7.0. SR 11-23-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PAGE B8 · STAR TRIBUNE PROPERTY TAX from B1 Most metro-area homeowners will get tax notices this week "I don't think we ever had more and where the money goes." than 10 people come out for the In fact, even though the hear- Truth inTaxationmeeting. I think ings are designed to focus on that's a sign people are satisfied." budget deliberations and not is- Most taxpayers wait until the sues such as a particular home's annual notice detailing the high- assessed value, an increase in est possible property tax on their _m__a_r_~e[ yE!Ue is off~'h-v(/h-ats'i:[fig-~- home or business arrives to de- ~o_~c_~r_~d_.r_e~Oent to_one of ]" cide if they will attend one of the the meetkags. meetings. "We have the assessing staff Most metro taxpayers will re- on hand to help people with ceive the form this week. questions about their assessment The form includes informa- or property classification," said tion on the property's taxable Marie Coutu, communications market value, lists all taxes paid director for Dakota County. "It to local governments in 1998, re- gives people a chance to talk with ports the total tax local agencies someone and know they can ask plan to collect in 1999 and calcu- about their value and correct any lates the percentage change from mistakes." 1998. It also lists how spending Cost concems changes and other factors affect- Even many'local officials have ed each jurisdiction's tax bill and come to have a grudging accep- gives the time, date and location tance of the notification and of each agency's public hearing, hearing requirements imposed by "I look at it, and if it hasn't the Legislature in 1990. changed any, I don't worry about "I still think it's an important it. I've never had a problem," means of public education," said Reed said. "...I would definitely Leroy Arnoldi, the Scott County get involved if taxes were going assessor. "Different entities sub- upalot." mit different budgets. The tax- payer may want to know, if two Democracy in action of the big three are decreasing, Although officials often out- why is the other increasing. It number citizens at the annual tax leads to greater citizen involve- discussions, notices predicting 30 ment in the whole process." to 40 percent tax increases drew Others, however, question the more than 1,000 angry residents cost of encouraging that in- to a St. Paul hearing in 1993 and volvement. nearly that many to the Hastings "It seems like a waste of time School District meeting in 1992. and money. People aren't turning John Taylor, business director out for it [the hearing]. And we for the Hastings district, said he get a lot of them back in the tried to explain that school mail," said Darla Groshens, the spending was only rising about 3 Wright County auditor/treasurer. percent, that most of the increase Hennepin County will spend was due to the vagaries of the more than $100,000 on postage state's schoolfundingformula, alone to mail out more than "But nothing could have satis- 300,000 notices. Ramsey County fled their anger that night," Tay- puts the annual cost of preparing lot recalled. "One guy said 'You're and mailing the notices at about just the bottom of the food chain $90,000, while Dakota County es- and we've come to get a bite.' ' timates it will spend al~out That ability to confront local $75,000 on its notices. officials and demand explana- "The state of Minnesota tions is exactly what keeps the should share in this expense," Truth in Taxation notices and said Terry Johnson, the Anoka hearings a popular feature of County financedirector."Wefeel Minnesota's complicated tax it's an unfunded mandate. We system, also think at some p. oint we need "I believe in them," said Coon to find some method of using the Rapids resident Kirsten Sandvik. Internet to make the same infor- "The simple fact is, we have gone mation available and equally in- to that hearing before. We had teractive." problems when we first built our home with water coming in, so Show vs. substance we wanted our taxes lowered un'- Some alsd worry that the par- til that was resolved .... I like the ticipation permitted by the form fact that you see the breakdown, and timing of the tax hearings is and what's happening with the more show than substance. special school levies-coming on Even when the people come, and off ~ how it breaks down officials caught betweenlooming