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Not Good News for Redding, CA...Cuts are Coming!

08-28-09
Ron Largent

This was on the www.redding.com news line today….and seems to tell us that the City cuts are coming….and with the forecast for the continued downturn in the housing market due to short sales and bank owned properties, this is worrysome….here is the article:

The Redding City Council on Tuesday will consider laying off 21 employees, including six firefighters, four police community service officers, two police investigators and one police officer.

The city would also lay off one part-time worker and convert four other full-time employees to part-time as part of an effort to cut $3.8 million from the general fund to bring spending in line with steeply declining revenues.

The firefighter layoffs would close Station 3 on Highway 273 and Buenaventura Boulevard. Three firefighters would go to Station 4 on South Bonnyview Road, according to a council report.

The city would also suspend its $279,000 contribution to Turtle Bay Exploration Park in 2010-11and its $53,000 contribution to the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association.

Turtle Bay, for its part, has announced it will withdraw its request for general fund dollars for the 2010-11 fiscal year, in light of the city’s fiscal emergency.

In addition to the layoffs, department heads would take two days furlough each month and other managers, one day’s furlough each month. Department heads and managers would forgo raises this year and next.

The Development Services department would lose four more employees to layoffs. The city would also transfer $100,000 in Big League Dreams proceeds from the parks fund to the general fund.

Not good news. Now, we will see what the County is going to do….as tax revenues drop.

More to come…

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The Recorder's Office...what does it do? A reality example!

08-26-09
Ron Largent

I have been working with a recently discharged Marine who is buying a home in Redding using his VA loan. He came back from Iraq to settle in the Redding area and has a good job in communications, similar to what he did in the Marines. He was married a few years ago, and has a cute little girl that is just learning to talk, and talks all the time. Very cute. When talking about my decision to run for an elected county officer, the Assessor-Recorder, he asked about the functions of the office, so I led him through the process of "recording" that he will experience in a week when his home closes escrow, and what he has experienced with his marriage and with the birth of his little girl. As noted below, which is the description of what the Recorder's office does, two recent major events in this Marine's life are now a matter of record through the Recorder's office; his marriage and the birth of his little girl. And shortly, his new home will become a matter of record....three major events all recorded.

The Recorder, upon payment of the proper fees and taxes, accepts for recordation any instrument, paper, or notice which is authorized or required by law to be recorded. Prior to recordation, these documents must contain sufficient information to be indexed as required by statute and be photographically reproducible.

In addition, the Recorder maintains and indexes the vital records of birth, death, and marriage certificates. The recording system exists to serve public needs and to provide public protection.

When I went over this with him, he "got the picture" of why we have a Recorder's Office and how it works, and now better understands the office I am seeking, the Shasta County Assessor-Recorder, in 2010.

Ron Largent for County Assessor-Recorder in 2010.

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Proposition 13 in California...The Story !!

08-26-09
Ron Largent

As I have been visiting with folks about my campaign to become Shasta County Assessor, Proposition 13 keeps coming up. So, being the history student that I am, I decided to get a little background on how it came to be, etc...and here it is:

Property taxes in the state of California have been the subject of controversy for as long as the state has assessed taxes. Before Proposition 13 passed in 1978, property taxes could increase dramatically from year to year based on the assessed value of the home. During the seventies, the real estate market experienced dramatic growth and we all witnessed the rapid escalation in the value of our homes. Because assessors were required to keep assessed values current, property taxes were skyrocketing at a substantial rate. However, increases in the assessed value were not made every year thus resulting in a major tax jolt for homeowners every few years. Since the passage of Proposition 13, a couple of things have happened. The property tax rate was set at a 1% cap. This means that the amount in property taxes you have to pay can only be up to 1% of the assessed value of your home. The assessed value of homes cannot exceed the 1975-76 assessed value and can increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) by no more than 2% per year. If a transfer of ownership takes place or improvements are made, the property will be subject to a reassessment at the current market value. The newly assessed value will then increase on a yearly basis not to exceed 2% per year. The decrease in property taxes as a gross percentage of the assessed value of homes has forced local agencies (cities, counties, and other special districts) to find other sources of funding. These local agencies were given more authority to levy local non-ad valorem property taxes as a result of the passage of Proposition 13; however, the “special taxes” must be approved by two-thirds of the voters. Proposition 13 was intended to protect taxpayers from unanticipated increases in property taxes, to provide effective tax relief, and to require voter approval of tax increases.

So, that's the story....and if you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at ronlargent@shasta.com
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More about the Assessors Job...

08-25-09
Ron Largent

As I talk with folks about my campaign for County Assessor…the question keeps coming up….what does the Assessor do. So, I went to the County web page…and here is the “official version”, which answers some of the questions.

The Assessor produces an assessment roll that reflects the taxable values of land, improvements, and personal property listed by the Assessor’s parcel numbering system or the account numbering system.

In addition to the taxable value, the roll must also indicate the current status of ownership, the owner’s mailing address, and the existence of any exemptions as of the January 1st lien date. To accomplish this, the Assessor must discover, classify, and appraise all locally assessable property according to constitutional, statutory, and administrative requirements.

In addition to preparing the annual local assessment roll pursuant to Sec. 601 of the Calif. Revenue & Taxation Code, the Assessor must also produce the Supplemental Assessment Roll as provided in Section 75 through 75.8 of the Revenue & Taxation Code. (Sounds pretty technical)

Kind of says it all, and makes sense. As I continue my “asking questions” and then “getting questions”…this is a good answer.

Ron Largent, Candidate for Shasta County Assessor in 2010.

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What is an Assessor?

08-22-09
Ron Largent

Over the past few weeks as I have started my campaigning for the Shasta County Assessors position, I have been asked the question: "What is an Assessor?" So, here is the answer:

What is an Assessor?

A County Assessor is the one all-county elected official that establishes the assessed value of all property in Shasta County by appraising that property under applicable State laws. This assessed value is then placed on a list with all other properties in Shasta County and this list is called the “Assessment Roll”. The Assessor also approves and applies all exemptions, which are added to the Assessment Roll.

What are the primary responsibilities of the Assessor?

  1. To locate and inventory all taxable property in the County and identify ownership;
  2. To establish a taxable value for all property subject to property taxation
  3. To enroll the property to the Assessment Roll showing the assessed value;
  4. To apply all legal exemptions.
  5. In summary, the primary responsibility is to annually determine the proper taxable value for each property so that the owner is assured of paying the correct amount of property tax for the support of local government.

Why does the Assessor do this?

  1. State law mandates that all property is subject to taxation unless otherwise exempted.
  2. Property taxes are based on the assessed value of your property. Property tax bills will show land and improvements values on the land.
  3. Improvements include all assessable buildings and structures on the land.
  4. These property taxes then support necessary services provided to the residents of Shasta County, such as the Sheriff and Law Enforcement, fire protection, education, parks and recreation, and other vital services.
  5. In general, properties that are owned and used by educational, charitable, religious or government organization may be exempt from certain property taxes.

How does Proposition 13 apply to the above?

  1. Created in 1978, which substantially reduced property tax rates.
  2. The Proposition established that the maximum levy the government can apply cannot exceed 1% of a property’s assessed value. Increases in assessed value are limited to 2% annually.
  3. A reappraisal can be caused by four events: a change in ownership; completed new construction; new construction partially completed, and a decline in value, as in market value decline, which is presently the case.

Can any of the above be changed?

"Yes, by a vote of the people to amend the state constitution."

And, all of the registered voters in Shasta County, if they choose, can Vote for Ron Largent for County Assessor...it is your way to become involved for a "New Look in Government in Shasta County".

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