36 PM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,758,585 times
Reputation: 17378

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stockton. View Post
What's the deal with this area and taxes? Why are these property taxes so high?
Most all of it is school tax. The teacher's union up this way is super powerful and they have teachers making well over $60K and in some places over $100K after several years. That is where the taxes are. The other two tax bills are pennies in comparison.

Buy a cheaper fixer upper and don't do anything to the outside and just fix up the inside. Then they can't beat you up too much.
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Old 03-17-2011, 06:12 PM
 
1,236 posts, read 1,356,725 times
Reputation: 4196
Quote:
Originally Posted by Copanut View Post
I'll semi agree with B-12, the legacy bills that govt workers are dumping on those of us that earn a living will be high. But renting won't make you immune, I'm guessing sooner or later a new statewide tax to fund the retirements for teachers and others will be instituted.

I have a good friend that recently retired after 30 years as a teacher: 70K plus 40K in medical benefits.

Damn, shoulda been a teacher.

No problem -- you would have only had to save $2.5 MILLION to fund a comparable retirement from your own HIGHLY PAID job in private industry.

Teachers have been repeating that mantra of being "underpaid" for years and have successfully brainwashed most people. I am so glad all of this has come out into the light -- Pittsburgh teacher retirements are ridiculous. For anecdotal evidence just look at your neighbors. I bet a dollar to a doughnut that the vast majority of those who are comfortably retired at 55 or 60 are ALL teachers or public employees. They are the only ones -- anymore -- with defined pensions and lifetime health care.

That should tell you something Pittsburgh. WAKE UP!
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Old 03-17-2011, 07:12 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
6,327 posts, read 9,093,421 times
Reputation: 4048
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrannyBear View Post
No problem -- you would have only had to save $2.5 MILLION to fund a comparable retirement from your own HIGHLY PAID job in private industry.

Teachers have been repeating that mantra of being "underpaid" for years and have successfully brainwashed most people. I am so glad all of this has come out into the light -- Pittsburgh teacher retirements are ridiculous. For anecdotal evidence just look at your neighbors. I bet a dollar to a doughnut that the vast majority of those who are comfortably retired at 55 or 60 are ALL teachers or public employees. They are the only ones -- anymore -- with defined pensions and lifetime health care.

That should tell you something Pittsburgh. WAKE UP!
Teacher are underpaid in a lot of areas around the country, but not locally where teachers actually make above the average salary in the local area.
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Old 03-17-2011, 09:59 PM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,758,585 times
Reputation: 17378
Quote:
Originally Posted by Copanut View Post
I'll semi agree with B-12, the legacy bills that govt workers are dumping on those of us that earn a living will be high. But renting won't make you immune, I'm guessing sooner or later a new statewide tax to fund the retirements for teachers and others will be instituted.

I have a good friend that recently retired after 30 years as a teacher: 70K plus 40K in medical benefits.

Damn, shoulda been a teacher.
It is a dream job if you can get it in this area. Not sustainable at all, but right now it is a dream situation for teachers and the tons of administrators. On top of making more than most any other kind of work (average wage in Allegheny country $35Kish), they only work 140-50 days or thereabouts. Get a teaching job here and it is like hitting the lottery. One thing is for sure, with those HUGE retirements and every benefit in the book taxes will just keep going up and up. 30 years on the job and another 25 year kicking back in their beachfront estate while the tax payers pay the massive bills.
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Old 03-18-2011, 02:24 AM
 
Location: Earth
24,620 posts, read 28,179,866 times
Reputation: 11415
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stockton. View Post
I have relocated to Pittsburgh from the Atlanta suburbs for work and have recently been looking at buying a house. I have been looking in Upper St Clair as my wife has relatives there and the school is supposed to be one of the best in the state. We were looking at houses that were about $400-450K and were surprised at how nice of a house you got for this price compared to Atlanta. What threw us for a loop were the property taxes. One house we almost bid on was listed for 399K but had 13K/yr in property taxes. $13000 is a hell of a lot for property taxes. I realize assessed value varies even within the same sales price range. Other homes listed for 400K still had at least 8-9K in annual property taxes.

Yeah, houses here are cheaper than some other areas of the country but the property taxes here are insane. This area rivals NJ for property tax. My house in Alpharetta was sold for 419K and that had annual property taxes of $4500.

What's the deal with this area and taxes? Why are these property taxes so high?
You're paying for your school system.
It's one of the best.

For those bashing teachers and salaries:
Do you think you could do their job? If so, why don't you?
I couldn't do it and found another career.

Teaching is not an easy job and what they're paid is not exhorbitant.
Upper St Clair has some of the best schools in the system and that's why most people move there.

Last edited by chielgirl; 03-18-2011 at 02:33 AM..
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Old 03-18-2011, 05:15 AM
 
674 posts, read 1,405,593 times
Reputation: 690
Quote:
Originally Posted by chielgirl View Post

For those bashing teachers and salaries:
Do you think you could do their job? If so, why don't you?
I couldn't do it and found another career.

Teaching is not an easy job and what they're paid is not exhorbitant.
This is a logic fail and tired argument. I do think I could teach. But I make a better living doing what I do and I enjoy it more.

Very few jobs are "easy" - teachers don't have it any worse than a lot of people out there. Everyone's jobs have their difficulties. Just most don't have the perks that teachers do.

Teachers in Western PA forget how good they have it compared to most of the country.

As for this thread - the OP can easily find a 4 or 5 bedroom house elsewhere for less than what they are looking for, and in a good school district to boot. Here in South Fayette there are a number of nice houses for less than that. In fact, someone nearby me has a 5 bedroom on the market, probably about 6 years old, for less than what the OP is looking for. Nice house, nice neighborhood. Now, SF's taxes aren't a walk in the park, either. But if you want a great school district, you've gotta pay for it!
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Old 03-18-2011, 08:04 AM
 
4,684 posts, read 4,550,392 times
Reputation: 1588
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burghgirl17 View Post
if you want a great school district, you've gotta pay for it!
Is that the same as saying that in PA, a great (or even just good) education is only for those who can pay?
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Old 03-18-2011, 08:50 AM
 
439 posts, read 1,466,899 times
Reputation: 154
Really, anywhere you buy a $400k house in allegheny county you will be paying similar taxes, it is not just USC. I live in USC and pay the same in taxes as a friend in Whitehall with a similar valued house. Knowing what I know now, I would have moved a mile down 19 to peters.
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Old 03-18-2011, 09:06 AM
 
1,020 posts, read 1,703,697 times
Reputation: 755
I have lived in USC for 25 years, and yes, we have an oustanding school district, along with great municipal services. However, IMHO, the school board has acted as a rubber stamp for the teachers union's demands, instead of performing their fiduciary duty. There are many good school districts without high teacher salaries; to me, highly paid teachers don't necessarily equate to a highly rated school district. That mantra has unfortunately been repeated ad nauseum by the teachers unions in a selfish, self-serving manner for many years.
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Old 03-18-2011, 10:43 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,758,585 times
Reputation: 17378
Quote:
Originally Posted by hornet67 View Post
I have lived in USC for 25 years, and yes, we have an oustanding school district, along with great municipal services. However, IMHO, the school board has acted as a rubber stamp for the teachers union's demands, instead of performing their fiduciary duty. There are many good school districts without high teacher salaries; to me, highly paid teachers don't necessarily equate to a highly rated school district. That mantra has unfortunately been repeated ad nauseum by the teachers unions in a selfish, self-serving manner for many years.
You know what I always find interesting in these super high taxed areas we all live in? When a new development happens and there are several homes that are paying well over $12K a year each, there is NEVER a millage decrease. Two developments that I was directly involved where in Fox Chapel and Oakmont. Both have tons of new revenue for each school and local and they seem to have no help regarding tax base. I never understood that.
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