Taxed Enough??
Is money tight in your household? Are you paying more than your fair share?
Sick of financing James Wettlaufer’s and Earl Johnson’s frivolous law suits?
Are you thinking about filing for Abatement?
If so, I have useful information for you,
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Comments:
Posted on 4 Jan 2011, 17:49 by Someone who knowsThe way it is
Peter, values can go down as low as they will however the tax RATE WILL GO UP! Towns are always going to collect the same money as the previous year plus new a 2.5% increase and new growth. This is just the way of the DOR in the Comm of Mass. So, if your house WAS worth $ 200,000.00 and the tax rate was $ 10,00 per thousand, you paid $ 2,000.00 in taxes. This year with no changes in growth or town basis, your tax bill IS going to be $ 2,050.00, If your house is worth only $ 100,000.00 your new tax rate will be $ 20.05! It's that simple!
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Posted on 4 Jan 2011, 24:35 by Peter Frei
Good Explanation..
To “Someone who knows:”
Thanks for your comment. Your comment does, with simple words, explain the notion that the Government is not obligated to lend a helping hand during hard times, and the people just have to figure out how they make ends meet with less or loose their house. Nothing new there...
However, your comment does over simplify the issue. If a town would only entail one residence it would be that simple.
I will stay with your example to keep it simple; the Browns and the Nobels house WAS worth $200,000, so was the Freis house.
Despite the fact that bad times depress house prices, the Nobels finish their basement and the Freis add a garage with no living space.
The assessments of all three houses are adjusted down to $100,000; the Freis garage is assessed as a finished building with heat and one bedroom with a value of $130,000 (Frei only spent $42,000 on the building and the building is just an empty shell without plumbing and electrical installation).
The Nobels have no reasons to apply for abatement as they do not pay their fair share, they don’t pay for their finished basement.
The Browns with their unfinished basement pay too much as they pay part of what all others with finished basements pay too little.
The Freis pay too much because the Johnsons are not very fond of the Freis and punish them with excessive taxes, (the Johnsons patriarch is a member of the Board of Assessors.)
I believe I proved back in February 2008, that I have a thorough understanding of tax issues when I mailed a flyer to every registered voter in Holland. (Click on flyer to read it!
Since then, James Wettlaufer is no longer very fond of the Freis’ either.
I’m fully aware that the increase in tax rate is a reflection of the decline of house values. The tax rate for FY2010 set by the commissioner on November 3, 2009 was $13.21. This years rate at $14,58 is an increase of 10.37%.
(I will write more about the “finished basement” issue in a future post.)
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Posted on 5 Jan 2011, 6:43 by Someone who knows
The way it is
Peter; Again, you are right however the Assessor has more to look at than just the individual houses. First there is classification of property, the over all area of the town where the building being classified in, arms length sale prices, (not reflective of dustressed sales or bank sales), and numerous other things. As you said there are plenty of politics in your town to keep the folks nontrusting of the systems or the people who work within them, however my overly simple explanation is still quite simple.
One thing you have to also inform your readers of is that the Board of Assessors may DENY a request for an abatement based solely on the fact that THEY don't feel it is justifiable!
No matter the condition of ones house, the land in which it sits is typically valued at a rate of "X" no matter then the improvements, (buikdings) receive a value of "Y".
House, square footage, decks, garages, sheds, pools, pavement, landscape, upgrades {known by permits obtained}, and many other factors go in to providing a value on ones property. It is amazing if you look at how your tax value is actually calculated.
Your comment about the government not helping the little guy is kind of off base. If the taxes are not collected then vital services can not be paid for. By taxing the residents Police, Fire, Ambulance, Plowing and all other services are able to be provided to/for the little guy. It's a real catch 22!
Of course we could debate the property tax, (which is the most intrusive tax paid by all Americans), which I prefer to call a jealousy tax. until the cows come home. I figure if you own an acre of land in zone 1 and I own an acre of land in zone 1, and you build a beautiful well maintained 3000 suare foot home on yours and I place a trailer on mine, we should both pay the same tax based solely on the land! You paid for your beautiful surroundings, I chose not to! I receive the same services as you. Why should you pay more?
Of course we could then discuss local aid, chapter 70 money, chapter 90 money, collective bargaining, public employee retirements, the huge vacation, sick, holiday and person time given to public employees and the whole gambit, but that would just take to much time and I kinda suck at typing!
Have a great day!
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Posted on 5 Jan 2011, 7:27 by Judgement Day
Corruption
If I had to sit in Judgement of Man it really would not be too hard. The line leading to punishment would consist of all Government Officials, Law Enforcement personnel, Lawyers, Bankers, Insurance workers, Union Teachers and other Union Rank and File, . Just the fact that you work in one of the above vocations is enough to earn you a place in the line to damnnation. The world would be a much better place without the above blood sucking maggots.
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Posted on 5 Jan 2011, 17:22 by Peter Frei
Another good Explanation..
To “Someone who knows:”
Thanks again for your comment, your typing does NOT "suck" at all!
Two things, I believe that if you are about to loose your house you don't care whether the road in front of your house is plowed or not.
If two parties own each a 1 acre lot in the same neighborhood, they should not be paying the same based on the size of the lot, regardless of the size of the house.
A 3,000 sf house will probably have at least 4 bedrooms and as many full bathrooms. The inhabitants of such a home will likely consum (combined) more services than the inhabitants of a small trailer.
It seems to me that you, "someone who knows" does know about tax issues.
I think we can agree on the fact that property taxes assessed by a Board who has a corrupt member (who is a close friend of convict Kevin Gleason) like Earl Johnson is disconcerting. Assessments made by a board with Earl Johnson as a member are prone to be arbitrary and capricious and will lead to costly litigation paid for by the tax payer.
In one of my future posts, I will prove the case that just one of Earl Johnson's misdeeds to the town will cost the taxpayer at least $21,870.00 every year and this indefinitely!!
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Posted on 5 Jan 2011, 17:40 by Peter Frei
Question..
To, "Someone who knows,"
I forgot to ask whether I'm right with my assumption that the town actually looses any funds which are not collectible as taxes, or need to be refunded if the ATB is to grant an abatement application?
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Posted on 5 Jan 2011, 21:35 by Someone who knows
The way it is
Hey Peter; In so far as the 3000 sq ft house vrs. the 1000 sq ft house using more services, I have to question your opinion. In reality many of your smaller "starter homes" utilize more services than those who reside in step up housing. Of course the services of which I speak are "School" related since ambulance, fire, police, dpw, elderly, selectboard, library really are not impacted by the size of ones house. the jealousy tax as I refered to it is as simple as I've stated, IF YOU MAKE THE IMPROVEMNENTS THEN YOU MUST BE ABLE TO PAY. That really does suck.
By being an avid reader of your blog, I agree with your comments about Earl J and the "KINGDOME" he has created for himself in your town. I am truly glad I do not reside in Holland. I do wish you and yours could mobilize a force that would/could remove this individual from power. it can be done.
In so far as your assumption goes whereas the town loses the money abated, you are correct. However what you need to realize is that abatements account for such a minimal amount that...
Don't forget that any monies granted to elderly for tax breaks (Circuit Breaker) isbasically made up by the remaining tax base of your community. It's unfortunate that the elderly are typically suplimented by the working stiffs who are trying to raise a family and just keep up.
Peter we could converse on the subject of taxes and taxation forever and a day. Unfortunately towns are having to become extremely diligent in making sure it provides it's residents with services through money raised within the levy since local aid (Unrestricted free cash, Chapter 70, Library and Chapter 90 monies), is an item that keeps getting hit by our folks in Boston. If you read yesterdays T&G, our Governor said that in order to make up the $ 1.5 Billion shortfall that "cuts will have to be made and it looks like nothing can escape this" was his way of saying, "Hey cities and towns, watch your cherry sheets"!
The solutions are simple, the problem is that nobody who is elected is willing to do what it takes to get it done.
Have a great night!
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Posted on 28 Jan 2011, 17:29 by Peter Frei
Message for selectman Petersen
Hi Mr. Petersen, you are a member of the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers.
However, it is difficult to confirm that you ARE a member because they have your name spelled wrong, you are on record with the spelling "Peterson."
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Posted on 31 Jan 2011, 11:45 by Peter Frei
Deadline Tomorrow!
Tomorrow is the last day you can file for an abatement.
I will post more about tax issues and my abatement-filing experience in the future.
If you can't make it to the town hall, print it out and mail it postmarked no later than tomorrow. Mail it with a certificate of mailing or return receipt. These abatement applications get lost frequently, beware!
I will also file my applications for abatements today.
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