So-called "windfall protection" when they reassess all the homes in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh: store, reassessment)

[gallacus]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I understand to slow or stop the school tax increases every single year would take the population of the school district to get together and say enough is enough. Considering they voted to have back door garbage service at a cost of 3 times our neighboring O'Hara, I have little chance of bothering my neighbors with some trivial school tax. Must be nice to be able to throw money in the fireplace when needed. Maybe in my next life.

Dude, you live in Fox Chapel. Their mantra might as well be "throw money at every little problem so we can live in utopia." That's the whole point of Fox Chapel, and that's how it should be. If you don't earn enough to throw money away, why do you live in Fox Chapel?

[greg42]

Originally Posted by ML North

Wait, wait -- explain this "back door garbage" service, lol. . .

It's a Fox Chapel thing. You wouldn't understand....

[gg]

Originally Posted by ML North

Wait, wait -- explain this "back door garbage" service, lol. . .

Off topic and I don't want to derail my own thread, or I will be banned. Here is an article, just for interest sake.

FC residents like trash service | YourFoxChapel.com (http://yourfoxchapel.com/herald/article/fc-residents-trash-service - broken link)

[ML North]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Seems I am comparing these two numbers, if values would be increased 75% and millage adjusted accordingly. Correct?

Well that comes out to be 5%, which is due to the reassessment. That is only applicable for a property with an increase equal to the aggregate, which is the scenario assumed in my example.

Now you owe me an answer on my garbage question!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I have little chance of bothering my neighbors with some trivial school tax.

Maybe not, but certainly distracting them with a lot of baseless hand-wringing about the reassessment is counter-productive.

See, for example, the County tax increase, an issue which was successfully drowned out by all the baseless hand-wringing about the reassessment.

[ML North]

Originally Posted by greg42

It's a Fox Chapel thing. You wouldn't understand....

I wonder how Fox Chapel residents would feel about me parachuting my garbage to the curb from my 3rd story window? (I use the good bags!)

[gg]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Correct.

Again, REASSESSMENTS HAVE ALMOST NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AMOUNT THEY CAN INCREASE TAXES.

The only difference is that inside a reassessment year, non-school districts are limited to 5%. Outside of reassessment years, they can do whatever they want.

So in a mild way, REASSESSMENTS SLIGHTLY LIMIT TAX INCREASES FOR NON-SCHOOL DISTRICTS, since they are limited to only 5% in that particular year. However, in the long run this makes little difference, since they can just make up for the limit in that year with a bigger increase the next year.

And again, we have been through this a bazillion times.

You are right Brian. We have been through it a bazillion times. I know, and I am sorry for that. I guess I don't understand why no one cares? Taxes are going up and up. They are already high. How many jobs can one man work to afford his home? This summer I will have two jobs going. I will be dead tired all the time. I was greatly effected from a catastrophic situation in the Gulf of Mexico and partly the bank bust, which I was blindsided. I am squirming a bit over the constant tax/court crap. I want to be able to budget for my years and tax is part of budgeting. I am not some nouveau riche person that is in debt up to their eyeballs and is all about showing off. I like to run a tight ship and not knowing my tax burden year after year is a real drain. Can't they just get on with this?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I guess I don't understand why no one cares?

Of course people care about property taxes. We discuss them all the time.

But to have a meaningful discussion about property taxes, you have to start with accurate descriptions of how property taxes work in this area, including with respect to reassessments. If you instead start with inaccurate descriptions, or repeatedly ask questions about those matters which have already been asked and answered many times before, those conversations can never get to the actual substance of the issue.

[Goinback2011]

Take advantage of the situation.

Wait until there is a flood of real estate on the market in 2013 from people who can't afford the taxes, and as a result of the flood, you get good selling prices. Then after you buy, get your property assessment lowered on the basis of the new selling price. Then sit on the property for another decade until this stupidity is repeated.

Most places reassess every year. Why this is not possible in Allegheny county is a mystery.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

Most places reassess every year. Why this is not possible in Allegheny county is a mystery.

Not so mysterious--every local pol is convinced implementing a reassessment cost Jim Roddey his office. Hence, local pols oppose and obstruct reassessments by any means necessary, including blatantly misleading people about the law and sabotaging the process.