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Today's Letters: Understanding the appraiser's task

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published June 2, 2007

It is evident from recent letters to the editor that many Pinellas County citizens perceive a disparity between the 2007 taxable values established by our office, which increased from last year, and the current real estate "downturn." It's worth emphasizing that although there was a drastic decrease in the number of property sales recorded during 2006, median sale prices countywide did not begin to decrease until after the Jan. 1, 2007, ad valorem assessment date.

That being said, a simple statistical review of residential real estate sales does not create a complete picture of every portion of the county.

This has been an interesting year on the property value roll, because the taxable value has increased at a higher rate than the market. Two-thirds of that increase occurred because of new construction completed during 2006 (mostly residential), the removal of the Save Our Homes cap from more than 15, 000 residential parcels that sold during 2006, and the automatic increase in the capped value of more than 240, 000 parcels that benefit from the cap and have capped values much lower than the market. The remaining increase in taxable value (about 2 percent) resulted from a slight increase in the real estate market during the entire 2006 year, as indicated by 2006 sale statistics.

Our analysis of residential real estate sales that occurred during 2006 shows that on a countywide basis, the count of residential sales decreased from 2006 to 2007 by 30 percent, but the median sale price increased by 7 percent; the number of condo sales decreased by 50 percent, but the median condo sale price was exactly the same as 2005. More revealing sales trends appear when you analyze the beaches separately from the rest of the county, where in 2006 the median sale price of beach condos actually declined by 6 percent from 2005. This is why many of the taxable values for our beach communities actually declined for 2006, despite increases in the overall taxable value countywide.

There has been a lot of news coverage of Realtors concerned about having to reduce their list prices on properties as anecdotal proof of a market crash. It is important to remember that Realtors' list prices do not equate with property values. Lowering a list price from an inflated price to a range closer to the value listed in our records does not result in a loss of value; and this is where some of the confusion about property values is coming from.

A pronounced decrease in the median sale price of deeds actually recorded with the Clerk's office (not just list prices) has occurred in 2007 where both residential and condo median sales have decreased by more than 7 percent. Unfortunately for taxpayers who are seeking immediate relief, those sales will not influence assessments until 2008, because they occurred after Jan. 1.

Our office must submit the property value roll to be approved by the Department of Revenue, and if it does not accurately reflect market value, based on sales, DOR will not accept it. In response to property owner concerns about high property values, I have submitted a property value roll for 2007 at the very lowest possible level acceptable to DOR.

Jim Smith, Pinellas County property appraiser, Clearwater 

Be a role model, Dukes' brother pleads May 27, story

Sports leagues should cooperate on punishments

It seems we have a problem with professional athletes and their questionable backgrounds - usually criminal.

Why can't professional sports, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, etc., make an "all league" rule along the lines of the following:

If players or potential draftees have numerous criminal run-ins with the law, they are no longer eligible to play professional sports. This would be for maybe two or three years, or until they have proved that they have cleaned their acts up, paid their back child support, made restitution, etc.

By doing this, the franchise would not be held hostage by the risk of dumping a star player for poor behavior, then having him get signed by another franchise, possibly in the same division, and continuing to play well, with a clean slate, therefore penalizing the "releasing" team - all in the name of doing the right thing, which is terminating the player's contract!

By implementing such a rule immediately, young athletes looking to become professional in the future might begin to reconsider some of their actions before they do them. That way they would become the role models they should be earlier in life and have a motivation to lead a clean, productive lives, instead of thinking they are above the law and society's expectations.

Certainly this would be a terrific start to cleaning the sports leagues up, without turning the fans off, the way we often are when we read about professional athletes making big bucks, having long rap sheets and continually being given "chances."

C.L. Batchelor, St. Pete Beach

Be a role model, Dukes' brother pleads May 27, story

Stand with the vulnerable

I totally agree with Tyrone Evans: Professional athletes like his brother, Elijah Dukes, are role models, especially for children. Whether we like it or not, our future adult citizens admire, identify with and emulate their heroes. When I was growing up, as an athlete through college, I certainly had my heroes! However, let's also remember the words of Winston Churchill who poignantly suggested that "the best indication of the civility of any society is the way in which it treats its vulnerable citizens."

When will the franchises and the sports leagues themselves, e.g., MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, etc., have the courage to ban their athletes who have been found guilty of being physically abusive to vulnerable people (children, spouses and significant others, etc.)? The probability is that these enterprises will continue to do what they have been doing - whatever is financially profitable. We fans, nonetheless, could boycott games in which athletes guilty of such activities participate, thus honoring Churchill's other well-known other words of wisdom: "Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have."

William G. Emener, Ph.D., distinguished research professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, University of South Florida, Tampa campus

Be a role model, Dukes' brother pleads May 27, story

It's too late

Are you kidding? Elijah Dukes has been in the system since 1997. He has five children by four women at age 22. He is in arrears for child support. There are domestic abuse allegations and repeated charges for driving infractions. He has made a threat of violence that was recorded.

It's a little late to be a role model.

The courts have done little. The Devil Rays organization has done less. The women don't want to prosecute. Can we say "enable"?

Lola Diaz, Palm Harbor

For most, Florida's taxes not excessive May 29, commentary by Sen. Steve Geller

Tax cap is not a trap

Although I agree with many statements state Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, made regarding property taxes, I have to disagree with one of them. He states, "Because of Save Our Homes, longtime homeowners are trapped in their current homes."

No one is trapped by the Save Our Homes tax cap, like a bear in a steel-jawed trap with no hope of escape. Any homeowners who wish to sell their homes are free to do so at their asking price. They may feel as though they're "trapped" but have the choice to sell or not sell.

I think most homeowners who fall under this cap don't want the extra tax burden associated with selling and buying another property with the added tax cost.

However, if I'm to be "trapped, " I'd much rather be "trapped" in my home under the Save Our Homes tax cap than be "trapped" in a cardboard box or tent that would result from rescinding the Save Our Homes tax cap.

Garret Maunula, Spring Hill

For most, Florida's taxes not excessive May 29, commentary by Sen. Steve Geller

Homeowner costs hurt

Having lived in North Carolina, I have to disagree with the senator. North Carolina does have an income tax, but when I look at the total cost of residence (property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes and property insurance) it is more expensive to live in Florida. It gets even worse if you own a boat.

The property insurance mess combined with the property tax mess puts Florida in a very bad position. Until the lawmakers understand this, the "For Sale" signs will stay up.

I also have to admit that I'm unimpressed with his argument that local government spending is not so bad - we just don't understand the index that we have to look at. The only index I look at is what I have to pay. My taxes are going up at a rate that exceeds the increase in my income. In my world, that's inflation.

Paul Carroll, Belleair

3 tax plans are in play May 28, story

The overlooked owners

I must have missed something. When did Florida rental property owners (residential and commercial), the small businesses and tenants that rent from them, and second home owners become second-class citizens?

When did the Legislature decide to ignore the taxes and fair wages paid by these property owners and the services and labor provided by those who rent from them?

When did Republicans forget that small business owners are the major engine of economic growth and when did Democrats decide to ignore the needs of working people?

All of the tax plans in this article consider rental property and second homes only secondarily, despite the accepted fact that these properties are the most unfairly impacted by our inequitable tax system.

Without fair taxation of these properties there will be fewer businesses, less employment, less affordable housing, fewer real estate sales, and fewer documentary stamp collections for state government. All of these negative patterns have, indisputably, already begun.

Do our legislators really think that citizens from other states are going to want to own property or open businesses here so that they can be ripped off?

The rental property owners (residential and commercial), the small businesses and tenants that rent from them, and second home owners need to become the priority, not the afterthought. The sooner the better for all our sakes. And, by the way, we vote.

Martin Altner, Clearwater

Urge lawmakers to reinstate PIP coverage

People who drive automobiles in Florida should be very concerned about a dangerous change in their automobile coverage beginning Oct. 1. Unless Gov. Charlie Crist puts the issue on the agenda for the special legislative session later this month, mandatory PIP (personal injury protection) coverage will go away. This means if you get injured in an auto accident, you may not be able to get medical care or even go to a hospital.

Thousands of drivers in Pinellas County will choose to drive "bare" or without coverage. What if they injure you or your family? For the tens of thousands of Floridians who do not have any health coverage, they won't even be covered for the hospital or to see a doctor like me, so Medicaid will pay for them, eventually raising taxes. The majority of people reading this will have high deductibles to meet before their insurance company pays. If you are in an HMO or PPO, you may have to wait to see a doctor, or have to choose the doctor that is on your list.

State Farm, and others, want you to believe that this will save your family money and they are losing millions to fraud. Neither is true: State Farm makes millions in profit each year. Also, it is only a matter of time before United Healthcare, Humana and others raise your monthly premiums to cover their increased costs for these new auto claims. In the end, the big auto insurance companies, who put millions of dollars into the coffers of Florida legislators each year, make even more money.

If you drive a car in Florida, you need to contact Gov. Crist and your local legislators now at www.myflorida.com and demand they put this issue on the upcoming special session.

Dr. Marc J. Rogers, Largo

Keep a vigilant eye on preserve May 29, editorial

Amend the charter

The Pinellas County commissioners may have finally realized that many people throughout Pinellas and surrounding counties care deeply about Brooker Creek Preserve. However, we will have a hard time prying their greedy fingers from Brooker Creek. Their ordinance is designed to allow themselves and future commissions to move our parks and preserves into and out of protected status like pawns in a chess match. The only language they seem to understand is the threat of not being re-elected.

This issue deserves the protection of a charter amendment, but I don't see this county commission having the backbone to support it.

I'm ready to volunteer to start collecting signatures on a citizen-initiated charter amendment to protect our parks and preserves once and for all.

Don Margeson, St. Petersburg

The unspoken war May 28, Floridian story

The real heroes

The recent story on the Cold War was limited to the Gary Powers U-2 incident, Army Gen. James Van Fleet's advisory role in Greece and Elvis Presley's service in the Army as ostensibly important contributions to the Cold War. Nonsense!

Clearly the most important element in the Cold War was the deterrent capability of the U.S Air Force's Strategic Air Command under Gen. Curtis E. LeMay and later Gen. Thomas S. Power. SAC's strategic bombers and missiles kept the Cold War from turning into an inferno.

Scores of SAC bomber crews died in training accidents. These are the men who should be recognized as Cold War heroes.

Robert H. MacPherson, St. Petersburg

Crist, Israel trade niceties, aim to trade more goods May 30

What has Israel done?

When Gov. Charlie Crist, whom I admire, states that "Israel is the greatest friend Florida has and America has, " my reply is: Please explain.

What has Israel done to Floridians and Americans for which we must be so grateful? It's a pity that our governor knows so little about the Middle East. No mention of "our greatest friend's" occupation of over 1-million Palestinians. No mention of the governor's visiting occupied Palestine for a "fair and balanced" view of the situation there.

Arthur Hebert, Largo

Crist in Jerusalem

An unwise junket

Please tell me it ain't so. Our new governor is in Israel to do what?

How about staying in Tallahassee to continue to address our hurricane insurance issues, continue to work on property tax reforms and continue to govern our state?

If I'm reading the fine print correctly, this trip is being financed 80 percent by taxpayer monies. Considering the economics we're facing in our state, I can't help but wonder if this is the best way to spend our dollars.

After the decision to cancel the inauguration fiesta for something much more modest and appropriate, one would have thought that Crist "got it." Guess not. This junket is an inappropriate use of sparse tax dollars.

I can't help but wonder if Gov. Crist's near-term objective is to get nominated as the Republican vice presidential candidate.

J.R. DeVita, Tierra Verde

Baby of the family May 31, Floridian story

Rara avis

I read this story and I came away from it with the conclusion that it's a cautionary tale of some sort. I just can't figure out what sort that might be. At first when reading the introduction and seeing the space devoted to the article I thought to myself, "My goodness, lady, get a life!" After reading the entire article, well, I still believe she should get a life, or more accurately figure out why the life she does have, which seems full enough, still contains a void years after the loss of her beloved pet.

Had the bird expired six months ago (as opposed to four years), perhaps I could better understand (although frankly it would still be weird). I've had many pets and have loved them all, but not in a way that can equate with human love - not even close. Baby didn't think he was human; Baby was just a good mimic with a soupcon of learning ability.

Thomas Bentley has more than paid the price for his transgression. I agree with him, however, that Diane Miksch is milking Baby's death as a cash cow, or cash bird as it were. I think the entire situation was summed up by your opening sentence, which concluded with the quote, ostensibly from Baby, "Miss me, but let me go."

Steven Levy, Palm Harbor

[Last modified June 1, 2007, 23:37:50]