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Old 03-01-2021, 12:35 PM   #8
MAXUM
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Originally Posted by Descant View Post
I continue to be amazed by the apparent widespread misconception that assessors have anything to do with setting the tax rate or the level of community spending. That's up to the voters. If you aren't a voter, as in you operate a local manufacturing plant valued at $20MM, you don't get to vote. If you own waterfront property and can't vote, you are part of the local "industry" industrial tax base. Suck it up and stop whining.

If you're lucky enough to own Winnipesaukee waterfront, you're lucky enough.
On the other hand.....

Assessments dictate what portion of that burden you are responsible for paying. Therefore if for example during a re-assessment cycle water front properties average an increase of 20% while a typical residential property increases at say 5% that equates to a 15% shift of burden. Yes the tax rate is set based on the town budget and goes up at a fixed rate increase, but don't ignore the fact that shift occurred via the assessment process. Worst of all as you point out many of these properties are owned by non-residents so like a business, they are unable to have a voice in how the town spends the tax money they are responsible for paying.

To suggest that those that are "lucky enough" to own something such as waterfront is dubious, guy like myself, and there are plenty like me worked my can off to get what I have and scrimped and saved to do it. Suck it up? Really? I think "thank you" is more appropriate for subsidizing all the stupidly expensive town projects that I am forced to pay for, had no say in their approval, and frankly reap little to no benefit from. What do I get as an island owner from the town? Nothing.

That's not to say that everyone has a vested interest in appropriately funding the town, but to target businesses and prime property owners as cash registers is fundamentally gross in my humble opinion. If everyone in town was hit with a 20% increase in tax burden I bet full time residents might be a little more frugal at the ballot box. Why don't the full time residents "suck it up" for a change and stop whining about senior centers, DPW buildings and library expansions? Just sayin!
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