Heavy Hitters!

Email Addresses you can use: (Mostly Kanawha County)

vic@vicsprouse.com

epwells@mail.wvnet.edu

dfoster@mail.wvnet.edu

bbrown1@mail.wvnet.edu

hatfield@mail.wvnet.edu

dhiggins@mail.wvnet.edu

cpalumbo@mail.wvnet.edu

delspencer@aol.com

cwebste1@mail.wvnet.edu

Here is the letter I wrote to all the people above:

I'm writing in reference to something much more important than much of the drivel that passes through the legislative session: PROPERTY TAXES!

We (in my area) have once again received our property tax assessment for this coming July. It is on the average, 10% or more for the year. In my case, that's $265. TWO HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE DOLLARS IN A YEAR!

How do you folks in state government expect older people to deal with this? WHY don't we have a program in place like Florida's or California's... where the taxes are basically frozen until the property is sold? As we are one of the oldest states in the Union, why must we be penalized for trying to hold on to our property?

MORE TO THE POINT: WHY are we being forced this increase in property taxes when most of the nation is struggling with the housing bust? I was told that my taxes must go-up due to the selling price of homes around me. But I know for a FACT that many if not most of those homes were sold at highly inflated prices, due to Sub-Prime mortgage loans!
So... some people were stupid enough to pay more for a house than it was worth, simply because cheap shyster money was available... and now I must suffer for it?

Folks, most West Virginians are living on credit cards and are one or two paychecks away from disaster. You know it and I know it. So WHY are we suffering these HUGE tax increases NOW? Do you want the few of us still here to leave also?

Finally: This is a formal request for one of you... anyone, to propose changes to the WV property tax law in order to help protect older homeowners (like Florida and other states have) and help to keep us here. This must be done SOON! We cant wait years! Please take the lead on this issue and we'll support you 100%!

Sincerely

Jerry W



I received a reply from Sen. Eric Wells within minutes:

Hello Jerry,

Thanks for the note. There is discussion of this very issue taking place right now. There is a focus on the easten panhandle because of the rising cost of housing in that part of the state.

The way it would work --- my understanding -- is that property taxes would be frozen at a certain age of the landowner. The taxes would continue to rise, but the landowner would only pay the frozen rate. Upon the sale of the home, the remaining taxes would be owed.

The one concern folks do have is the fact that this is like a death tax that remaining family members have to pay following the liquidation of a person's estate and property.

I'll try to find out where the legislation is.

Erik


The next day I got a reply from Dave Higgins:

Jerry: Thanks for your email. I know the Governor has talked about deferring these taxes and I think that is presently in committee. We will see what comes out of their deliberations. Dave H

wow what good way to screw a new homeowner.

If I read that right the new owners would have to make up the difference in taxes?

I think if we went to something like that there would be a huge drop in home sales. Also would would see a massive differnence in the tax amount paid for identical homes.

think of townhouses in a sub. They are basicly the same in value. how would it be fair to the newlywed couple moving into their first home to pay twice the taxes that a older couple living next door does who have been there years.

I thought you were all about fair taxing.

Assuming that the properties are all assessed at market value the current system is the most fair form of taxing that we have.

There are no loopholes that someone can leagaly slip though. the Only way to get a deduction in taxes is the Homestead. (that works out to about 200-250 bucks a year).

The more your house is worth the more you pay in taxes.

Think about this: Right now, the state took-in 400 MILLION DOLLARS MORE IN TAXES than it needs to run this state. The legislators TODAY, this minute trying to figure out how to blow that money. Either give it BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS WHOM THEY OVERCHARGED... spend it on "whatever"... or put it towards some other debts they have outside of the normal state bills.

Now... add this 10% PLUS in property taxes and you see where I'm going... right?

More importantly: Let's say your family has lived in a modest home in Teays Valley for generations. Your 80 year old mother still lives there alone with little more than Social Security. Utilities are going through the roof. Everything is skyrocketing. The area around her has become a HUGE development for $300,000 homes. Now, the $500 in taxes she WAS paying are $1500 or more. Do you think it's right that she must move at her age.. leave her entire life behind so that wealthy people can have her lot? Or should she be allowed to stay until she dies, and then the property reverts to some "standard" rate?

What I'm saying is ... how many old people are you willing to kick out so that people with money can pay more to the State?

what I am talking about is equal taxing for the same value of property.

Lower the rates if the tax dollars are more than needed.

Make the Homestead a total excemption from taxes.

Your problems are solved without have to tax people unfairly.

I don't see anything unfair here. If I buy a house for $100,000, then my property tax should reflect that (with possible SMALL increases each assessment) until I decide to sell. At that point, the property should reflect the NEW price and new tax level.

This keeps people from being thrown out of their homes as they get older. I mean... they may live in a "shotgun house" or a "Ginny Lind" house that's now taxed at a relative level compared to the new mansions that were built next door. What's fair about that? The last thing an old person needs to worry about is being thrown out of their home, and let's face it... once they die, the property would revert to the going rate anyhow.

We often talk about EMANATE DOMAIN and how it's being abused these days. I see this as just another sneaky form of that for many people.

January 24, 2008

Home Prices Fell in ’07 for First Time in Decades


It was a notable year for the housing industry, and not in a good way.

In 2007, the median price of an American single-family home fell for the first time in at least four decades, according to the National Association of Realtors, a trade group.

Over all, sales of previously owned single-family homes fell 13 percent in 2007, the biggest drop in a quarter-century. Last month alone, home sales dipped 2.2 percent from November, to a 4.89 million annual rate. (The group’s survey excludes newly constructed homes.)

Inventories of single-family homes and condominiums remain elevated, as the housing industry struggles to climb out of its worst downturn since the early 1990s. Though the backlog of unsold homes ticked down slightly in December, at least one economist attributed the drop to discouraged homeowners “pulling their homes off the market in the face of continued weak demand and falling prices.”

Potential home buyers have stayed on the sidelines as they expect prices to drop further in 2008. Economists predict the housing market will not bottom out until the summer, and even then will remain sluggish.

The median price of a previously owned home was off 6 percent last month from December 2006, and sales of condominiums fell 25 percent.

The steepest decline in sales last month came in the Northeast, where sales fell 4.6 percent from November. Prices in the region were down 8.9 percent from December 2006.

Jerry wrote:I don't see anything unfair here. If I buy a house for $100,000, then my property tax should reflect that (with possible SMALL increases each assessment) until I decide to sell. At that point, the property should reflect the NEW price and new tax level.


This keeps people from being thrown out of their homes as they get older. I mean... they may live in a "shotgun house" or a "Ginny Lind" house that's now taxed at a relative level compared to the new mansions that were built next door. What's fair about that? The last thing an old person needs to worry about is being thrown out of their home, and let's face it... once they die, the property would revert to the going rate anyhow.

We often talk about EMANATE DOMAIN and how it's being abused these days. I see this as just another sneaky form of that for many people.

Jerry....

You're really close on this one but you need to get away from the "it's for the old people" whine that is just as annoying and pandering as the "it's for the children" one.

Good ideas should stand or fall on their own.

As I understand your idea...Your tax is your tax based on the amount you paid for the property until you sell it or it otherwise changes hands. Your tax would still fluxuate based on the tax rate or voter approved bond measures but it would still be based upon the initial purchase price?

If so then.....as long as you limited it to your "legal residence" and it reverted to fair market value if you turned it into a rental, retired to live in Florida, or added anyone else to the deed then you've developed a more equitable solution but it should apply to everyone regardless of how old they are.

How would you handle a situation where the owner adds on to their house (perhaps even doubling) their square footage?

2ndly....How would you prevent a wealthy individual from selling their kid a $10 million house for $10,000 as part of an inheritance arrangement?

Let's face it, I'd like to see everyone get the same deal. But at WORST the older people on fixed income cant get a well paying job, or work two jobs etc to pay those outrageous taxes... while younger people can. Younger people can pack up and move at the drop of a hat while old people struggle just to get out of bed.

Improvements are improvements. Better house, more value=more taxes.

As far as inheritance: I dont think the government should get a DAMNED THING that I've worked and saved for and payed taxes on all my life. That is supposed to be MINE, to do with what I want. If you think otherwise, then you're getting fairly close to Communism.

Jerry wrote:As far as inheritance: I dont think the government should get a DAMNED THING that I've worked and saved for and payed taxes on all my life. That is supposed to be MINE, to do with what I want. If you think otherwise, then you're getting fairly close to Communism.

Taxing inheritances is taxing money that has already been taxed. It is unethical.......but yet we continue to vote for congressmen that support taxing inheritances. A disgrace!

Gazette Readers' forum: Jan. 29, 2008


Inflated mortgages raise property tax

Editor:

I am so mad I could bite nails! I just received another property reappraisal from Kanawha County.

I have made no improvements and yet I will have to pay $262 more next year. Why? They say it's due to properties in my neighborhood increasing in value. But why did they increase? Simple:

Those easy mortgage loans that everyone's talking about made it possible for people to pay more than the houses were really worth! Now, those people can barely make their mortgages, but I am being victimized for living in the area.

Like many, I'm on a fixed income that doesn't take much to disrupt.

And the very idea that the county assessor wouldn't understand how hard it is for many of us, and the fact that property values have actually gone down over much of the nation is beyond me.

We here in West Virginia try to hang on the best we can, but it's no wonder that more of us are leaving. When that happens, the dear taxpayer must shoulder the extra burden. We simply can't take much more of this, and I suggest that every person who receives this obscene increase in their property tax contact the assessor's office and County Commission.

Jerry Waters

Charleston

If you truely feel that the assessed value of your home is too high then why dont you take it before the county commission in Feb.

"And the very idea that the county assessor wouldn't understand how hard it is for many of us, and the fact that property values have actually gone down over much of the nation is beyond me. "

The folks who work in the Assessors office DO understand that hard for us. Hell most of them are paided less than you I bet.

you are right though when you say that we dont care what real estate is doing on most of the nation. We are only concerned with Kanawaha county.

I don't understand how people bought houses for more than they were worth unless they put up a large down payment, which I doubt. Mortgage Companies will not loan more than the appraised value. My increase is about the same ($260) and I think it is outrageous because the County obviously has enough income to function (with 800G's to boot.) Plus, they are going to be getting all of this gambling money from the table game issue that they practically pushed down our throats with County endorsements. How about giving the taxpayers, and especially property owners a break? Check back with us when you don't have a ridiculous surplus and maybe we can swallow the pill without choking on it.

Maybe we should ALL show up at the CC meeting.....anyone thought of that? Full blown protest?

JustMike wrote:Mortgage Companies will not loan more than the appraised value.

How in the world could you consider yourself INFORMED and still make a statement like that?

Dont you realize that loaning MORE than the properties were worth AND loaning money to those who couldnt really afford it was the main REASON for the housing bust? It was the same principle as credit card companies who give credit to people who'll never be able to pay them back.