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Residential assessments drop while commercial assessments have a small increase Date published: 2/9/2010
By DAN TELVOCK If Spotsylvania County supervisors equalize the real estate tax rate this April, almost 60 percent of residents will see no change or a decrease in their tax bills. That's a message Commissioner of Revenue Debbie Williams will present at tonight's Board of Supervisors meeting, if it is not canceled by another snowstorm. Reassessment notices were mailed a week ago. Residential assessments dropped 28.2 percent. Commercial assessments increased 0.29 percent. Overall, Spotsylvania County's total tax base declined by about 23.5 percent. County Administrator Doug Barnes will present the fiscal year 2011 budget on Feb. 23. He has told supervisors that he will present a budget with an equalized tax rate. An equalized tax rate means the real estate levy is adjusted so that the county generates the same revenue as it did in the prior fiscal year. The current real estate tax rate is 62 cents per $100 of assessed value. Based on the new assessments, an equalized tax rate is 83 cents. Williams said that means 58.5 percent of residential taxpayers will see no increase, and even a decrease, in their real estate bills. About 41.5 percent will see an increase in their bill. Of those who will see an increase in their bill, slightly more than half will pay less than $50 extra in real estate tax. Without knowing where a person lives, Williams couldn't easily explain why a home assessment increased in this economy. A homeowner living in Lee's Parke reported paying taxes on land valued at $120,000 and a supplemental payment of $91,000 for the home built in July 2009. The new assessment showed the land value dropped to $75,000 and the house value increased to $141,000, for an overall total of $216,000. One possible reason for the increase is that this home is near the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, expected to open this spring. Homes near the hospital have become prime real estate for employees who want to live close to work. Williams said her office updated computer software that allowed appraisers to use comparable sales all the way to the end of December, which is something they've had trouble doing in the past.
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 2/9/2010
By using the word ?equalize? BOS is trying to keep the protest down. However, whatever the language used ? it is in essence a tax increase. Please say NO to equalize the real estate tax. It seems like some level of government (federal, state or local) has their hand in my pocket all the time. Five cents here and 15 cents there ? it all adds up. The Boston Tea Party is sounding like a good idea with each passing tax increase!!
In my opinion they started stealing from me wjen they assesed my home much higher than it was worth. From that moment they were stealing and now that they will do a reasonable assesment, they will bump the rate up 20+ cents and keep the theft going. If my bill goes up, I will pay in pennies.
The schools STILL get the SAME percentage of revenues
but the revenues are lower. When the economy get's better
funding will get better.
and it is NEVER as portrayed - as an all or nothing
proposition. We don't go from total public safety and
schools to NONE. We have to trim and cut to live within our
revenues. and we may have higher class sizes and slower
response times but not NONE and it's just not right to
portray it this way IMHO.
we need to trim to stay within our available revenues.
MORE with LESS, like the rest of us now have to do. Most of us that live in the county and work here,(isn't that called Smart Growth) have not seen a pay raise in several years. I have no children in school.My taxes will be increased by much more than 50.00 dollars. With all the other taxes (VRE, Federal, and what ever the State decides to increase) this county tax increase could be a budget buster for many of us. Oh, yes I forgot to mention inflation and higher engery costs , that we will all be paying.
Ed Tolley stated Commercial stayed the same...There hasnt been any comp sales to show the decline in Commercial values..Tenants are leaving, paying partial or no rent just to keep the lights on for the landlord. The county just wants to bang the commercial market because they are perceived to be the "rich". How many taxes and fees can you hit them with...
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