• Property taxes Property taxes If the purpose of the county government is to provide citizens with accurate and useful information about matters affecting them, that purpose was not served by The Garden Island’s April 6 report on remarks by
• Property taxes
Property taxes
If the purpose of the county government is to provide citizens with accurate and useful information about matters affecting them, that purpose was not served by The Garden Island’s April 6 report on remarks by Michael Tresler, County Director of Finance For example, consider the statement by Tresler that “the tax rate (for the budget in fiscal year 2005-2006) is set by June and that assessment reflects the 2004 numbers.” Can anyone make any sense out of this opaque remark? He goes on to say that there is a $17 million County revenue increase projected for next year and this is “excellent growth.” Is that excellent growth for the taxpayers? Even his numbers seem awry. The mayor is calling for spending of about $22 million more than this year and to meet balanced budget law revenues must also rise $22 million, not $17 million. Perhaps Mr. Tresler is confused by the mayor’s request for $17 million increase in real property tax revenues.
He remarks that assessments for most homeowners doubled from 2004 to 2005 although the Mayor had said assessments on average were up 48 Who do we believe, if anyone? He offered the view that the county had provided $10 million in property tax relief. He did not say to whom such relief was given, over what time period or how he computed it. He then noted that the amount “is considered revenue.” Revenue to whom?
He opined that the property task force was instrumental in taxing buildings at a 3 to 1 ratio to land, a move beneficial to long term land owners. He neglected to say that this recommendation has not been adopted or to whom the move would be detrimental. He noted that real property taxes contributed 754574064f county general fund revenues. Without explaining the portion of the $125 million budget that general funds comprise, the statement is meaningless.
Is it too much to ask that our county officials avoid cryptic and inaccurate comments and instead describe in terms we can understand why our county spending is to rise almost 25this coming year and acknowledge that property taxes rise not because of increases in property values but rather due to rises in government spending?
