As if Triangle residents don’t have enough to deal with tightening their belts against skyrocketing fuel and food costs, along comes three of the region’s major local governments proposing hefty increases in next year’s property tax rates, including the city of Raleigh, which has unveiled a 15 percent jump that would be the largest in a decade.
What do you think about higher property tax rates proposed by several Triangle local governments?
No way. Salaries for city/state workers have not increased at the rate the city is raising taxes and costs. Gas rates have increase by 44% just in a year, our property taxes increased. as have our water rates.
According to one article, it was cited that Raleigh wants to increase taxes due to rising fuel costs and Raleigh's need to expand city services and move forward on a number of expensive projects.
I'm sorry, but Raleigh representatives need to hold off on the expansion of city services and moving forward on a number of expensive projects until the economy is in better shape and the public have received pay increases that will allow more money to be spent on their basic needs rather than what the city deems as an "important project". We all have budgets we need to work with ... including Raleigh.
The City of Raleigh is already going to get a huge increase in tax revenue from the recent property reevaluations that went up an average of 43%. It is amazing that the Mayor and City Manager want to tack a rate increase on top of that. Most taxpayers expected the rate to go down in consideration of the large increase in reevaluations. Now we hear they want to keep all increased revenue plus hit us with a higher rate. Those that are anxious for "change" aren't waiting until the November election.
A property revaluation alone does not generate a revenue increase. It's the revaluation plus the new property tax levy that determines whether or not a local government will generate more tax revenue.
Revaluation does not automatically increase revenue. The city council still has to adopt a property tax rate, and that will determine whether or not there is an actual revenue increase. In most instances, the local government tries to lower the tax rate to offset the increased value of the property base.
This is indeed what you get when you put socialists in charge of your government, fellow citizens. They just love to sit back and machinate ways to spend your money. They are, truly, dead overhead. Think about it, our Chicken Little mayor, aptly named Meeker, raised holy @#$% about water consumption. Guess what, we all pitched in, did our part, and now water consumption is down 20%, but oh no, now they have to RAISE our water bill because demand is down. Remember the good old days when you had twice a week garbage pick up? The services keep diminishing, the accountability is non-existent, and our brain trust AKA City of Raleigh can think of nothing better to do to help the citizens of our fair city than to raise our taxes!
Raising taxes during an economic downturn is hare-brained. Property taxes rose significantly this year because of the revaluation. Water has gone up. At the same time basic services, such as twice weekly trash collection, were cut. In the mean time, we have a city council that is happy to fund projects that the voters clearly turned down (the new convention center). The tax paying citizens of Raleigh have been hit hard enough. Between rising taxes, fuel costs, and food costs and stagnant wages, we cannot afford to fund any further pet projects. The city council and executives need to remember that the tax payers are the customers, not merely the cash cows. We can move to other areas, thus cutting off their supply of easy money.
I find it interesting that the city, unlike the rest of us that have to cut back on things when our expenses increase, wants to spend more money and then tax us for it. I mean I can't just run to my boss and say "hey can I have a 15% raise so that I can meet my expenses". Why should the city do things any different than we would have to? Higher energy costs have affested all of us. If the city wants to raise additonal revenue they should ask the oil companies, BP and Exxon, for the money. After all, they are the ones with the billion dollar profits! I think it is immoral and irresponsible to raise taxes and add addtional fees on top of what we are already paying to live. There are allot of people out there already struggling. Raising taxes will surely lead to an increase in foreclosures and the need for social services. I my oppinion, City Gov't is clearly out of touch with the people of Raleigh.
The city of Raleigh is making the same mistakes as some of the cities of the northeast. Keep raising taxes and force people into leaving the area. I am recently retired and will have to consider moving into an area that values its citizens for more than just their money.
We have to live within our means. Raleigh should live within its means.
The average property increase for Raleigh after the re-evaluation this year was 40%. If we now RAISE the rate 15%, our actual tax bill will be >50% more this year as compared to last year. That's right folks, not 15% more.
Never has Raleigh done this. After the last valuation and all others Raleigh tax rates were REDUCED to balance the new higher tax values.
Bottom-Line- It is Ok to raise our TAX bill (based on last years bill)15% as a yearly tax rate increase. It is NOT ok to double our tax bill from one year to the next.
Does no one else see this?
taxes
Are you kidding me! More taxes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why don't you just tax us out of town!
Allen says this is neccessary because of a struggling economy, well, increasing taxes will really help with that. I honestly can not believe the stupity of that statement . The people of this town are already being taxed of of their homes, and you want to raise taxes again.
How about a bigger then big NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!