If it's February in West Hartford, it's Tax Panic Time!

LAST YEAR -

In February 2007, the citizens of West Hartford were concerned. They received new assessments from the town as a result of revaluation - many people seeing a doubling of their assessment (The state requires assessments every four years, but West Hartford managed a seven-year hiatus, from October 1, 1999 to October 1, 2006).

The town cautioned that you could not apply the 46.19 mill rate to the new assessment. A significant growth in the town's grand list would mean a lower mill rate. After state-level political change to allow a phase-in of up to 5 years of the new assessment, West Hartford elected to limit the first year change in assessment to a maximum of 25% more than the October 1, 1999 assessment level, and the new mill rate decreased to 38.63. On average, homeowners experienced a 6% increase in their tax bill.

BACKGROUND -

Town expenses in Connecticut are funded primarily by local tax revenue, with the minority of funding picked up by the state and almost none from the federal government. Last year, the "average payment" from towns was 66% of the total. However, in a town like West Hartford, our local funding is at 85% of the total bill (in year's past, we have paid as much as 89%)!

This bill is paid for by us through taxes on our motor vehicles, our homes and the local businesses. On average, West Hartford determined that the value of commercial property increased 46% over the seven-year period (it would be interesting to see if tenants in West Hartford Center are only paying 46% more in rent than they were in 1999?!). West Hartford decided that the value of residential property increased 77% over the same period. The tab for motor vehicles is simpler, using the blue book value for each vehicle, based on model year...

Therefore, the two factors that influence residents' tax bills are:

1) What is the state's "FAIR SHARE" (debated for decades & not within our direct control - speak with your state representative and senator)?

2) Is the town ready to improve their evaluation of the "FAIR SHARE" for commercial land owners? (This is an issue which has been brought to Mayor Scott Slifka's attention repeatedly over the past four years, but he may need to hear it from more taxpayers - this issue is within the town's control and could be addressed much faster than issue #1 above).

2008 EXCITEMENT

The article in today's Hartford Courant (February 19, 2008, page B3) (Why do these stories always end up being published during school vacation week??) is entitled "Phase-In of Revaluation Could End." The good news (let's start positive) is that ending the phase-in will cause a larger drop in the mill rate. For people who have expensive cars and have two-year leases in town, this is a big plus. For people who have new homes in town, this may be a plus. However, for most homeowners who saw the limit in the phase-in helping their tax burden last year, removing this limit could mean a large tax increase in July!

CHALLENGE TO OUR WEST HARTFORD TOWN GOVERNMENT

Prior to the budget presentation next month, the taxpayers need some data from the town database. Some facts will make this debate more real and help us to understand our neighbors' plights. Show us the change in taxes based on the current phase-in and based on elimination of the phase-in. This information should be published no later than March 1, 2008!

Let's publish some specific examples of the tax change scenarios:

1) Choose a home in Elmwood which had its assessment double.

2) Choose a home within 2 blocks of West Hartford Center.

3) Choose a home west of Mountain Road.

4) Choose a home north of the University of Hartford.

5) Choose a home east of Quaker Lane.

Also, the town website is missing any explanation of the assessment phase-in (this omission is one year late in being addressed-let's move on this now - take advantage of the school vacation week peace & quiet to improve our customer service)!

(P.S. For those of you following this closely, if there is a year to eliminate the phase-in it is one more year down the road - when Blue Back is completely built and has reached its peak in terms of assessed value!)