MY TAKE - THE NATURE OF PROPERTY TAXES (FROM WALLINGFORD written by Mike Brodinsky)

This morning in Record Journal (Sunday October 6, 2013) the FROM WALLINGFORD column addressed “The nature of property taxes” in the op-ed piece that was written by Mike Brodinsky.

I would encourage you to read the whole article as it goes into some detail about just how you property taxes are calculated.

At the same time – it reinforces my argument from my Wallingford Taxes – MYTH and REALITY blog post:

Because of the change in the property values of residential properties being different than the rate of that of the commercial and industrial counterparts the burden has shifted to the residential property owners.

From this morning’s column:

”Using the fiscal year ending 6/30/06 as a base , according to the most recent data available, non-education spending has gone up about 10 percent over the following 6 years. This equates to almost 1.8 percent per year”

So with the revaluation changes from 2005 and the lack of additional growth of the Grand List (no real measure of additional homes, businesses or other developmental growth to add to the tax base) all of that has shifted to the residential homer owners.

Don’t take Mike’s word for it.

Don’t take the word of the Republicans who are trying to spin this “Wallingford is terrific place to live and raise a family. As a result, property taxes have risen slightly, but are still the envy of most towns in the state” (because we’ve risen on average at about 40%).

Don’t take my word for it and the data I have supplied prior.

The Wallingford Tax office is 45 South Main Street, Room #209 and the phone number is 203-294-2135.

Call and ask for your own taxes as paid from before the prior revaluation. If you didn’t live at the property ask for what it was anyway – it is public information.

“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance” is a favorite saying of mine; 20 years of doing things “quaintly” and “old school” have cost the tax payer more money than needed to be spent. It’s one thing if you’re good with that, it is another if you are unaware.

It’s your town, get informed, get involved and VOTE.

More explanation on Wallingford taxes: myth and reality – as offered by one Republican in a Facebook discussion

This is an independent conversation from my prior blog post Wallingford Taxes – MYTH and REALITY (which is what generated Steve Knight’s article in the Record Journal) but as far as I am concerned it only further proves my point

 

Wallingford Taxes – MYTH and REALITY

From the “Contrast in candidates and campaigns: Dickinson-Zandri” article as published in the Record Journal on Sunday July 28, 2013.

“I think if you compare Wallingford with the surrounding area, we’re comparable,” Dickinson said. “We provide a full range of services. I don’t believe taxes have gone up beyond what they’ve gone up in many surrounding communities.”

There’s your first myth “I don’t believe taxes have gone up beyond what they’ve gone up in many surrounding communities”.

Below is your reality.

These are all comparable homes - Bedrooms: 3/4 beds / Bathrooms: 2 baths / Single Family: ABOUT 1,350 SQ FT / Lot: ABOUT 25,000 SQ FT

 

There’s actually a second myth here - “We provide a full range of services”. North Haven’s comparable home that pays about $40.00 more a year in taxes; they have regular curbside trash removal all included in the cost of their taxes and this includes a couple of bulky pick ups during the year. Wallingford residents pay for that out of their pocket.

They also have full day Kindergarten.

Both of those added cost burdens are managed by North Haven at the cost of an additional $40.00 in taxes against this cross section of homes.

For Wallingford to offer those two additional services taxes would need to go up approximately an additional 10%.

 

For a better cross comparison of the Wallingford average let’s take homes of all shapes and sizes – the present addresses of the Town Councilors and the Mayor and the taxes as taken from the Wallingford Tax office:

You do not have to take my word for it – call the tax office yourself and get your own taxes from the prior revaluation (pre 2005) and then compare them with your current taxes.

Knowledge – it’s a wonderful thing.