City Council voted last night to cut the real estate tax rate down to $1.00, the lowest that it’s been in some years, John Yellig reports in today’s Daily Progress. That cut is a result of skyrocketing assessment rates, requiring lower tax rates in order to maintain (or increase) income for the city. Even with the cut, there will still be an effective tax increase for most residents.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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This is excellent news, though as noted it is STILL a tax increase. Any word from the county, or are they still trying to fly under the radar? Perhaps they will, since this isn’t a reappraisal year.
The county is holding a public hearing on its budget tomorrow (Wednesday) night.
<Daffy Duck Voice>
Hooray!! I’m rich, I’m rich, I’m fabulously wealthy!!
</Daffy Duck Voice>
A-HA!
CVilletransplant is former Channel 29 reporter Joe Holden and MAnny Ortez is current 29 reporter Paul Merrill.
Big Al, technically it’s a revenue increase, not a tax increase, though, yes, at the end of the day, the bill is still bigger – a distinction without a difference. I honestly think the city anticipates a bubble pop here in good ole c’ville…and when that happens, they want this in place to decrease pressure for downward assessments. I also think it’s good to move the city and county rates towards each other.
Actually, cville_libertarian, Big_Al is right here. Sure the rate is down, but if it’s not lowered to the point at which rate reduction multiplied by the new assessments equals what I payed before the new assessments, then my taxes have been raised (unless I’m paying less, in which case my taxes have been lowered). In other words, no matter what happens to the rate, if I’m paying more because of higher assessments, my taxes have gone up…and until localities lower the rate to the break even point, they’re raising my taxes.
cvillenewser – we’re all saying the same thing. A tax hike, IMHO, implies a rate increase. An assessment increase is not a tax increase.
As I said, “yes, at the end of the day, the bill is still bigger – a distinction without a difference.”
Yes, yes, and Big_Al did it in the parlor with the candlestick, while cville_libertarian is, in fact, Thomas Jefferson.
My, this is a fun game.
All these people complaining about real estate taxes make me laugh. “Boo hoo hoo, my house is worth $100,000 more than last year. I better not have to pay more taxes though!” It’s crazy to expect to pay the same amount of taxes on something that’s doubled in value. You can’t have it both ways.
My assessment went up too, as I expect my taxes will. That’s the price you pay for having something that increases in value. A tough problem to have indeed!
I think it’s a perfectly reasonable complaint, for one simple reason: Your house’s increased value is only useful if you sell it. If you do not, it’s only a burden. If I buy a house for $50,000 and it is worth $500,000 ten years later, that value change is external; the house is no more useful to me than it was a decade ago. The effect of this economic pressure is to encourage people to sell their homes to unlock that value or escape their real property taxes. This socially destabilizes neighborhoods, which isn’t good for anybody.
What is annoying is when people blame the city for that increased value. There is little that Charlottesville can do about this. With the passage of some new growth-management bills in Richmond, then the area could take some substantive steps to address this problem. But there’s very little to be done right now.