7/5/09

Property Taxes

Homeowners across the country


are challenging their property tax bills in droves


as the value of their homes drop


threatening local governments with another big drain on their budgets


 


If the City of Greensboro projected property tax revenues


to increase from $151,799,771 in 2008-2009


to $155,148,800 in 2009-2010


which comes to about a third of revenues…?


 


The tax appeals and reassessments


present a new budget nightmare for governments


 


…76 percent of large counties


said that falling property tax revenue


was significantly affecting their budgets


 


…officials across the country say there is no question


that the number of appeals has risen from the usual trickle to a flood


 


The recession has already taken a significant toll on states’ budgets


as rising joblessness, a weak business climate


and a drop in consumer demand have cut sharply into receipts


from taxes on sales, personal income and business earnings


 


The pain at the state level


is trickling down to county and local governments


 


The appeals are not just coming from individual homeowners


 


Condominium associations and entire subdivisions


are pushing for new tax assessments


as are companies that own office towers


industrial parks and shopping malls


 


Tax Bill Appeals Take Rising Toll on Governments


Jack Healy


New York Times, July 4, 2009

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