Taxpayers need to be wary
By now those of you who own property in Fayette County have received a notice in the mail from a tax collector that monies are owed to the county by a certain date.
If payment is not made, what will happen? Your property will be posted and sold for back payment of taxes. Why own property? Why not sell our homes and move into rentals? That may be the norm, not the exception in, the very near future.
In 2011, the budget for Fayette County was $24,620,000 — that’s millions. For 2012 it went to $28,197,000 — that’s millions. This year, 2013, is now $29,256,000 — that’s millions. The increase from 2011 to 2013 was a staggering 20 percent. That’s right, 20 percent.
If you are fortunate, or in this case unfortunate, enough to own property in Fayette County, how did you, or what did you do without to, pay your property taxes? When are we going to fully understand the ramifications of increases in property taxes, which directly affect the value of that property?
Owning property was once a dream for many of us. Because of the actions of the majority of those elected to the House, Senate and seat of governor, regulations and statutes passed into law have finally taken their toll on the backbone of any community, that being the homeowner.
Years and years of bloated budgets have caused taxes to be raised without any concern by our commissioners. More and more homeowners will be contacting a real estate agent because they have had enough.
Now the conversation has been turned to the Fayette County Prison. Build new or renovate? Question, how much and who pays? In 2011 the budget for the prison was $5,192,000 — that’s millions. In 2012 it was $4,583,000 — that’s millions. This year 2013 $5,849,000 — that’s millions. From 2011 to 2013 the increase was 12 percent.
Project costs forward, and once again you will find that property owners will have a bull’s eye on their backs as being a never ending source of revenue by our commissioners.
Since being elected to office, all three Fayette County commissioners have voted in the affirmative to raise taxes. Question is, will they do it again? Answer, only if we let them. A quote from John Marshall, the fourth chief justice of the United States: “An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation.”
Ed Zadylak is a resident of Connellsville.