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I see someone is going to spearhead a campaign to recall Mayor Dave. I will sign the petition. I believe he is out of touch with the average person. He has his own agenda which doesn’t match those of the majority of the people.
Nick – You won’t believe what happened out here in Fitchburg. We were physically re-assessed this year, for the first time in about 8 years. In years past, homeowners received an indexed increase in the value of their homes. I have a modest three bedroom home (25 years old). The assessed value of my home went up 85K dollars this year. Granted, Fitchburg tells us that the mil rate will be reduced, but I am not believing it. I haven’t received my tax bill yet for 2005. My 2004 taxes went up $800 from the year before because I happen to be in the Verona Area school district, and not the Madison school district. I can just about promise you that my taxes will take a huge increase again this year. It would be a blessing to receive a tax bill and see that the taxes have gone down from the previous year.
Marshall
Marshall
That is ridiculous. How do they expect people to be able to afford increases like that. They are pricing people out of living in this state. My taxes didn’t go down much(about $90), but they did go down. I don’t agree with politics in Madison, but they did hold the line this year.
Nick
Well, I am still on pins and needles. Christmas is coming and I haven’t received my tax bill yet. I have no hope that my taxes will go down. If they don’t go up another $1,000 from last year, I will be thankful. And once again, you need to keep in mind that I am talking about a very modest, 25 year old, 3 bedroom ranch house. Hypothetically speaking, if my taxes do go up another $1,000 this year, my tax bill will be $5,800! I think that this is outrageous.
Marshall
We’re no better off in Madison. From what I understand Wisconsin has the highest (or at least one of the highest) tax rates in America today 😯
I didn’t realize Fitchburg was reaccessing this year. Madison has not done that in many years. They must think that money grows on trees. Don’t they realize that most workers have not had decent raises for a number of years.
It was really bizarre the way it worked out.
We received our new assessments on the day that the open review/appeals period was scheduled to end. Fitchburg did extend the period to review the assessments and appeal, but only by a few days. You can only imagine how many people were at the city building waiting to compare their assessments with their neighbors and “comparables”. It appeared to me that it would not be possible to go through the appeal process before the time limits expired.
I know this sounds like a “defeatist” attitude, but I believe any city, be it Fitchburg or anywhere else, can and does use assessments, mil rates, fair market values, etc., to “cook the books” just the way that they want them, so that revenue is generated to pay ever increasing salaries, services, expansions, new school projects, etc. I don’t know that any individual taxpaper can fight city hall and actually come out on top or end up with a satisfactory settlement. I am certain that it could be done with a competent real estate attorney, but who wants to spend the money on an uncertain outcome?
Marshall
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