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<DIV>I'm not a tax expert, but I believe that properties are assessed every 3
years. If the assessment is over a certain percentage or $ amount it is phased
in over the 3 years, so it seems as if your assessment is going up every year
but they are actually giving you a break by drawing it out over 3 years.
If that makes any sense. You can go read about that on the website that
Marc mentioned below. Audrey</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 7/23/2009 4:39:01 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
Sherene.McDougall@ngc.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=714323520-23072009>I checked my taxes and
am curious as to how the assessed values for land and improvements increased
each year even though I didn't do any improvements to the property until
2008. Any inputs? Thanks.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=714323520-23072009></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN
class=714323520-23072009>Sherene</SPAN></DIV><BR>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
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<FONT face=Tahoma><B>From:</B> towntalk-bounces@riverdale-park.org
[mailto:towntalk-bounces@riverdale-park.org] <B>On Behalf Of
</B>ABragg7393@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, July 23, 2009 4:26
PM<BR><B>To:</B> mmolino54@hotmail.com;
towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RP TownTalk]
taxes<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000>
<DIV>Hi Marc, I might have some insight. Years ago properties were
not assessed at fair market value, that's why the assessment was different
than what a property sold for. It was a percentage. Then the
county decided to assess with fair market value criteria. That's why you
see a difference in the older years compared to now as far as assessments go.
</DIV>
<DIV>I still don't know what the solid waste is. (We are paying town tax for
our waste products and it is supposed to be included in the town tax.)</DIV>
<DIV>Now you don't have to go to Montgomery County to compare solid waste
service charge. Just compare an area outside of Riverdale Park that is
not incorporated. (Riverdale Heights)</DIV>
<DIV>The county picks up their trash and it is a fee on their tax bill.
Usually about 300+ dollars.</DIV>
<DIV>However if you look at properties in Riverdale Heights and compare their
assessments and taxes with ours, what a difference:</DIV>
<DIV>I did a few:</DIV>
<DIV>Assessment $355,510 Taxes $2026</DIV>
<DIV>Assessment $298,000 Taxes $2891</DIV>
<DIV>Assessment $337000 Taxes $3228</DIV>
<DIV>Assessment $380000 Taxes $3519</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We pay higher taxes for living in our charming incorporated town.</DIV>
<DIV>Somewhere in there is a credit for trash pickup since the town does it
and it is part of the town taxes that we pay. The other areas (Riverdale
Heights, Riverdale Hills, etc.) do not pay the town tax.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Being in Real Estate it is getting harder and harder to convince people
to live in our county since they get lower taxes in DC and Montgomery
County. Soon as they see the taxes they ask why so high. For some
reason I can't come up with a good answer and saying "Oh the services are so
much better" just doesn't ring true for me.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Audrey</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 7/23/2009 3:40:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
mmolino54@hotmail.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Verdana color=#000000>Our solid
waste service charge was $90 for the two years before we moved in, dropped
to $70 for the next 6 years, and is (like yours), now at $78.<BR> <BR>I
checked some other counties for their solid waste service
charge:<BR>Montgomery county: $210<BR>Howard County: $225 (although I'm not
sure this was the same service as it was listed separately as "trash
pickup")<BR> <BR>-Marc<BR> <BR>> Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009
15:35:25 -0400<BR>> Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] taxes<BR>> From:
dwightrholmes@gmail.com<BR>> To: mmolino54@hotmail.com<BR>> CC:
towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>> <BR>> thanks for the link, Marc. I
can see that, at least in our case, while<BR>> our bill has gone up
substantially every year, the increase almost<BR>> nothing to do with the
Solid Waste Service Charge. That charge has<BR>> been on there every year
and has increased from $71 to $78 in the 3<BR>> years we've been in the
house.<BR>> <BR>> On Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 2:23 PM, Marc
Molino<mmolino54@hotmail.com> wrote:<BR>> > If you need/want to
compare your (or even your neighbor's) current<BR>> > assessment,
taxes, and solid waste service charge with amounts in past<BR>> >
years, you can access this info pretty easily here:<BR>> >
http://tax-acct-info.princegeorgescountymd.gov/PropertyTaxes/<BR>>
><BR>> > We've been in RP for 8 years now and for the first 6
years, our property<BR>> > assessment seemed underestimated by
anywhere from $20-$100K given the market<BR>> > value of comparable
homes in our neighborhood. This year it seems about<BR>> > $10-$30K
overestimated given sales of comparable homes (not including
short<BR>> > sales and foreclosures). Honestly, I don't know how I
feel about it--should<BR>> > I have been paying more for those first 6
years? Does it all wash out in the<BR>> > end? Does the Homestead Tax
Credit provide a buffer that makes my taxes<BR>> > actually relate to
the real value of my home?<BR>> ><BR>> > >From 2004 to 2007,
our total tax bill increased by $100.<BR>> > >From 2007 to
2010, our total tax bill increased by $960.<BR>> > So, we went
from about a bump of $30 every year to about $300 more<BR>> >
every year. Seems steep.<BR>> ><BR>> > -Marc<BR>>
><BR>> >> Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:08:03 -0400<BR>> >>
From: dwightrholmes@gmail.com<BR>> >> To:
bruce.wernek@mindspring.com<BR>> >> CC: ABragg7393@aol.com;
towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>> >> Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk]
taxes<BR>> >><BR>> >> Bruce - that link is for the
non-residential version called 'system<BR>> >> benefit
charge'.<BR>> >><BR>> >> "What is the SBC?<BR>>
>><BR>> >> The SBC is a fee paid by all non-residential
property owners in Prince<BR>> >> George's County that will help
provide funding for building and<BR>> >> maintaining waste disposal
systems. The SBC is a service charge and<BR>> >> not a tax, and
therefore also applies to establishments located on<BR>> >>
tax-exempt land."<BR>> >><BR>> >> I assume the comparable
information for the residential version is on<BR>> >> the web there
somewhere but i didn't see it in a very quick<BR>> >>
look-see...<BR>> >><BR>> >><BR>> >> On Thu, Jul
23, 2009 at 1:00 PM, <bruce.wernek@mindspring.com> wrote:<BR>>
>> > Audrey<BR>> >> ><BR>> >> ><BR>>
>> ><BR>> >> > I've already called the county and got
the skinny. You can get more<BR>> >> > info in<BR>>
>> > the following link<BR>> >> ><BR>> >>
><BR>> >> ><BR>> >> >
"www.pgc-systembenefit.com"<BR>> >> ><BR>> >>
><BR>> >> ><BR>> >> > under "sbc". I talked
to Mr Wright at (301) 952-7609 who works in the<BR>> >> >
environmental division of PG county and he told me this charge pays
for<BR>> >> > things like "digging the hole" at the dump (I
wonder what the money<BR>> >> > collected from the citizens,
businesses, and trash trucks for disposal<BR>> >> > at<BR>>
>> > the dump is used for). I asked Mr
Wright why I was never billed for<BR>> >> > this in<BR>>
>> > the past and he said I probably just fell through the
cracks.<BR>> >> > Apparently,<BR>> >> > there are
quite a few people who "fell through the crack".<BR>> >>
><BR>> >> ><BR>> >> ><BR>> >> > This
"Solid Waste Service Charge" has no business being on my tax bill<BR>>
>> > since<BR>> >> > it is not a tax. I'm very
concerned about this since the county could<BR>> >> >
put<BR>> >> > any amount on my tax bill and label is a "you name
it service charge"<BR>> >> > essentially increasing my property
taxes without any restrictions. If I<BR>> >> > recall PG
county tried to raise property taxes, but their request was<BR>> >>
> denied<BR>> >> > by the state. It's interesting to
note the timing of this new "Solid<BR>> >> > Waste<BR>>
>> > Service Charge". I intend to go through whatever process
to refute this<BR>> >> > charge with the county. I intend
on calling the Treasury this afternoon<BR>> >> > to<BR>>
>> > get more information.<BR>> >> ><BR>> >>
><BR>> >> ><BR>> >> > I encourage all of our
readers to do the same. From where I stand, this<BR>> >>
> is<BR>> >> > charge is carte blanche for PG county to
increase property tax without<BR>> >> > having to answer to the
state.<BR>> >> ><BR>> >> ><BR>> >>
><BR>> >> > Bruce<BR>> >> ><BR>> >>
><BR>> >> > -----Original Message-----<BR>> >> >
From: ABragg7393@aol.com<BR>> >> > Sent: Jul 23, 2009 8:38
AM<BR>> >> > To: towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>> >>
> Subject: [RP TownTalk] taxes<BR>> >> ><BR>> >>
> The property tax bills just came out. I heard there was some buzz
on<BR>> >> > the<BR>> >> > Hyattsville list serve,
but don't see anything here on our list serve.<BR>> >> >
Is<BR>> >> > everyone happy with their bills and
assessments? I have a question and<BR>> >> > calls to the
treasury office don't produce an answer. We seem to have a<BR>>
>> > new<BR>> >> > charge on our taxes for "Solid Waste
Disposal". does anyone know what<BR>> >> > that<BR>>
>> > is? I think my taxes are outrageous. Does
anyone else have a problem?<BR>> >> ><BR>> >> >
_______________________________________________<BR>> >> >
TownTalk mailing list<BR>> >> > To post to the list, send mail
to TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>> >> >
TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription<BR>>
>> > processing<BR>> >> > only<BR>> >> >
http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk<BR>> >>
><BR>> >> > For more information about Riverdale Park,
visit<BR>> >> > http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info<BR>> >>
><BR>> >> ><BR>> >><BR>> >><BR>>
>><BR>> >> --<BR>> >> "A poorly designed and
insufficient stimulus means that the downturn<BR>> >> will last
longer, the recovery will be slower and there will be more<BR>> >>
innocent victims." --Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel laureate.<BR>> >>
"There's an overwhelming economic case for more stimulus. But as a<BR>>
>> political matter it's going to be harder, not easier, to get
that<BR>> >> extra stimulus now than it would have been to get the
plan right in<BR>> >> the first place.” --Paul Krugman, Nobel
laureate.<BR>> >>
_______________________________________________<BR>> >> TownTalk
mailing list<BR>> >> To post to the list, send mail to
TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>> >>
TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription<BR>>
>> processing only<BR>> >>
http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk<BR>> >><BR>>
>> For more information about Riverdale Park, visit<BR>> >>
http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info<BR>> ><BR>> >
________________________________<BR>> > Bing™ brings you maps, menus,
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_______________________________________________<BR>> > TownTalk
mailing list<BR>> > To post to the list, send mail to
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is for automated subscription processing<BR>> > only<BR>> >
http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk<BR>> ><BR>>
> For more information about Riverdale Park, visit<BR>> >
http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> <BR>>
<BR>> <BR>> -- <BR>> "A poorly designed and insufficient stimulus
means that the downturn<BR>> will last longer, the recovery will be
slower and there will be more<BR>> innocent victims." --Joseph Stiglitz,
Nobel laureate.<BR>> "There's an overwhelming economic case for more
stimulus. But as a<BR>> political matter it's going to be harder, not
easier, to get that<BR>> extra stimulus now than it would have been to
get the plan right in<BR>> the first place.” --Paul Krugman, Nobel
laureate.<BR><BR>
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