Sept 10 Property Tax Meeting

[davidh2]

In preparation for the September 10th meeting to discuss property taxes, I would like to share a few thoughts.

My taxes went up 50% this year. I am surprised and upset. However, I really hope we can stay focused on the real issues at the meeting on Sept 10th. The issue is not the details of the methodology used to approach the revaluation. That is not going to change.

I feel the real question to be asked are as follows:

1. What is up with the 1.2 million of additional funding from property taxes? Why is that a surprise to me. I read in the paper a few months ago that the budget was going to be lower than the previous year. There was no mention of a 20% increase in everyone's taxes. Why wasn't this a front page headline 6 months ago? Why didn't the township send a letter to each resident 6 months ago to warn them?

2. If the township knew that the average bill was going to rise by 20% why did they time a revaluation the same year. This seems to be adding salt to the wound. It seems like poor leadership.

3. Who in the township thinks that a 30, 40 or 50% surprise increase in property taxes is OK? What happened to the caps that were discussed last year?

4. Where is our township leadership?

I will be outraged (but not surprised) if the mayor and the committee members do not attend the meeting on the 10th. These are the planners and decision makers that the community should be outraged with.

[Guest]

The percentage of tax increase is a surprise to me as well. I felt let down by the town leadership. I think your questions deserve answers from the mayor and TC members.

[Jeff M.]

David,

Those are excellent points and I could not agree more.