Taxes
Tax Rates Low, But Changes Due
November 2, 2006 
The 2006 tax levy numbers are in and Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade offers up a detailed series of charts and numbers so you can FIGURE YOUR TAX.
The GUARDIAN cuts to the chase and will let you know the tax on your house will be right at 1.38% of the TAXABLE value–the assessed value minus your homeowner exemption if you live in Boise. The levy varies by city. That translates to $1380 taxes on a house with a taxable value of $100,000.
The maintenance and operation portion of school tax was taken off the property tax (about half was removed in the Boise District), but property values were increased. Every unit of government increased its budget, but there are more people paying the bill. Bottom line your taxes will remain about the same or just a little lower than in past years.
Beware of a dark ominous cloud hanging over the head of every homeowner in the county. On the horizon is the possibility property values could actually DECREASE as the housing market cools (some predict the bubble will burst). The cities, counties, schools, and other taxing districts can INCREASE the LEVY RATE to a pre set maximum percentage if values go down.
Levies are based on the amount of money needed to balance a budget which has a 3% limit on increases. Budget is set BEFORE the levy, so local government does not base spending on cash available. It is just the opposite. The law requires them to approve a budget and then levy to fund it.
The problem is that everything is based on growth and if the growth stops–as it will someday–the adjustment will be costly and shocking to many.
The current homeowner exemption is the lesser of $75,000 or 50% of assessed value. In 2007 the exemption will be raised to $89,325. If the growth value doesn’t meet or exceed the exemption increase, look for levy increases.
That sounds great on the face of it, but the 2006 levy will be the LOWEST IN RECENT HISTORY. Without inflation and growth, government would be forced to increase levies and in some cases the increases will be double digit increases.
We will leave it to the mainstreamers to give you all the gory details and corrections. There are so many exceptions and exemptions it is nearly impossible to come up with any better information than we have offered.
The very real potential exists for you to have a home of lowered value and increased taxes next year.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Nov 2, 2006, 4:56 pm
That’s a pretty good explanation as to how property taxes work. Value up or down, levy up or down. Whatever. They still get what they need to operate.
So property taxes are down but sales tax is up. I opposed the Risch plan in August and to her credit, so did my state Senator. Sales tax is regressive and needs to be repealed. So – on Tuesday I urge you to vote NO on the Advisory Vote.
Proposition 1 would raise the sales tax another cent. I urge you to vote NO on that one also, even though the money would go to schools. If they want to increase funding for schools they should raise the income tax, on corporations and wealthier individuals.
Nov 2, 2006, 6:59 pm
It’s as though that old adage on death and taxes needs to get a few additions; You can count on an ever expanding government that will always diminish your civil rights.
Taxes will always be increasing as inflation spirals and your expendable income shrinks.
Corruption, especially in a capitalist government based on greed mushrooms to a point that people accept it, living in fear and hatred ( xenophobia?)
My current answer to the above? By becoming involved in your government, by grouping together with other positive Americans on all issues, and by ” fighting without violence ” with everything you have got, you will find that change for the better can be accomlished.
Nov 2, 2006, 8:37 pm
The City and County are still ripping us off.
I called to get an explination of how the values were set and was told the county “looked at other comparable homes” so I asked to see the data. I was told that the ONLY way I could see the data was to appeal the values – so I did. There was none.
What I found out was that there were no “comparables”. They looked ONLY at the homes that sold in the “area” and then applied the value per square foot!
WE MUST GET TO A SYSTEM WHERE THE VALUES ARE BASED ON THE PRICED WE PAID FOR THE HOME – ANYTHING LESS IS AN OUT OF CONTROL SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS THE CITY AND COUNTY TO RUN US OUT OF OUR HOMES! Period!
Nov 3, 2006, 1:21 am
Amen to Still Mad.
My assessed value was raised to about 130,000 — while potential buyers were offering $80,000 tops.
I also questioned — and found out that they had lumped such a large “area” that my early 1900s ramshakle, termite-infested, floor-sinking home was assessed at the same value as the much newer, well-cared-for and vastly over-priced subdivision houses miles away.
Yep; I’m outta there — gonna try another county for a while.
Nov 3, 2006, 10:24 am
The simple fact is you don’t own your property, you rent it from the government!
Nov 3, 2006, 12:03 pm
I agree with Joe M. The capitalist system as we know it is based on pure greed. You can thank one of the most Republican dominated state governments in the nation, for your property and income tax woes. A great recent example of greed is the fact that Westinghouse, (an American corp.) sold most of the nuclear technology that North Korea uses in it’s weapons ambitions. Westinghouse was inking deals with North Korea in January, 06 with the blessing of the White House!
Sounds a bit like former Iran and Iraq deals. It’s all about the money. Patriotisim is food for dupes.
Nov 3, 2006, 4:58 pm
OK ,the sales tax is up! But the difference in our property tax is $641 less than last year. If we spend the same amount for sales taxable items as last year, it will cost us maybe $100 more in sales tax. By my calculator that is $541 less. And that includes an assessment raise of $17000. Maybe before you vote you should go to the assessors website and figure out your new property tax. The new levy rates are posted. Needless to say, we will vote in favor of the Governors plan.
Maybe to make it real fair they should remove food from sales tax! I bet we are one of the only states that charge sales tax on food!
Nov 7, 2006, 1:24 pm
I live in Portland Maine. The Boise property tax situation is beyond our wildest dreams. We long for your problems.
I bought my Condo in a 90 year old building in 1997 for $125,000. My entire homestead exemption was $8000. My taxes were $1350. Today my home has an assessed value per our latest valuation, of $225,000. The homestead exemption was doubled to 16,000. My taxes this year are about $4100.
This does include any school taxes (vast in Maine)
My entire state and local tax burden per the tax foundation, is 13.5%, while Idaho is 10.6%
My family is heartened by Idaho’s resistance to such government greed. We plan to move as soon as our home sells, a long process as the market here has frozen and no one buys homes in winter in maine.
Nov 7, 2006, 3:16 pm
We are glad we sold in May 2006.
Now I know why I have zenophobia.