Woodland Hills School Tax Hike--Outrageous (Penn Hills, Forest Hills: how much, house, school district)

[cjburgh]

Without warning, the Woodland Hills School District just raised property taxes by a huge amount--nearly 3 mills. The administration and school board need to get a handle on expenses. They blame charter school spending, but are clearly not looking to make needed spending cuts given the shrinking student population and overall diminishing population across the district. We don't need the large buildings and when you don't have the money you need to make some reductions to spending on football stadiums and other extras. It's just not fair to expect home owners to foot the bill without a line-by-line examination of every expense. We live in our homes; we don't extract income from them!

[gg]

That will now be the case with Penn Hills as well. The city is trying to clean house and some places are going to have to pay the bill. Sadly, it seems the city isn't doing all the great either, so it seems to be getting worse all over the place now, unless you are in the North Hills or in the wealthier places in the South Hills. Woodland Hills and Penn Hills are going to get crushed. Someone has to pick up the bill for the folks that moved out of East Liberty.

Enjoy the wonderful night.

[Pitt Chick]

Have you bothered to attend school board meetings? Speaking up there would be more effective than a rant to those not affected.
Our district always gives advance warnings of millage hikes, along with public meetings. I am fairly certain that 'without warning' isn't what happened...

[gg]

Originally Posted by cjburgh

Without warning, the Woodland Hills School District just raised property taxes by a huge amount--nearly 3 mills. The administration and school board need to get a handle on expenses. They blame charter school spending, but are clearly not looking to make needed spending cuts given the shrinking student population and overall diminishing population across the district. We don't need the large buildings and when you don't have the money you need to make some reductions to spending on football stadiums and other extras. It's just not fair to expect home owners to foot the bill without a line-by-line examination of every expense. We live in our homes; we don't extract income from them!

3 mills equates to $300 per $100,000 of home value minus homestead tax exemption.

[MountainDewGuy]

Originally Posted by cjburgh

Without warning, the Woodland Hills School District just raised property taxes by a huge amount--nearly 3 mills. The administration and school board need to get a handle on expenses. They blame charter school spending, but are clearly not looking to make needed spending cuts given the shrinking student population and overall diminishing population across the district. We don't need the large buildings and when you don't have the money you need to make some reductions to spending on football stadiums and other extras. It's just not fair to expect home owners to foot the bill without a line-by-line examination of every expense. We live in our homes; we don't extract income from them!

That increases moves WH from the 18th highest rate in the county, to the 7th. A pretty big increase, unless others increase theirs.

[Bballnut74]

I guarantee the Woodland Hills SB didn't just decide on a whim and without warning to raise your taxes. Those terrible people you balk about are responsible for paying that same increase. There is only so much they can cut and if you're recommending that they cut a football program that feeds into the NFL, you would be setting yourself up for an even bigger setback.

You're too focused on millage as an example of highest taxes, when you should consider average assessments. Using your example of North Hills, you may think you're paying more because you have a higher millage, but try selling that to the homeowner in McCandless whose 3 BDRM house is worth at least twice what the 3bdrm house in Forest Hills is worth, thanks to perceived desirability. Until that millage is double, you're still probably paying a lot less.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by Bballnut74

I guarantee the Woodland Hills SB didn't just decide on a whim and without warning to raise your taxes. Those terrible people you balk about are responsible for paying that same increase. There is only so much they can cut and if you're recommending that they cut a football program that feeds into the NFL, you would be setting yourself up for an even bigger setback.

You're too focused on millage as an example of highest taxes, when you should consider average assessments. Using your example of North Hills, you may think you're paying more because you have a higher millage, but try selling that to the homeowner in McCandless whose 3 BDRM house is worth at least twice what the 3bdrm house in Forest Hills is worth, thanks to perceived desirability. Until that millage is double, you're still probably paying a lot less.

I wish I could down vote this reply.

[Copanut]

Perceived desirability?
Definition please.

[xdv8]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Perceived desirability?
Definition please.

Personal preferences.

[BMan_152]

I think the major issue isn't necessarily the hike (though that is definitely a major issue, regardless of how much warning they gave), but the property tax system in general.. It is far too complex due to the subjective nature of valuing homes.

Its the same as if we imposed a tax on personal "attractiveness" (for lack of a better word).. Attraction is so subjective & everyone has different standards of beauty.