Car registration in Arizona, why so high? (Queen Creek: house, public schools)

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Arizona is significantly more expensive than California. Tax on a new, $ 25K car would cost $420 for the initial year in AZ and only $250 in California according to web-based calculators. I didn't do subsequent years. CA voters cut the rate a few years ago - one of the reasons the state is bankrupt and up to its neck in debt. (AZ is nearly bankrupt as well, though)

No, wrong rate.
We pay a small registration each year at about $75 and a additional tax on the value added to it. My wife's Ford Escape cost $450 a year the first few years. My pick up truck was $650.

What you have confused is our Property tax of 1% which is only on the value of our home paid each year. We voted that in in 1975 - prop 13. It also locked it in at purchase price. I bought my house at $200,000 and I pay $2000 a year on homeowner propertry tax. Auto is taxed seperately

[actinic]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

Car insurance - WAAAAAY cheaper in AZ - $3000/yr in Detroit - $1200 here.

I own a pretty expensive vehicle and my rates went down 20% moving to MI from AZ. Same insurance co. It runs $900/yr AND it includes unlimited medical (state requirement).

[jeepgirl27]

Originally Posted by jf2737

I was perusing the AZ DMV website and I was wondering why it cost so much to register a car in Arizona?

In a related question, what car insurance companies out there do you guys recommend? I read somewhere that Arizona is #43 in the country as far as the average premiums go.

For my 88 Jeep...I paid $170 to register it, 45 days later when I went to get my plates I paid $101...in Colorado...isnt that ridicules..

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by actinic

I own a pretty expensive vehicle and my rates went down 20% moving to MI from AZ. Same insurance co. It runs $900/yr AND it includes unlimited medical (state requirement).

you might have read my post wrong - our savings was well over 50%. And $1200/yr is full coverage for two cars.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

No, wrong rate.
We pay a small registration each year at about $75 and a additional tax on the value added to it. My wife's Ford Escape cost $450 a year the first few years. My pick up truck was $650.

What you have confused is our Property tax of 1% which is only on the value of our home paid each year. We voted that in in 1975 - prop 13. It also locked it in at purchase price. I bought my house at $200,000 and I pay $2000 a year on homeowner propertry tax. Auto is taxed seperately

Clarification on Prop 13...

1978 became law...

Base rate is 1% of value at the time of transfer and limited annual increases of 2%

In addition, voters often vote to increase taxes above the State 1%... many communities are 50% higher... somewhere around 1.5%

New Construction is added to adjusted base value.

Don't believe there is anyone in the State paying 1% on the purchase price... even in the first year.

[actinic]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

you might have read my post wrong - our savings was well over 50%. And $1200/yr is full coverage for two cars.

I didn't read it wrong, my auto insurance rates were higher in AZ than MI.

[jamies]

I pay about $15 a year for my non-air conditioned 1980 Ford pick-up in AZ. My insurance is $240 a year (liability only) - I don't need comp, the last car that hit me had to be flat-bedded off. I just got out my can of silver spray paint and touched up the scratches on my galvanized iron rear bumper. Plastic yuppie cars... in Arizona we drive real trucks. LOL

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Clarification on Prop 13...

1978 became law...

Base rate is 1% of value at the time of transfer and limited annual increases of 2%

In addition, voters often vote to increase taxes above the State 1%... many communities are 50% higher... somewhere around 1.5%

New Construction is added to adjusted base value.

Don't believe there is anyone in the State paying 1% on the purchase price... even in the first year.

Well, I did say "we voted it in on 1975" It was called the Jarvis bill. Mr. Jarvis can be seen in the movie called "Airplane" he is the one left in the taxi in the beginning.
I am still paying 1%. I know my father is, he built his home in 1998. My neighbor pays 1%, he bought in 2007.
The additional tax you speak of being voted in is called Mello Roo's. Not that common but you need to ask when shopping for a home. Mello Roo's can be found in Orange County and Sacramento. More of a city per city issue.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

Well, I did say "we voted it in on 1975" It was called the Jarvis bill. Mr. Jarvis can be seen in the movie called "Airplane" he is the one left in the taxi in the beginning.
I am still paying 1%. I know my father is, he built his home in 1998. My neighbor pays 1%, he bought in 2007.
The additional tax you speak of being voted in is called Mello Roo's. Not that common but you need to ask when shopping for a home. Mello Roo's can be found in Orange County and Sacramento. More of a city per city issue.

Car Tags are high in AZ because the State depends on this revenue... CA has also increased car tags...

As for Prop 13...

Direct from Mr. Jarvis organization: Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association: PROTECTING TAXPAYERS' RIGHTS

On June 6th, 1978, nearly two-thirds of California's voters passed Proposition 13, reducing property taxes by about 57%.

Proposition 13 also gives new homeowners long-term security by providing predictability in taxes. It establishes a uniform statewide property tax rate of 1%, with a 2% cap on future annual property tax increases. New buyers know exactly what their taxes will be next year, in five years, and in 30 years — reassuring information for those who plan to live in their homes when they retire.

The 1% you are paying ONLY applies to the State Portion of the Tax Bill... EVERY community in CA levies additional taxes... just take a look at your tax bill.

Mello Roos is entirely different... it is basically a mechanism for communities to recover the cost of infrastructure for new development and it typically has a sunset clause of around 30 years. Mello-Roos needs no voter approval.

I pay 1.5% and have NO Mello-Roos... just additional taxes the voters approved.

Mello-Roos - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by keninaz

Then again, I hate to break the bad news to you, but Phoenix may have the most population in AZ but it's certainly not representative to the rest of the state.

This thread was started in the Phoenix area subforum, that was why I was mostly referring to Phoenix and not the rest of the state.

The thread was moved recently, sorry about the confusion.