Comments on: Putting the “ass” back in “assessment” http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/ It's over! Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:42:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: jwer http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8874 jwer Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:14:09 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8874 The advantage to appealing your new assessment (mine went up 65%, one of my neighbor's went up 194%) is that when you go to sell your house, you can say, "and the property tax is still only $X". On the other hand, if a prospective buyer sees that the city thinks your house is worth $200K and you are asking $400K for it, they might hesitate. I'm still debating appealing mine. Meanwhile, the Homestead Tax Credit caps your increase at some percentage each year as long as you've owned the house for more than a year. I believe it varies from county to county. More importantly, at least in Baltimore, you MUST apply for it this year, even if you are already eligible for it. Or they will fuck you. Hard. With no lube. In your nose. The advantage to appealing your new assessment (mine went up 65%, one of my neighbor’s went up 194%) is that when you go to sell your house, you can say, “and the property tax is still only $X”. On the other hand, if a prospective buyer sees that the city thinks your house is worth $200K and you are asking $400K for it, they might hesitate.

I’m still debating appealing mine.

Meanwhile, the Homestead Tax Credit caps your increase at some percentage each year as long as you’ve owned the house for more than a year. I believe it varies from county to county. More importantly, at least in Baltimore, you MUST apply for it this year, even if you are already eligible for it. Or they will fuck you. Hard. With no lube. In your nose.

]]> By: rcubed http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8853 rcubed Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:47:52 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8853 I work for the government--not the Assessor's Dept, but close. Apathy grows here like weeds in a vacant lot. Have you seen the movie Office Space? Those are the people working on these assessments. It's not that we're lazy, it's just that we don't care. Also, if you want to know how your tax dollars are being spent...It's 2:45 and I'm reading your blog. I work for the government–not the Assessor’s Dept, but close.
Apathy grows here like weeds in a vacant lot.
Have you seen the movie Office Space? Those are the people working on these assessments. It’s not that we’re lazy, it’s just that we don’t care. Also, if you want to know how your tax dollars are being spent…It’s 2:45 and I’m reading your blog.

]]> By: Alex http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8852 Alex Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:35:23 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8852 ACW: Check the top of the bill. I know it isn't a bill, but it feels like it without as much imminence. Anyways, mine has a line on the lower right-hand corner (just above the fold) that reads "Box 1 reflects the 2% assessment cap established by Anne Arundel County." Does that mean I'm already capped by the Homestead Tax Credit? ACW: Check the top of the bill. I know it isn’t a bill, but it feels like it without as much imminence. Anyways, mine has a line on the lower right-hand corner (just above the fold) that reads “Box 1 reflects the 2% assessment cap established by Anne Arundel County.” Does that mean I’m already capped by the Homestead Tax Credit?

]]> By: Stick http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8851 Stick Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:58:07 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8851 Are they factoring your car and its Devaluation Power into this or not? Are they factoring your car and its Devaluation Power into this or not?

]]> By: Anonymous Coworker http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8849 Anonymous Coworker Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:51:08 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8849 RZV- Dead-hooker jokes are never pointless around here. gibby- I know, there were some really lazy sentences in that one, but I couldn't be bothered to get out my Strunk and White. Alex- Wha? Cap? Now I'm confused. DJ- You're getting screwed because you're a Republican and operate under the assumption that a Democratic legislature is out to get YOU without realizing that they're out to get EVERYBODY. RZV- Dead-hooker jokes are never pointless around here.

gibby- I know, there were some really lazy sentences in that one, but I couldn’t be bothered to get out my Strunk and White.

Alex- Wha? Cap? Now I’m confused.

DJ- You’re getting screwed because you’re a Republican and operate under the assumption that a Democratic legislature is out to get YOU without realizing that they’re out to get EVERYBODY.

]]> By: Desk Job http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8848 Desk Job Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:55:06 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8848 I got screwed. When you buy a new house there is no cap. You get to pay whatever the state wants you to. I got screwed. When you buy a new house there is no cap. You get to pay whatever the state wants you to.

]]> By: Alex http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8847 Alex Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:11:05 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8847 I got mine as well. If I'm reading it and doing the math correctly I think it appreciated some 25% ... yet I think I'm largely unaffected due to the 2% cap in AA county. At that rate I'd be foolish to appeal, or would I? I think I'm going to have to consult with someone. This stuff confuses me. I got mine as well. If I’m reading it and doing the math correctly I think it appreciated some 25% … yet I think I’m largely unaffected due to the 2% cap in AA county. At that rate I’d be foolish to appeal, or would I? I think I’m going to have to consult with someone. This stuff confuses me.

]]> By: gibby dinkerwald http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8846 gibby dinkerwald Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:15:33 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8846 The Olympian complexity of your grammatical construction deserves the gold. The Olympian complexity of your grammatical construction deserves the gold.

]]> By: RZV http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8844 RZV Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:53:33 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8844 SB has rendered my dead hooker joke pointless. I leave here defeated. SB has rendered my dead hooker joke pointless. I leave here defeated.

]]> By: Anonymous Coworker http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8843 Anonymous Coworker Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:23:21 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8843 Jon- Yes, and in that dimension I'm probably being assessed by a state agency that's competent and efficient. Zing! SavageBliss- Shh! Shhhhh! Hush, I said! Broadsheet- It is quite a puzzle, unless you're one of those drool-factories at the state. Jon- Yes, and in that dimension I’m probably being assessed by a state agency that’s competent and efficient. Zing!

SavageBliss- Shh! Shhhhh! Hush, I said!

Broadsheet- It is quite a puzzle, unless you’re one of those drool-factories at the state.

]]> By: Broadsheet http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8841 Broadsheet Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:53:19 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8841 My neighbor and I are trying to find out why their is a $30,000+ difference in our assessments for two IDENTICAL townhomes, built at the SAME time, with all the same ammenities.... My neighbor and I are trying to find out why their is a $30,000+ difference in our assessments for two IDENTICAL townhomes, built at the SAME time, with all the same ammenities….

]]> By: Savage Bliss http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8840 Savage Bliss Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:51:26 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8840 Yah, whatever. "No basement." I think ACW is just trying to feign ignorance of the basement he keeps to store the corpses. Right, ACW? Or perhaps, HHH (H.H. Holmes)? HMMMMM? :) Yah, whatever. “No basement.”

I think ACW is just trying to feign ignorance of the basement he keeps to store the corpses.

Right, ACW? Or perhaps, HHH (H.H. Holmes)? HMMMMM? :)

]]> By: Jon http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8838 Jon Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:55:21 +0000 http://www.anonymouscoworker.com/2008/01/07/putting-the-ass-back-in-assessment/#comment-8838 You need to think fourth dimensionally, my friend. You may basementless and attached to another house right *now*, but what about at some other completely unspecified parallel-universe proxy time? There's just no way of knowing. You need to think fourth dimensionally, my friend. You may basementless and attached to another house right *now*, but what about at some other completely unspecified parallel-universe proxy time? There’s just no way of knowing.

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