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  1. #1
    Senior Member AirborneSapper7's Avatar
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    'Lower taxes now,' outraged property owners say

    'Lower taxes now,' outraged property owners say

    Proposed tax notices in Broward, Miami-Dade stir wave of protest, with homeowners taking to the streets Thursday and thousands of others calling property appraisers' offices

    Miami (Miami-Dade, Florida)
    By Amy Sherman, Vytenis Didziulis and Charles Rabin The Miami Herald
    7:06 p.m. EDT, August 27, 2009

    The proposed tax notices arriving in mailboxes in Miami-Dade and Broward counties in recent days have stirred a wave of protest, with homeowners taking to the streets Thursday and others dialing their property appraisers' offices by the thousands.

    Many homeowners, already feeling pressure from high unemployment, a tumbling stock market and dwindling property values, were angry when they opened their TRIM -- Truth In Millage -- notices to find a property tax increase awaiting them, too.

    "They are going berserk," said Charlotte Greenbarg, a Hollywood resident and president of the Broward Coalition, which represents homeowners and condo owners. "People are absolutely flipping out."

    What's making them flip: Some jurisdictions are raising the tax rate considerably. Many cities are doing so to make up for lost revenue from nosediving property values.

    Broward Property Appraiser Lori Parrish and her staff are more determined than ever to make clear to everyone that she's not the one raising tax rates. Parrish revamped the main page of her website in response to an initial flurry of calls. In bolded, 24-point yellow type against a black background, she's added: "If you are upset about the proposed tax rates and fee increases, Property Appraiser Lori Parrish does not set any of your tax rates or fees."

    Twenty-six of 31 cities, as well as Broward County government, both hospital districts and the local children's services agency, are looking at raising tax rates and fees on property owners this year. Rates in five cities -- Pembroke Pines, Weston, West Park, Miramar and Hillsboro Beach -- could jump more than 25 percent. Eighteen communities also are considering charging property owners more for fire protection next year.

    Miami-Dade homeowners are also facing higher tax bills, some $150 more for a homesteaded property valued at $164,000.

    But those figures are essentially worst-case scenarios, as several jurisdictions will likely lower the rates in September.

    Residents aren't waiting to see if their elected officials lower the bill. Many are speaking out already.

    Thursday afternoon, a group calling itself Fair Property Tax For All coordinated a series of protests at three sites in Miami-Dade.

    At one rally on South Dixie Highway and Southwest 27th Avenue, about two dozen people held up signs that read "High property taxes destroy jobs" while chanting, "Lower taxes now."

    The protests were timely: By Thursday, most of Miami-Dade's homeowners had received their TRIM notices in the mail -- early property tax slips that provide a preview of what the final tax bill may be.

    Many homeowners saw their homes dropping in value, but their taxes going up.

    In Broward, the property appraiser's office has received more than 14,000 phone calls and in-person visits since Aug. 17, when notices started to hit mailboxes.

    John Murphy, a Miramar homeowner and retired Air Force medic, said he went ''ballistic'' when he received his tax bill, which calls for about $180 more than last year.

    "The first thing I noticed was Miramar City Hall went through the roof," Murphy said, referring to the city's nearly 26 percent proposed tax rate increase. "This entire county is completely insane with spending money. They are worse than Congress."

    Miramar City Commissioner Troy Samuels said the city is exploring shuttering City Hall one day a week to save money, among other changes to lower the proposed rate.

    Whether a property owner's bill rises or falls depends in large part on when the purchase was made, along with varying tax rates set by different cities, counties and school boards.

    Residents who bought well before 2006 are seeing a larger increase in their bill, as opposed to people who bought at the height of the market and saw huge drops in their property values this year. Some who bought during the boom will see a lower tax bill.

    After mandated public hearings, all property tax rates must be set by the end of September.

    Staff Writer Scott Wyman contributed to this report.

    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... 4776.story
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  2. #2
    Senior Member miguelina's Avatar
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    Yep, my mom's town got a whopping property tax increase too. 60% of the properties are owned by slumlords and visibly overcrowded. 97% of the kids in the schools are on free lunch programs. Who's paying for that?

    100% of those school children come from "low" income families, even tho these same "low" income families drive late-model SUVS/Vans and the kids all have ipods and cell phones.

    This town is known as the toilet of the county and its laughingstock, totally ineffective and clueless mayor and town council. Political correctness run amok.

    In one of the wealthiest counties in the state, no one wants to live in this town. Absentee landlords are the only ones willing to buy properties for pennies on the dollar and renting them out. Overcrowding ordinances are ignored and it's widespread. Illegal aliens know there is no enforcement and so do the landlords. Peeing in the streets is a common sight.

    The nightmare this town has become is sad. Who's paying for it?
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    "

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