Amp's 'Fvck You' to the middleclass.

[Thump553]

I strongly suspect that the waterfront property is, on the average, worth more than 1.5 times non-waterfront property. It is an axiom in real estate that the only three things that affect a property's value are location, location and location, and we all now there is a heck of a lot less property on the waterfront than that without. Based on values I am familiar with in Connecticut and Wisconsin, I think it would be a conservative estimate to value waterfront property at least double regular property.

Property values in the Cape Cod area are skyrocketing which naturally will drive up all property tax assessments. Politicians being what they are (coupled with the federal and state government's tendency to pass costs onto localities, like the "no child left behind" act) it is pretty rare that politicians of ANY political stripe will cut the mill rate when the assessments go up as a whole.

Is this a state bill you are complaining about or some local action? I'm a little confused as to how the electorate (or more specifically, the "middle class" portion of it) is allegedly setting tax rates in your area. There are also plenty of people that are property rich, cash poor (including, I suspect, many long-time frontage owners). Are these people middle class, or poor (based on income / liquid assets) or rich (based on the value of the property they own)?

Your ire at the so-called middle class is misdirected, I think.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: Stunt
If they have a secomd waterfront home, I'm sure they can afford it. Plus you have that nice juicy tax cut from Bush. It all balances itself out. I'm sure the property values have risen enough over the years for you to cover the cost of that many times over.

How much is the property worth and how much did you buy it for?

If where you live is anything like the planet I live on, then the rising costs of everything else currently (health care coverage, gas, utility bills because of higher gas, education costs. . .you name it) more than offsets that piss-ant tax cut. I just found out yesterday I'm not getting a salary increase this year again for the 2nd year. Not surprising really given the climate and attitude of the corporate memos that have been coming out but still. . .Everything is going up up up except salary. One reason Bush says he wants to privatize SS because as workers compensation goes up, they will have more money to set aside. . .well not from my perspective. . .anyway I'm getting off topic.

Is it the government's job to tax-cut whenever healthcare, and gas goes up? I don't thinkso. That's worse than welfare. If you are not happy with the price of healthcare and gas, don't bug for more tax cuts, work harder and earn more, or criticize gov't's role in these areas.

I am not bugging for more tax cuts. Show me where in my post I asked for more tax cuts. I'm just pointing out that the Bush tax cut has already been more than offset by rising costs of everything in general. That is all. Stop putting words in my mouth that I didn't say you sanctimonious prick.

 

[Amplifier]

I ran the comps thump, I'm very confident in my value of 1.5x. For reference I'm comparing our house with the ones right behind us.

Property taxes are set by the local government in Harwich where my house is. Most all of the waterfront residents are furious at the tax increases. And it's not that we can't pay the tax, it's that we are the only ones paying the increase. A simular house right behind ours is paying <$2000 a year.

My anger at the middle class is not misdirected. Look at the replies I got. I can tell you first hand that the replies to this thread mirror the sentiments of the local residents. Middle class people ganging up on a small group because it's to their benifit. No one can say with a straight face that this isn't stealing. All they can say is "Hey they're rich, pay the tax which funds my job or move".

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: ahurtt
I am not bugging for more tax cuts. Show me where in my post I asked for more tax cuts. I'm just pointing out that the Bush tax cut has already been more than offset by rising costs of everything in general. That is all. Stop putting words in my mouth that I didn't say you sanctimonious prick.

Sounded like you were complaining about the tax cuts not covering "the rising costs of everything else currently (health care coverage, gas, utility bills because of higher gas, education costs.)"

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: Amplifier
I ran the comps thump, I'm very confident in my value of 1.5x. For reference I'm comparing our house with the ones right behind us.

Property taxes are set by the local government in Harwich where my house is. Most all of the waterfront residents are furious at the tax increases. And it's not that we can't pay the tax, it's that we are the only ones paying the increase. A simular house right behind ours is paying <$2000 a year.

My anger at the middle class is not misdirected. Look at the replies I got. I can tell you first hand that the replies to this thread mirror the sentiments of the local residents. Middle class people ganging up on a small group because it's to their benifit. No one can say with a straight face that this isn't stealing. All they can say is "Hey they're rich, pay the tax which funds my job or move".

Compare the value of the two houses please.
I've asked you a couple times already.

 

[nageov3t]

if the city is in the red, what's the alternative?

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: Amplifier
I ran the comps thump, I'm very confident in my value of 1.5x. For reference I'm comparing our house with the ones right behind us.

Property taxes are set by the local government in Harwich where my house is. Most all of the waterfront residents are furious at the tax increases. And it's not that we can't pay the tax, it's that we are the only ones paying the increase. A simular house right behind ours is paying <$2000 a year.

My anger at the middle class is not misdirected. Look at the replies I got. I can tell you first hand that the replies to this thread mirror the sentiments of the local residents. Middle class people ganging up on a small group because it's to their benifit. No one can say with a straight face that this isn't stealing. All they can say is "Hey they're rich, pay the tax which funds my job or move".

And the further you get away from the waterfront the more the value will go down. I have to agree with Thump, location, location, location. As the population increases, the yalue of your land/house is going to go up more then the house behind you.

 

[zendari]

Only in Taxachusetts.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: zendari
Only in Taxachusetts.

Aren't you someone who supports funding for stadiums? Where do you think pays for your pet spending projects?

 

[Commish]

Originally posted by: loki8481
if the city is in the red, what's the alternative?

Cut spending? Families around the country have to do it, why can't they?

 

[nageov3t]

taxes suck.

maybe it's just the socialist in me, though, but if I were faced with a choice of either increasing taxes, which would have an adverse affect on 10% of the population or cutting services that would have an adverse affect on 95% of the population, I'd go with the option that gives me the most benefit to the town with the least number of adversely affected citizens.

 

[Stunt]

Seems like Amplifier has run off...without answering some critical questions.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Seems like Amplifier has run off...without answering some critical questions.

He isn't online... I don't like posters who are online and don't answer questions, but this doesn't seem to be the case right now as he isn't online.

 

[sandorski]

Kinda agree with OP, definitely wih Tommunist: Property Taxes should be based off Property Values. Progressive Taxation on Property Taxes seems rather wonky, especially if the OP's point that these Owners have no input into the local Government is true. That sounds like the situation that triggered the American Revolution.

 

[Last Rezort]

Look at that amp. More people think richer people should pay more taxes then not.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA:laugh:

 

[Last Rezort]

Originally posted by: Amplifier
I ran the comps thump, I'm very confident in my value of 1.5x. For reference I'm comparing our house with the ones right behind us.

Property taxes are set by the local government in Harwich where my house is. Most all of the waterfront residents are furious at the tax increases. And it's not that we can't pay the tax, it's that we are the only ones paying the increase. A simular house right behind ours is paying <$2000 a year.

My anger at the middle class is not misdirected. Look at the replies I got. I can tell you first hand that the replies to this thread mirror the sentiments of the local residents. Middle class people ganging up on a small group because it's to their benifit. No one can say with a straight face that this isn't stealing. All they can say is "Hey they're rich, pay the tax which funds my job or move".

Go look at a house of aprox. the same sqr. footage away from the water, not right behind you. Then proceed to get a clue.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: sandorski
especially if the OP's point that these Owners have no input into the local Government is true. That sounds like the situation that triggered the American Revolution.

Be careful how far you take that reasoning. We tax foreign corporations all the time. Are we going to let them have a vote because of it? This suggests you can vote in as many places as you own property.

 

[damonpip]

Originally posted by: Last Rezort

Go look at a house of aprox. the same sqr. footage away from the water, not right behind you. Then proceed to get a clue.

Wrong, he should compare his house to the house behind him, because the house behind him will not be facing the tax increase. Only actual waterfront property is facing the increase, which is what makes this so unfair. If the increase was on all property over a certain value, it would be more fair, but that is not the case.

 

[Amplifier]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: Amplifier
I ran the comps thump, I'm very confident in my value of 1.5x. For reference I'm comparing our house with the ones right behind us.

Property taxes are set by the local government in Harwich where my house is. Most all of the waterfront residents are furious at the tax increases. And it's not that we can't pay the tax, it's that we are the only ones paying the increase. A simular house right behind ours is paying <$2000 a year.

My anger at the middle class is not misdirected. Look at the replies I got. I can tell you first hand that the replies to this thread mirror the sentiments of the local residents. Middle class people ganging up on a small group because it's to their benifit. No one can say with a straight face that this isn't stealing. All they can say is "Hey they're rich, pay the tax which funds my job or move".

Compare the value of the two houses please.
I've asked you a couple times already.

I'm not giving personal information about any of my house's values over the internet. If you want to push the issue go to www.domania.com and compare houses in Harwich Port/Hyannis Port. Or you can use MLS if you have access.

That said, you'll find the value of waterfront properties to be approximately 150% of simular properties near the water.

If you want to make this an exercise in rhetoric keep harping on my houses value. But if you're trying to prove that it's OK to excessively tax select groups purely because they can't fight back, good luck.

 

[Kerouactivist]

Just curious but, would the taxes be higher because of the price of maintaining shoreline or some other environmental reason etc?

 

[Amplifier]

Originally posted by: bthorny
Just curious but, would the taxes be higher because of the price of maintaining shoreline or some other environmental reason etc?

No, the beaches are public (we donated our beach 30 years ago) and we're responsible for our own walls. There is no environmental reasoning, in fact they have given very little reasoning up to this point.

 

[MonkeyK]

Amp,
Are you saying that your house is assessed at a higher value, or at a higher tax rate?

A higher tax rate would be unfair, especially since it is a higher rate based on an already higher value.

The value of your house should be based on the marketable value. If the value is assessed too high, it can be contested at the county assessor's office.

 

[Tommunist]

Originally posted by: MonkeyK
Amp,
Are you saying that your house is assessed at a higher value, or at a higher tax rate?

A higher tax rate would be unfair, especially since it is a higher rate based on an already higher value.

The value of your house should be based on the marketable value. If the value is assessed too high, it can be contested at the county assessor's office.

he's saying the tax rate could be made to be higher - the value is already higher (as it should be as waterfront property is worth more).

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Infohawk

Originally posted by: sandorski
especially if the OP's point that these Owners have no input into the local Government is true. That sounds like the situation that triggered the American Revolution.

Be careful how far you take that reasoning. We tax foreign corporations all the time. Are we going to let them have a vote because of it? This suggests you can vote in as many places as you own property.

Corporations are not Persons, so that should not apply. In a Sane world anyway.

 

[Amplifier]

Originally posted by: MonkeyK
Amp,
Are you saying that your house is assessed at a higher value, or at a higher tax rate?

A higher tax rate would be unfair, especially since it is a higher rate based on an already higher value.

The value of your house should be based on the marketable value. If the value is assessed too high, it can be contested at the county assessor's office.

You have to understand, this is not a value inspired tax increase (refer to my OP). The tax increases are going up only on waterfront properties with no relation to value.