Seeking Board Members Help!

[lurker]

It's called tax abatement when it should be called "Tax Shifting" from Excel's shoulder onto ours. Unfortunately the county/city doesn't reduce their spending proportionately with "abatement" being a true description. Therefore, "shifting" rings true.

What I don't understand is why the packers aren't forced into a value-added tax to support our local infrastructure. They can absorb it or collect it from their buyers. We force Wal(of China)-Mart and other retailers to collect a tax on their transactions and we pay this sales tax without question....

A hoof tax would be easier to administer....

[Mike B.]

luker,

I may agree with you. Maybe a "slaughter tax" would be in line for National Beef and Excel. For every animal they slaughter, they pay 12.5 cents to the county and city, making a total of 25 cents.

Hell, at that rate we could do away with property tax.

Together the plants slaughter over (at a minimum) 10,000 head a day. If I'm thinking right that would be about $2,500 a day in taxes comimg into the city and county coffers. Just think how much of that money they could waste.

Mike B.

[Tee]

Originally Posted by Lone Gunman

or smaller square footage to prove your point

This is a very good point!!

Originally Posted by Mike B.

Tee,

Any way of knowing what the county/city says my home is worth in dollars before the meeting?

Mike B.

Sure is! Go down to the county appraisers office and ask for an ICS sheet on your property. That will show what your house is currently appraised at, as well as previous years. It will also show a sketch of your home, square footage, # of bathrooms and bedrooms, etc. You would not believe how often this data is incorrect, sometimes based upon a technicality. For example; did you know that a bedroom is NOT a bedroom if it does not have a closet? Also, bedrooms in the basement do not count as bedrooms, only the ground floor and up. If they have your home improperly classified or the square footage is incorrect, you may be able to argue this as well.

One thing you should keep in mind; the people at the appraisers office are good people. I have always found them to be polite and helpful. They did not raise your taxes- our tax and spend commissioners did that. The appraisers are the ones that have to now meet the burden which our elected officials have put on us through uncontrolled spending. They are just doing their jobs. Most of the time, they will try and help lift your burden if you can show them some good reasoning behind your position. Anything you can find on your ICS sheet that may be wrong will help them to help you.

If you do not have the time to go down there and get a copy of the ICS sheet, call an appraiser- they can do it for you at a very minimal charge and then fax it to you.

You definitely do not want to go into the appeal without the ICS sheet reviewed for accuracy, and in hand.

[Mike B.]

Tee,

Thanks! I'll let you know how things come out.

Mike B.

[lurker]

Originally Posted by Mike B.

(snip)
making a total of 25 cents.

Hell, at that rate we could do away with property tax.

Together the plants slaughter over (at a minimum) 10,000 head a day. If I'm thinking right that would be about $2,500 a day in taxes coming into the city and county coffers. Just think how much of that money they could waste.

Mike B.

I think 25 DOLLARS is right. That's about the equivalent of the hide off the cow's back. However, it doesn't come off the cow's or packer's back. It comes from the buyer. I imagine the, the, the JAPANESE paying this tax along with the other meat buyers. And that would include us.

Should you ever talk with any packer friendly commissioner, ask if they ever received any gifts from the packers..... a truthful answer is YES. So don't get your hopes up on receiving a positive response from any commissioner in gaining their endorsement of this concept. What you will get is something like: "They'll pull out or market their beef elsewhere."

So a slaughter tax is the answer; but it's not a workable solution unless all of the other packer-towns pull it off simultaneously.

[Lone Gunman]

This was posted on the other board by Taxpayer. Thanks for the link Taxpayer.

www.ford.kansasgov.com/parcel/V2RunLev2.asp?submit1=OK

It will show how many rooms you have in your home and allow you to find any mistakes. Good find Taxpayer.

[K C Muffin]

Hmmm. Interesting. I looked up one home that I knew of. The number of rooms is inaccurate - the square footage is inaccurate. But the inaccuracy is on the home owner's side, so probably won't be challenged. Tell me this - is the appraised value supposed to mean something? Is it supposed to be a replacement value - a probable sales value - how do they get to the appraised value? Just a curiosity issue.

[Tee]

I am pretty sure that appraised value equates to probable sale value, or market value. ie: what would the house sell for on the open market?

[Bubba]

I looked up my house, it says I have 2 full baths where in reality I have 1 1/2 baths.

[K C Muffin]

Then I'd guess they're using an inflation factor and jacking it up every year instead of trying to be factual. I'm sure that when a house sells, the amount of the sale is plugged in, but the rest have to be on some kind of inflation. Is Dodge City on the average seeing an inflation factor for housing?