Dear Editor,
Tax process is presumptively, fair, yet, not exact science.
The slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving is more obvious.
My slice of residential property value here just went up a proposed 56% in one year… the largest in 15 or 16 years. That compares to 2% in another county.
It’s because I own “seasonal” summer property. Year-round residents who winter south are not “seasonal.”
Tax process starts with valuation set by assessor John Blader’s County office. When values are sufficiently increased, the process not only gives officials wiggle-room but also possible bragging rights... about lower “rates.”
Increased values make lower tax rates possible (per thousand dollars in value). That rate is a composite of public taxing entities – county, city, town, school districts, other districts.
But your bill can still go up, because of… spending.
Tom Waller
Town of Dakota “seasonal” since 2005
