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Old 09-26-2018, 10:36 AM   #26
MAXUM
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Originally Posted by jeffk View Post
My apologies for not being accurate. It is not the taxation that needs to be fair or equal, it is the appraisal process and valuation of individual properties. A town cannot say, "Hey, here's a rich guy's house. Let's triple the valuation so we can tax him more.". The valuation is supposed to approximate actual market value as determined by uniform (across the state) methods.

My point was that I believe putting a property into current use is a state policy and a town cannot deny a property owner that option. I think the adjustment to valuation is also set at the state level. The RSA says the appraisals shall be set at "at valuations based upon the current use values established by the {state} board".

The tax rate is based on the spending of the town spread over the available tax base of property. If a town wants to spend itself into high taxation, that is certainly the right of its residents to decide that.
I'm not terribly familiar with the current use option other than knowing that it is an option and if I understand correctly it is not a no strings attached tax reduction.

First if I understand this correctly - the actual "real" value of the property is still part of the overall assessment just that what is actually paid out is a fraction of the actual current tax rate. At least that is what is indicated in the link I sent out previously.

Second you're not allowed to build on any property that is in a current use state, it is intended to give tax incentive to open and or green space with the caveat that it also has to remain open to public use. I think there may be some wiggle room far as posting the property for certain use such as no hunting but I'm fairly certain you cannot post it with no trespassing signs.

Third - there is a process to plow any property into current use, I am not aware of what that process is and whether or not the town or state has the ability to disapprove. I assume if you have to apply for it there is somebody making a yes or no decision?

The state does mandate all towns re-assess every year so that the valuations are somewhat real time. Before this was established some towns were apparently assessing more often then others and I believe this was pointed out when the whole Clairmont school funding case hit the courts. Some towns cried foul... and part of that was likely because of the redistribution of tax dollars from so called rich towns to so called poor towns.

I find it rather disgusting that some complain about so called "rich" people which is a very relative term trying to establish a fair assessment on their property. Just remember that whatever your worth, there is somebody out there who has less who would consider you to be "rich". The tax system needs to function independent, fair to all no matter what a person's net worth happens to be.
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