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gizmo 
Group: Members
Posts: 125
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 30 2006,2:59 pm |
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just recieved my house taxes in the mail ,cant believe they went up again,,they went up 150 dollars more,,,for what this time. can anybody tell me the reason.
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| Post Number: 2
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Replicant
Group: Members
Posts: 1570
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 30 2006,3:17 pm |
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Well the notice of proposed taxes did go out last November or so and nothing changed since then so shouldn't be a surprise.
If you're in the city, about $75 or so of the increase is due to adding back the rain and dark tax that you were paying on the water & sewer bill last year. Part of the property tax instead of a separate fee. It's deductible. 
Of course, if your house's valuation went up, so did your overall property tax too.
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Some drink deeply from the river of knowledge. Others only gargle. - Woody Allen
The problem is not that we have too many fools, it's that the lightning isn't distributed right. - Mark Twain.
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| Post Number: 3
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scorenix
Group: Members
Posts: 1147
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 30 2006,3:50 pm |
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| Quote (Replicant @ Mar. 30 2006,3:17pm) | | If you're in the city, about $75 or so of the increase is due to adding back the rain and dark tax that you were paying on the water & sewer bill last year. |
Well, yes and no. Last year, when they created the two utilities, they kept the revenue in the general fund, then shifted the expenses off to the utilities. When they took the expenses back into the general fund, they also brought with it the new revenue. Then increased it further.
City taxes went up over 20%. So too did the water bill. At the county level, they say they are facing a $700,000 funding reduction due to the Republican Congress deficit cutting bill they passed about a month ago. For a county already strapped and unwilling to face the fact that state and federal governments are CUTTING aid, not restoring aid, it puts further future tax increases an almost sure bet.
But I am sure our county board is up to the task of managing our county budget.
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"Here is something for those who think I have not done much on my own to think about. I must then be one of the luckiest people around, and I think I am, I should then be able to keep that same luck going for the benefit of our area." - New ALEDA Executive Director Dan Dorman.
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| Post Number: 4
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Pretzel Logic
Group: Members
Posts: 392
Joined: Oct. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 30 2006,6:33 pm |
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It always puzzled me that our sewer rates went up because they said since Farmstead was no more that they were not getting the revenue from it any more. One would think that with less water flowing thru to be treated the costs should be less. How is less more? If another wet industry was to locate and use our unused capacity would we see a reduction?
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I stepped up on the platform
The Man gave me the news
He said you must be jokin' son
Where did you get those shoes?
Wally & Don
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| Post Number: 5
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Two Bears
Group: Members
Posts: 527
Joined: May 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 31 2006,1:49 am |
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| Quote (Pretzel Logic @ Mar. 30 2006,6:33pm) | | It always puzzled me that our sewer rates went up because they said since Farmstead was no more that they were not getting the revenue from it any more. One would think that with less water flowing thru to be treated the costs should be less. How is less more? If another wet industry was to locate and use our unused capacity would we see a reduction? |
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VOTE - ADAM AND EVE NOT ADAM AND STEVE
HAVING A LIBERAL ALONG IS LIKE LOSING TWO GOOD MEN
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| Post Number: 6
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Ole1kanobe
Group: Members
Posts: 1360
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Mar. 31 2006,8:40 am |
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| Quote (Pretzel Logic @ Mar. 30 2006,6:33pm) | | It always puzzled me that our sewer rates went up because they said since Farmstead was no more that they were not getting the revenue from it any more. One would think that with less water flowing thru to be treated the costs should be less. How is less more? If another wet industry was to locate and use our unused capacity would we see a reduction? |
Sounds pretty straight for coming from a pretzel.
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The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
-Albert Einstein-
Some of what is said here (myself included) is about as tolerable as listening to someone vacuum a cat.
-nphilbro-
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| Post Number: 7
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The Coach
Group: Members
Posts: 169
Joined: Feb. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 31 2006,9:11 am |
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| Quote (Pretzel Logic @ Mar. 30 2006,6:33pm) | | It always puzzled me that our sewer rates went up because they said since Farmstead was no more that they were not getting the revenue from it any more. One would think that with less water flowing thru to be treated the costs should be less. How is less more? If another wet industry was to locate and use our unused capacity would we see a reduction? |
The problem is, the treatment plant was built for a capacity of X million gallons back when Farmstead was going full tilt. Shortly after it was built, that capacity need went away.
Put in other terms, you've got a 1000 horsepower engine sitting there spinning when you really only need 200 HP right now. Still costs the same amount to keep it spinning, but now you've got less capacity to spread that fixed cost of keeping it running.
That means everyone's bill goes up.
So yes, IF another large wet industry came (remember Sparks said we can make them comfortable, but not high tech firms), then those fixed costs would be spread over a larger base, reducing, or more likely slowing the increase in cost being passed onto residents.
This brings up the question, would I rather have higher paying tech jobs, and maybe a higher sewer bill? Or would I rather see some big wet industry that pays $11 an hour or so jobs, that a family can't survive on, can't buy and improve a house thereby increasing the tax base that helps the whole community? Hmmm....
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I'm The Coach, but don't call me.
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| Post Number: 8
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scorenix
Group: Members
Posts: 1147
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 31 2006,9:31 am |
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Not only did usage decline, but the revenue stream disappeared. Natural Biologics was also a huge user of the sewage system. Right up there and just behind Farmstead. So when they closed, the sewage system took a hit with lost revenue.
Sparks now says getting further companies for JOBZ will be very difficult. I would ask him how, under his vision, does Albert Lea grow in the future when you can no longer nine years of no property taxes, no sales taxes, reductions on income taxes, etc. Of course, his answer will be expansion of JOBZ benefits to area companies, and over the next couple of years, you will see JOBZ benefits handed out to only local companies.
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"Here is something for those who think I have not done much on my own to think about. I must then be one of the luckiest people around, and I think I am, I should then be able to keep that same luck going for the benefit of our area." - New ALEDA Executive Director Dan Dorman.
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| Post Number: 9
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Replicant
Group: Members
Posts: 1570
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 31 2006,12:27 pm |
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| Quote (scorenix @ Mar. 30 2006,3:50pm) | | Well, yes and no. Last year, when they created the two utilities, they kept the revenue in the general fund, then shifted the expenses off to the utilities. When they took the expenses back into the general fund, they also brought with it the new revenue. Then increased it further. |
Smoke and mirrors. In 2005, the city looked like they didn't raise taxes, when in fact they instituted the lighting and storm water utility fees. For this year's taxes they loudly proclaim taxes went up so much because residents wanted the fees taken away, like it's the citizen's fault.
Just curious Scorenix, which way would you prefer the lighting and storm water be handled?
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Some drink deeply from the river of knowledge. Others only gargle. - Woody Allen
The problem is not that we have too many fools, it's that the lightning isn't distributed right. - Mark Twain.
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| Post Number: 10
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Expatriate
Group: Members
Posts: 16954
Joined: Oct. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 31 2006,12:34 pm |
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It's obviously all Clinton's fault... 
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History is no more than the lies agreed upon by the victors.
~NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
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