[Vision2020] candidate questionnaire--responses

Sat Aug 19 07:48:14 PDT 2006

Mark,

  Thanks for the detailed explanation.

  Best,

  _DJA

Mark Solomon <msolomon at moscow.com> wrote:    Re: [Vision2020] candidate  questionnaire--responses  Hi Donovan,

  What  you may be referring to is a prohibition on raising user fees more than  5% without a public hearing. This item is on Monday's Council agenda:

  3.       Public Hearing - City User Fee Increases Over 5% - Don  Palmer
  Staff  prepared the proposed FY 2006-2007 Fee Resolution.  According to  Idaho law, a public hearing must be held if individual fee increases  exceed 5% of the fees in the previous year.  The FY 2007 budget  proposal is based on this Resolution.  Increases of 5% or greater  include:  water, sewer and sanitation utility fees; all new  Community Development fees; engineering fees; most license fees;  Farmers' Market fees; and all Parks and Recreation's existing, new and  special program fees as detailed on the Resolution.

  ACTION:  Approve the  Resolution; reject the Resolution; or take such other action deemed  appropriate.

  And  you're right: If you live in a $300,000 house you are taxed on less  than that due to the homeowner's exemption, now raised to the first  $75,000 of value or 50% whichever is lesser. So, the owner of a  $300,000 owner-occupied house would pay taxes on $225,000 of value.

  Mark

  At 12:56 PM -0700 8/18/06, Donovan Arnold wrote:
  Thanks Mark,

  I am sure you are correct on most of the information. However, I have  been told by a very reliable source that City governments in Idaho are  not allowed to raise their total budgets by more than 5% regardless of  funding. That 5% does not count schools however, which have their own  line. I know nothing about the 3%, which as I under stand is a  different rule. I am also not sure if the same rule for city  restrictions apply exactly the same for county governments regarding  taxing rates.

 I also know that a person who could sell their  house for $300,000 in Moscow will not be paying taxes for a $300,000,  far from it.

 I do agree with a cap on how much you raise  property taxes in any given year. Your explanation regarding how  property taxes could rise quickly in just one year does make sense.

  Best,

  _DJA

  Mark Solomon <msolomon at moscow.com> wrote:
  Re: [Vision2020] candidate  questionnaire--responses  Donovan,  
  You've  made a mistake quite common in the discussion of assessed valuation and  property taxes. While they are definitely related, raising assessed  valuation (which is required by law to be at market value: read about  what's been going on in Bonner County...) does not automatically raise  property taxes. Taxes are based on a local governing district's budget  levy, set after public hearing by locally elected officials, and  restricted, by law, to not go up more than 3% annually. For clarity: it  is the levy rate that can not rise more than 3%, not budgets.  
  So, yes, an individual's property taxes could rise  significantly IF:  

   the assessed valuation in a neighborhood or taxing district rose  due to market values generally increasing; AND  
   the  taxing district (city, county, library, highway, school, etc or any  combination thereof) raised its levy rate the full 3% allowed by law.

  Practically  speaking, it's the school district, followed distantly by the county  and the city that make up the bulk of our local property taxes. Bonds  such as the one for the Moscow Aquatic Center, approved by the voters  for public infrastructure, are the other major property tax component.  The City relies primarily on user fees (water, sewer, etc) for funding  city government.  
  Mark  
  At 3:55 PM -0700 8/17/06, Donovan Arnold wrote:
  This  assessor question is built on a false premise. Property values are not  based on real market values, and thank God they are not, otherwise  people would be paying about 4x as much in taxes. Properties are more  assessed based on what the expenditures of the city/county are and the  value of a home( about 1/2 real market value - 50% for property owners  on their first home). Local governments can only raise their budgets 5%  a year, not counting the school district which is separate, so they  couldn't legally raise it to market value anyway, well, at least not  and be within state law.  
  Best,

  _DJA

  Bruce Livingston <livi at turbonet.com> wrote:
  I am fine with both of these questions. BDL

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Art Deco"
  To: "Chasuk" ; "Jennifer McFarland"

  Cc: "Bill London" ; "Bruce Livingston"
  ; "Donovan Arnold" ;
  "Barrett Schroeder" ; "Vision 2020"

  Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 8:32 AM
  Subject: Re: candidate questionnaire--responses

  > Perhaps we still need work.
  >
  > In deference to Bruce's suggestion of a general question for the  "minor"
  > candidates, perhaps a very specific one for each office might be  in order:
  >
  > Examples:
  >
  > Assessor candidates: What procedures should be followed to insure  that
  > the assessed value of all properties is as close as possible to  their real
  > market value?
  >
  > Coroner candidates: What procedures should be followed in the  event of an
  > unattended death or a death where there is even some slight  probability of
  > criminal activity?
  >
  > Asking specific office related questions may provide a better  insight into
  > a candidates viability.
  >
  > W.
  > ----- Original Message -----
  > From: "Chasuk"
  > To: "Jennifer McFarland"
  > Cc: "Bill London" ; "Bruce Livingston"
  > ; "Donovan Arnold" ;
  > "Barrett Schroeder" ; "Art Deco aka W.  Fox"
  >
  > Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 10:54 PM
  > Subject: Re: candidate questionnaire--responses
  >
  >
  >> On 8/15/06, Jennifer McFarland wrote:
  >>
  >>> If we're all part of a committee to decide which  questions to ask,
  >>> shouldn't
  >>> we all have input into which people are asked questions  as well?
  >>
  >> Barrett has indicated that he doesn't consider himself a  member of
  >> this committee, so that excludes him, but I suggest that we  take an
  >> "aye" or "nay" vote on this matter to get  it out of the way.
  >>
  >> Since it is my suggestion, I'll start the ball rolling. I  don't
    >> really care what a coroner's opinion is about  anything. I care that
  >> he performs his job professionally, and I cannot personally  conceive
  >> of any questions that I might ask that would help me make  that
  >> determination.
  >>
  >> Of course, maybe we should split this into two issues:
  >>
  >> 1. Are you happy with Bill London's list of candidates?
  >>
  >> 2. Are you happy with Bill London's proposed questions?
  >>
  >> I vote "aye" in both instances.
  >>
  >> Everyone else, please respond ONLY this divisive issue.
  >>
  >> Cheers,
  >>
  >> Chas
  >>
  >
  >

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