Quote:
Originally Posted by ITD
Taxes go up because politicians and voters (if town meeting) spend more, that's the only reason. Increased property values have little to do with it.
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I would disagree slightly. With no increase in spending, the tax burden in a town can increase for individuals IF their assessment goes up compared to others. This area is prone to this effect because of Lake Winnipesaukee. If lakefront is selling like crazy and prices are up but not property away from the lake, lakefront owners will then be hit with a higher portion of the overall tax bill.
It's actually pretty weird because the tax rate (per thousand) can go DOWN because town costs/total town valuation (up due to lakefront increases) is overall LOWER. The NON lakefront owner who saw little increase in valuation may actually see their total drop a little or stay about the same. The lakefront owner who saw their $1M home increase in value by $100K (10%) will owe more because of that increase, (valuation x per $1K rate).
As stated, the exact amount can vary widely town to town.
I suspect that some town officials know an increase is coming and increase spending a bit to bury it in the overall increases in valuations. When complaints come it they can say "It's because of the increase in lakefront valuations".
As to "taxation without representation", it's a canard. You have a vote where you have your residence. THAT is where you are most impacted by the result of the town & state policies. How would you like it if huge XYZ corporation moved into your town and and "voted" to slash school, police, fire, and road spending to save themselves money? Or all the lakefront owners did the same thing? The voting structure protects the town funding.
No one is forcing you to buy land here or keep the property and the "vote where you reside" rules are the common way to deal with voting rights in most of the country. This is not new; you (or your ancestors) probably knew the way it worked when you bought the property.