Kordax
Senior Forumite
Hank Rearden
Posts: 2,537
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Post by Kordax on Jul 10, 2007 9:11:10 GMT -5
According to both local mayors, Chattanooga & Hamilton Co's population is growing based on housing starts, but according to the census bureau, the overall county population is stagnant or even shrinking within the city boundaries.
The move to increase property taxes to keep up with basic needs indicates that both mayors' positions are wrong & that our lack of population growth has once again negatively impacted those of us who still choose to keep our residences within Hamilton Co/City of Chattanooga's boundaries. If we were genuinely growing, the natural increase in property taxes would fund everything the pols are claiming we need to fund.
And whose fault is it that we're not growing? What's the main reason people move to a non-resort area? People move for better jobs & despite the fact that both mayors & both governmental bodies have been spending millions of taxpayers' dollars on faddish economic development projects, government has little more than a pile or worthless cancelled taxpayer checks to show for all their spending -- we have no magnet employer(s) & no magnet economic engine drawing significant numbers of new $75K+ family income earners to the region -- those are the people who build upscale housing in droves that in turn creates an expanding property tax base which in turn keeps tax rates lower for existing residents.
By raising taxes again, the region will lose more residents & the cycle will continue & continue & continue....
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Post by compspeed on Jul 11, 2007 22:39:15 GMT -5
In a reply to my post in the Local News & Events Forum, on 7/9/07, Kordax said: "Rhonda is a big time role model when it comes to illustrating how an informed, passionate citizen can make institutional changes by consistently being involved, active & knowledgeable." From The Chattanoogan, 7/11/07, Rhonda Thurman in a response to an Opinion letter: "The past two years have been the biggest growth years Hamilton County has had in a very long time. One of the reasons for this revenue growth is all of the construction going on in Ooltewah, Apison, Soddy-Daisy and Sale Creek. Subdivisions containing $300,000-$500,000 homes are now sitting on what was once vacant farmland (developed property brings in a lot more property tax than vacant property). And don't forget the $500,000+ condos downtown in what used to be empty buildings. You do not have to believe me. Call Tax Assessor, Bill Bennett's office at 209-7333. They will give you the amounts of property taxes collected in the past few years. " Link: www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_109945.aspFrom my post on the Local News and Events Forum, 7/8/07: "If I'm not mistaken, everyone seems to say the the population of the county has decreased. So...if that is the case...if our county population is declining, who is moving into these new subdivisions? Are people just leaving one area of the county for another, leaving empty dwellings behind? I'm not claiming to know the answer but folks like Kordax seem think the flight from Hamilton County continues to North Ga, and parts north and west of here. Fewer folks = fewer occupied homes = less tax revenue." Ok, so here's the quandary. Koradax, you and I seem to be on the same page with our observation of the property tax issue in relation to growth. Strange as it seems, Rhonda seems to be saying the same thing as you indicate both our Mayor's are saying and is using it as point to say no new taxes are needed. So...is Rhonda "knowledgeable" on this one....or just making an assumption and throwing it out there because it sounds good for her side? My guess is the latter. Link the Hamilton Cty Gov website, General Fund Budget, 2007: www.hamiltontn.gov/cabr/2007/
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