Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Tax blame falls on our local leaders

Editor: Homeowners and even area media are aware of the horrific and unreasonable property tax burden, but are not able to get the message to the out-of-control tax-and-spend county commissioners.

For over 20 years, tax revenues on single-family residences has increases through new construction and inflation. From $64-million in 2005 to $97-million in 2006, a sickening increase of $33-million, or 51.6 percent, in one year. The commissioners have been marvelously capable of spending every penny and have the 2006 monies (even the extra $33-million) spent before it's even collected.

At meetings they hear dozens of desperate homeowners' true horror stories and outrage, and even a very reasonably spelled out prediction of the 10-year demise of Citrus County.

They listen through a haze of ennui, mumble a few platitudes and later decide quickly on a 1-mill decrease. Wow! A whole dollar per thousand. The $1,707 tax on my tiny 1,100-square-foot hovel will drop to $1,587.

In 1997, the state began a $25,000 senior homestead exemption and many counties quickly approved it, but not Citrus. Commissioners unanimously rejected it with the excuse that it would shift the tax burden to the wrong people. They ignore the fact that the 3 percent Save Our Homes cap already had done that, and this exemption would partially correct that in favor of many people on fixed and limited incomes.

Now, Commissioner Dennis Damato and Property Appraiser Melanie Hensley blame real estate agents for the outrageous taxes. Hensley states, "Real estate agents increase property values." Then explains that "homeowners put an outrageously high price on their home and a seller will buy it, beginning the escalation process."

Being new here, I don't know the backgrounds of Damato or Hensley, but their comments have already exposed their expertise shortcomings.

First, the vast majority of home sales are "arm's length" transactions between buyer and seller who are under no pressure or urgency to sell or buy, which determines true market values. In cases of any exceptions, pressure is almost always on the seller, which creates a lower selling price.

Second, a bank appraiser ascertains a value and the bank determines if the sale price is "reasonable" for financing without risk to them. Bank appraisers are notorious for lowballing.

Thus, any informed and reasonable person must conclude that real estate agents, sellers and buyers have little in the final say of value or taxes.

The taxable value is determined for the most part by the appraiser's office, but the problem is the commissioners. It is they who manage to spend every penny, regardless of the tremendous increase in property revenue, and it is they who will be responsible for the demise of Citrus County.

With residential values currently falling, a 34 percent decrease in sales, a 388 percent increase in active property listings, the real estate schools recording an enrollment drop of 26 percent in the past two months, and predictions that only the older, established real estate agents will survive the next few years, it is that same board that will drive up the millage rates so that your devalued home will provide sufficient revenue for their decades of commitment to irresponsible, wasteful spending.

I would risk the opinion that one could collect any five of the top 50 real estate agents in Citrus County and a good CPA, give them a month with an experienced county administrator, the treasurer and the porky budget, and I believe we would find smiles on many faces of long-overburdened taxpayers.

That, of course, will never happen, so there are two words: Election, and failing that, recall.

Fred Miller, Hernando

Utility rate increase not justified by market prices

Editor: On Sept. 1, Progress Energy Florida asked state regulators to approve a fuel cost adjustment to reflect the rising costs of fuel used to generate electricity. If approved, residential electric bills would rise again, this time by about 3.4 percent per 1,000-kilowatt hours.

Jeff Lyash, president and CEO of Progress Energy Florida, says, "the cost of almost everything seems to be going up - especially the fuels used to generate electricity".

My, my, Mr. Lyash, there are some facts that seem to call into question your justification for a raise. First, Joe Consumer's electric bill has a line item reflecting the fuel cost adjustments. In most cases that cost adjustment now exceeds the base cost, more than doubling consumers' electric bills.

Fact: On Dec. 12, 2005, natural gas, a cost component of producing electricity, traded on the NYMEX futures market at an all-time high of $15.78 per thousand. It is now trading below $5 per thousand, and recently hit a low of $4.20 per thousand. This is one of the family of commodities cited as going up, driving Progress to ask the regulatory body for another increase.

Do you have no decency, sir? Is enough ever enough? Apparently you have no sense of what's happening to our neighbors. The senior citizens on fixed incomes who choose between cool/heat, medicine and food; the low-income wage earner; and the single parent with kids. They're all hurting, and struggling to get by. Yet, in light of cost reductions, you ask for additional increases, inflicting additional pain on Gulf Coast residents.

I suggest you visit our neighborhoods, look them in the eye and get a sense of their pain, then revisit the regulatory process.

Mr. Lyash, your case lacks integrity, and quite frankly at this point, so do you. Our 5th District representative, Ginny Brown-Waite, says on her Web site, "I have worked tirelessly to promote consumer protection rights." Ms. Brown-Waite, what do you intend to do, and when do you intend to do it? Your constituents are hurting!

Jim Gries, Homosassa

YOUR VOICE COUNTS

We welcome letters from readers for publication. To send a letter from your computer, go to www.sptimes.com/letters and fill in the required information. Type your letter in the space provided on the form, specify that you are writing the Citrus section of the newspaper, and then click "submit." You also may cut and paste a letter that you have prepared elsewhere in your computer.

If you prefer, you may fax your letter to (352) 860-7320, or mail it to Letters to the Editor, Citrus Times, 301 W Main St., Inverness, FL 34450.

All letters should be brief and must include the writer's name, city of residence, mailing address and telephone number. When possible, letters should include a handwritten signature. Addresses and telephone numbers will not be printed. The Times does not publish anonymous letters.

Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length. We regret that not all letters can be printed.

[Last modified October 2, 2006, 06:34:27]