LACONIA Tax Increases

jetskier · 12-13-2017, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major

Same to you trackeer! When I was a kid (13-15), I used to take my 14 foot Glastron with a giant (oversized) 40 horse Johnson motor to Pickerel Cove to waterski when Paugus Bay was too rough. The boat could barely fit through the culvert.

Obviously, most residents of Laconia are good, hardworking people. However, as you recognize, there is an element downtown that detracts from the City's ability to attract businesses. Presently, "there are 14 low income housing apartment complexes which contain 619 affordable apartments for rent in Laconia." (affordablehousingonline.com) My wife, who isn't timid, called me the other day from Church Street. She was picking up a prescription for her mother from Genesis, and was being followed by a tweaker with a backpack. She was genuinely scared, and called me just in case. Unfortunately, that is all too common an experience downtown.

And jetskier, I am glad you mentioned the WOW trail. I read in the Daily Sun about an incident (some sort of crime, robbery maybe) in which the perpetrator got away on the WOW trail. That is what our $400,000 paid for!

We need a comprehensive plan to eliminate section 8 housing from downtown in an effort to attract businesses. Unfortunately, I am afraid improvement is impossible until this happens.

Hi Major,

That is exactly the problem...I spent some time discussing this with a Council member. You can't put high end businesses in with Section 8...it does not work and will never work.

My wife had a great idea...buy the church (ex: Holy Grail) and convert it to performing arts....it would be a fraction of the cost of the current Colonial Theater project and it is in a better location.

You look at the garage falling down, the potholes, taxes going up (via assessments) and you have to wonder about the priorities in the town. Personally, I could not believe that the mayor still wants to spend $10k to study removing the tracks for the WOW trail when the state has indicated that will never happen. That is another waste of money.

I don't mind paying taxes when it goes to good use, but....

Just my 2 cents.

Jetskier

Redbarn · 12-13-2017, 11:25 AM

I called. They said I can ask for an abatement but she would require access to the house right now she "is using photos from homeaway". I was pretty surprised they go that far to see the inside of your house.

And it definitely did go up that much.

Biggd · 12-13-2017, 12:06 PM

Sanbornton has really high taxes also. My inlaws passed away a few years ago and had a place in Sanbornton with no water rights but within walking distance of the town beach on Winnisquam. I could have bought it off the estate fairly cheap. I chose to buy a much bigger and nicer place in Meredith on Waukewaun with water rights and a dock space for twice the price mainly because the taxes were $1500 cheaper and it was close to the town center.
One of the other siblings bought the Sanbornton house and he complains about the taxes at every family function. He also said that his insurance has almost doubled because he is so far away from the fire station.
It's been 3 years now and my taxes have gone up $300 per year and his has gone up $600. It will affect home values at some point if they keep increasing taxes more than the surrounding towns.

trackeer · 12-13-2017, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbarn

I called. They said I can ask for an abatement but she would require access to the house right now she "is using photos from homeaway". I was pretty surprised they go that far to see the inside of your house.

And it definitely did go up that much.

Hey, That woman would go to most any length to see into your house, we bought and several months later, she had gone to the property and left a card they we're there. In a following phone call she slipped up and was pretty clear she was looking in windows.....so don't be surprised how they will go.

Woodsy · 12-13-2017, 01:27 PM

Trackeer...

It is not that I think you should be punished for being successful. I certainly do not think that. Its great that anyone is successful enough to be able to afford waterfront property.

Nobody.. wants to pay taxes. Especially when there seems to be very little return. Police/Fire/Plowing

But... because the property you bought is on the water... and as they don't seem to making any new waterfront, it becomes a highly desirable property. This increases your property value exponentially. (market driven factor) You get to reap the reward of the increase when you decide to sell. But you can't have it both ways... you cannot reap the reward of an exponential increase in property value without the corresponding increase in taxes.

The City of Laconia does pretty good keeping the budget under the tax cap of 2.5%.

Woodsy

FlyingScot · 12-13-2017, 01:51 PM

If you accept the general idea that people with more valuable homes should pay more in property taxes, then you should not be surprised that waterfront homes get socked. As Woodsy points out, they're not making more waterfront... Also, you should accept the assessor visiting the inside of your home. She needs to confirm that you have not added a $100K kitchen, just for example.

If you don't accept the general idea that the rich should pay more, then--at least for communities like Laconia where there is a huge gulf between waterfront and non-waterfront properties--your implied solution would cause a complete collapse in local government funding as less fortunate non waterfront owners would not be able to cover the increased burden of per capita taxation. But maybe that's your goal?

kjkam · 12-13-2017, 01:59 PM

How do you defend that the waterfront property that is commercial has seen significant reductions, where residential has seen increases, same issue of valuable property that they aren't making more of, 4 acres of commercial water front able to house an income producing business is worth less than a .75 acre lot with a single home on it?????

Woodsy · 12-13-2017, 02:08 PM

Supply and demand.... There is a HIGH demand for residential waterfront. There is almost no demand for commercial waterfront. Especially "seasonal" commercial waterfront.

Woodsy

trackeer · 12-13-2017, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Supply and demand.... There is a HIGH demand for residential waterfront. There is almost no demand for commercial waterfront. Especially "seasonal" commercial waterfront.

Woodsy

I guess folks we can argue the fairness of Taxation as long as your not the one on the side of the increases, that said seems a mentality based on the Have's and Have's Not.

I for one have no issue paying my fair share as long as my fair share includes the services that come with the taxation, hardly seems fair the City chooses to raise the taxes around our little cove but chooses to ignore the basic needs of road repair that belongs to the city, police patrols, etc etc

As for letting the cities accessor into my home, why, she looks in windows and walks private property as well access's a private road to get there. She should learn to fly a drone and peak in windows all around the lake.

I like Live Free or Die, apparently some folks prefer the Bernie Sanders approach, "If I don't have it why should you, and if you do, your gonna pay and wish your Didn't"

Woodsy · 12-13-2017, 02:53 PM

Trackeer...

Your logic is flawed and anger misplaced... It is not about the haves vs. have nots. I pay the same $21.03 per thousand (a little less than 1/2 of your tax bill) on my 1000ft2 condo. I get the same lack of service from the city you do. My condo is worth a lot less than your waterfront home and it will not appreciate in value nearly as much as your waterfront home... because its just not that desirable.I have no waterfront, no dock & no view. (I knew this going in) Your home value and thus tax bill is driven by your peers and what they have paid for similar properties.

If you are going to be twisted.. be upset at the people who drive the property values up...

Woodsy

trackeer · 12-13-2017, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Trackeer...

Your logic is flawed and anger misplaced... It is not about the haves vs. have nots. I pay the same $21.03 per thousand (a little less than 1/2 of your tax bill) on my 1000ft2 condo. I get the same lack of service from the city you do. My condo is worth a lot less than your waterfront home and it will not appreciate in value nearly as much as your waterfront home... because its just not that desirable.I have no waterfront, no dock & no view. (I knew this going in) Your home value and thus tax bill is driven by your peers and what they have paid for similar properties.

If you are going to be twisted.. be upset at the people who drive the property values up...

Woodsy

Sorry Woodsy,

I'm not twisted, I'm a realist, anger I'm not, but perhaps that is something you should consider as your reference to those outside your boundaries as flatlanders, that happen to be ones supporting the Laconia System.
I have no problem with property Increases, forget the lame comment about Tax Rates, in this case it means Nothing, in the three years we've owned our Waterfront Estate it's held fairly steady, now the City decides to come along and revalue it at 30+ percent more than the previous year, hmmmmmm.
I believe in this case you make the case that the rich or better off than you can afford to pay more, sounds like serious Socialist at work there.

12-13-2017, 12:06 PM	#3
Biggd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Waltham Ma./Meredith NH Posts: 4,271 Thanks: 2,317 Thanked 1,230 Times in 788 Posts	Sanbornton has really high taxes also. My inlaws passed away a few years ago and had a place in Sanbornton with no water rights but within walking distance of the town beach on Winnisquam. I could have bought it off the estate fairly cheap. I chose to buy a much bigger and nicer place in Meredith on Waukewaun with water rights and a dock space for twice the price mainly because the taxes were $1500 cheaper and it was close to the town center. One of the other siblings bought the Sanbornton house and he complains about the taxes at every family function. He also said that his insurance has almost doubled because he is so far away from the fire station. It's been 3 years now and my taxes have gone up $300 per year and his has gone up $600. It will affect home values at some point if they keep increasing taxes more than the surrounding towns. Last edited by Biggd; 12-13-2017 at 12:54 PM.

12-13-2017, 01:27 PM	#5
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,968 Thanks: 80 Thanked 980 Times in 440 Posts	Trackeer... It is not that I think you should be punished for being successful. I certainly do not think that. Its great that anyone is successful enough to be able to afford waterfront property. Nobody.. wants to pay taxes. Especially when there seems to be very little return. Police/Fire/Plowing But... because the property you bought is on the water... and as they don't seem to making any new waterfront, it becomes a highly desirable property. This increases your property value exponentially. (market driven factor) You get to reap the reward of the increase when you decide to sell. But you can't have it both ways... you cannot reap the reward of an exponential increase in property value without the corresponding increase in taxes. The City of Laconia does pretty good keeping the budget under the tax cap of 2.5%. Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

12-13-2017, 01:59 PM	#7
kjkam Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Taxes How do you defend that the waterfront property that is commercial has seen significant reductions, where residential has seen increases, same issue of valuable property that they aren't making more of, 4 acres of commercial water front able to house an income producing business is worth less than a .75 acre lot with a single home on it?????

12-13-2017, 02:08 PM	#8
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,968 Thanks: 80 Thanked 980 Times in 440 Posts	Supply and demand.... There is a HIGH demand for residential waterfront. There is almost no demand for commercial waterfront. Especially "seasonal" commercial waterfront. Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

12-13-2017, 02:53 PM	#10
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,968 Thanks: 80 Thanked 980 Times in 440 Posts	Trackeer... Your logic is flawed and anger misplaced... It is not about the haves vs. have nots. I pay the same $21.03 per thousand (a little less than 1/2 of your tax bill) on my 1000ft2 condo. I get the same lack of service from the city you do. My condo is worth a lot less than your waterfront home and it will not appreciate in value nearly as much as your waterfront home... because its just not that desirable.I have no waterfront, no dock & no view. (I knew this going in) Your home value and thus tax bill is driven by your peers and what they have paid for similar properties. If you are going to be twisted.. be upset at the people who drive the property values up... Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

12-13-2017, 11:25 AM	#2
Redbarn Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 62 Thanks: 8 Thanked 14 Times in 8 Posts	I called. They said I can ask for an abatement but she would require access to the house right now she "is using photos from homeaway". I was pretty surprised they go that far to see the inside of your house. And it definitely did go up that much.

12-13-2017, 01:51 PM	#6
FlyingScot Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Tuftonboro and Sudbury, MA Posts: 2,473 Thanks: 1,360 Thanked 1,050 Times in 652 Posts	If you accept the general idea that people with more valuable homes should pay more in property taxes, then you should not be surprised that waterfront homes get socked. As Woodsy points out, they're not making more waterfront... Also, you should accept the assessor visiting the inside of your home. She needs to confirm that you have not added a $100K kitchen, just for example. If you don't accept the general idea that the rich should pay more, then--at least for communities like Laconia where there is a huge gulf between waterfront and non-waterfront properties--your implied solution would cause a complete collapse in local government funding as less fortunate non waterfront owners would not be able to cover the increased burden of per capita taxation. But maybe that's your goal?