AUSTIN GENERAL 24 RE LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES
From: "charliekilo" (miles_kramer@no-spam)
Subject: Re: Local property taxes
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 13:19:10 GMT


"Spam-A-Ram-A" <NoSpam@no-spam> wrote in message news:oWrJa.9787$xg5.8711@no-spam > Oops, slight math correction.
>
> If I could get away with what Michael Dell did, my property taxes wouldn't > be around $300.
>
> They'd be around six bucks.
>
> Where do I sign up? ;)
>
>
> "Spam-A-Ram-A" <NoSpam@no-spam> wrote in message > news:3ahJa.6382$xg5.3686@no-spam > > Gaia, Ghu, whatever, it's all the same critter. Do you have to disagree > on > > every single little thing? Lighten up!
> >
> > And yes, there had better damned well be a fixed rate for all similar > > properties. A little thing called democracy, I know it's taken a bad rap > > these days but it's still ostensibly in effect.
> >
> > So yes, in a sense this is how property taxes are calculated. Take > > appraised value, multiply it by the tax rate, bingo! Payment due by 02/01
> > the following year. What the original poster was talking about was how > Dell > > worked the system to his own benefit, letting him pay a hugely discounted > > amount of tax when compared to other citizens's home values.
> >
> > Property tax is based on appraised value. The rate itself is the same for > > all similar properties (around two bucks for every hundred dollars of > > appraised value, when talking residential). A home is a home is a home.
> > Doesn't matter if one's home is appraised at 71.4 million and another's at > > 150K. They're both homes, and the rate is the same for both.
> >
> > Yes, commercial property, unimproved land, etc., all have DIFFERENT rates,
> > but we're essentially talking about a SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING here.
> >
> > One way in which Mr. Dell got off is the famous agricultural exemption.
> > Just by having some cows, horses or whatnot, the tax code allows for a > huge > > writedown on the appraised value, thus affecting the rate.
> >
> > What his payment of $2600 says is that he somehow got his 71.4 million > > dollar home written down to around 150K.
<snip>

I'm a little late to the party here but I remember the Michael Dell property tax flap and as I recall his property was appraised at somewhere around $38
million. But, the Dell's said that because of the house's "special nature"
that the true market value should be lower since there aren't many buyers for a house worth $38mm. It was agreed to and the appraised value was lowered to somewhere in the $14mm range. Yes, a lot lower but he's still paying a butt-load of property tax.


From: "Spam-A-Ram-A" (NoSpam@no-spam)
Subject: Re: Local property taxes
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 12:34:19 GMT

What spawned this thread was the info that Dell was paying around $2,600 in property tax.

My 150K house pays more!

"charliekilo" <miles_kramer@no-spam> wrote in message news:ijhKa.2524$BM.1441751@no-spam > "Spam-A-Ram-A" <NoSpam@no-spam> wrote in message > news:oWrJa.9787$xg5.8711@no-spam > > Oops, slight math correction.
> >
> > If I could get away with what Michael Dell did, my property taxes wouldn't > > be around $300.
> >
> > They'd be around six bucks.
> >
> > Where do I sign up? ;)
> >
> >
> > "Spam-A-Ram-A" <NoSpam@no-spam> wrote in message > > news:3ahJa.6382$xg5.3686@no-spam > > > Gaia, Ghu, whatever, it's all the same critter. Do you have to disagree > > on > > > every single little thing? Lighten up!
> > >
> > > And yes, there had better damned well be a fixed rate for all similar > > > properties. A little thing called democracy, I know it's taken a bad > rap > > > these days but it's still ostensibly in effect.
> > >
> > > So yes, in a sense this is how property taxes are calculated. Take > > > appraised value, multiply it by the tax rate, bingo! Payment due by > 02/01
> > > the following year. What the original poster was talking about was how > > Dell > > > worked the system to his own benefit, letting him pay a hugely > discounted > > > amount of tax when compared to other citizens's home values.
> > >
> > > Property tax is based on appraised value. The rate itself is the same > for > > > all similar properties (around two bucks for every hundred dollars of > > > appraised value, when talking residential). A home is a home is a home.
> > > Doesn't matter if one's home is appraised at 71.4 million and another's > at > > > 150K. They're both homes, and the rate is the same for both.
> > >
> > > Yes, commercial property, unimproved land, etc., all have DIFFERENT > rates,
> > > but we're essentially talking about a SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING here.
> > >
> > > One way in which Mr. Dell got off is the famous agricultural exemption.
> > > Just by having some cows, horses or whatnot, the tax code allows for a > > huge > > > writedown on the appraised value, thus affecting the rate.
> > >
> > > What his payment of $2600 says is that he somehow got his 71.4 million > > > dollar home written down to around 150K.
> <snip>
>
> I'm a little late to the party here but I remember the Michael Dell property > tax flap and as I recall his property was appraised at somewhere around $38
> million. But, the Dell's said that because of the house's "special nature"
> that the true market value should be lower since there aren't many buyers > for a house worth $38mm. It was agreed to and the appraised value was > lowered to somewhere in the $14mm range. Yes, a lot lower but he's still > paying a butt-load of property tax.
>
>


Subject: Re: Local property taxes
From: Mapanari (Fakeaddress@no-spam)
Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2003 02:55:41 GMT

"charliekilo" <miles_kramer@no-spam> babbled and bored us in news:ijhKa.2524$BM.1441751@no-spam
> "Spam-A-Ram-A" <NoSpam@no-spam> wrote in message > news:oWrJa.9787$xg5.8711@no-spam >> Oops, slight math correction.
>>
>> If I could get away with what Michael Dell did, my property taxes >> wouldn't be around $300.
>>
>> They'd be around six bucks.
>>
>> Where do I sign up? ;)
>>
>>
>> "Spam-A-Ram-A" <NoSpam@no-spam> wrote in message >> news:3ahJa.6382$xg5.3686@no-spam >> > Gaia, Ghu, whatever, it's all the same critter. Do you have to >> > disagree >> on >> > every single little thing? Lighten up!
>> >
>> > And yes, there had better damned well be a fixed rate for all similar >> > properties. A little thing called democracy, I know it's taken a bad > rap >> > these days but it's still ostensibly in effect.
>> >
>> > So yes, in a sense this is how property taxes are calculated. Take >> > appraised value, multiply it by the tax rate, bingo! Payment due by > 02/01
>> > the following year. What the original poster was talking about was >> > how >> Dell >> > worked the system to his own benefit, letting him pay a hugely > discounted >> > amount of tax when compared to other citizens's home values.
>> >
>> > Property tax is based on appraised value. The rate itself is the >> > same > for >> > all similar properties (around two bucks for every hundred dollars of >> > appraised value, when talking residential). A home is a home is a >> > home. Doesn't matter if one's home is appraised at 71.4 million and >> > another's > at >> > 150K. They're both homes, and the rate is the same for both.
>> >
>> > Yes, commercial property, unimproved land, etc., all have DIFFERENT > rates,
>> > but we're essentially talking about a SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING here.
>> >
>> > One way in which Mr. Dell got off is the famous agricultural >> > exemption. Just by having some cows, horses or whatnot, the tax code >> > allows for a >> huge >> > writedown on the appraised value, thus affecting the rate.
>> >
>> > What his payment of $2600 says is that he somehow got his 71.4
>> > million dollar home written down to around 150K.
> <snip>
> > I'm a little late to the party here but I remember the Michael Dell > property tax flap and as I recall his property was appraised at > somewhere around $38 million. But, the Dell's said that because of the > house's "special nature" that the true market value should be lower > since there aren't many buyers for a house worth $38mm. It was agreed to > and the appraised value was lowered to somewhere in the $14mm range.
> Yes, a lot lower but he's still paying a butt-load of property tax.
> > >
If you can't afford the property tax, you
1. Shouldn't whine about it like a little girl like Dell did.
2. make the rest of Austin taxpayers take up the tax slack for the missing amount of the lowered appraisal.
3. Shouldn't buy such a big house.

It's not our job to subsidize the filthy rich people's huge estates and views and marble fireplaces and golden toilet seats.

-- -Mapi
The Mapanari of Usenet.


From: JETman (jetassoc@no-spam)
Subject: Re: Local property taxes
Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2003 11:24:54 GMT

Mapanari wrote:
> > "charliekilo" <miles_kramer@no-spam> babbled and bored us in > news:ijhKa.2524$BM.1441751@no-spam > >

snip
> >
> > I'm a little late to the party here but I remember the Michael Dell > > property tax flap and as I recall his property was appraised at > > somewhere around $38 million. But, the Dell's said that because of the > > house's "special nature" that the true market value should be lower > > since there aren't many buyers for a house worth $38mm. It was agreed to > > and the appraised value was lowered to somewhere in the $14mm range.
> > Yes, a lot lower but he's still paying a butt-load of property tax.
> >
> >
> >
> > If you can't afford the property tax, you > > 1. Shouldn't whine about it like a little girl like Dell did.
> 2. make the rest of Austin taxpayers take up the tax slack for the missing > amount of the lowered appraisal.
> 3. Shouldn't buy such a big house.
> > It's not our job to subsidize the filthy rich people's huge estates and views > and marble fireplaces and golden toilet seats.
> > --
> -Mapi > >
I wonder if Dell has geckos in his house?

-- Regards,

JT (Residing in Austin, Texas)

Just Tooling Down The Internet Superhighway With my G4.......


Subject: Re: Local property taxes
From: Mapanari (Fakeaddress@no-spam)
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 01:37:58 GMT

JETman <jetassoc@no-spam> babbled and bored us in news:3F02C211.1D0E2FAA@no-spam
> > > Mapanari wrote:
>> >> "charliekilo" <miles_kramer@no-spam> babbled and bored us in >> news:ijhKa.2524$BM.1441751@no-spam >> >>
> > > snip > > > >> >
>> > I'm a little late to the party here but I remember the Michael Dell >> > property tax flap and as I recall his property was appraised at >> > somewhere around $38 million. But, the Dell's said that because of >> > the house's "special nature" that the true market value should be >> > lower since there aren't many buyers for a house worth $38mm. It was >> > agreed to and the appraised value was lowered to somewhere in the >> > $14mm range. Yes, a lot lower but he's still paying a butt-load of >> > property tax. >> >
>> >
>> >
>> >> If you can't afford the property tax, you >> >> 1. Shouldn't whine about it like a little girl like Dell did.
>> 2. make the rest of Austin taxpayers take up the tax slack for the >> missing amount of the lowered appraisal.
>> 3. Shouldn't buy such a big house.
>> >> It's not our job to subsidize the filthy rich people's huge estates and >> views and marble fireplaces and golden toilet seats.
>> >> --
>> -Mapi >> >> > > > I wonder if Dell has geckos in his house?
> > >
Imported Malaysian Fire Geckos, $15,000 each. And they all have little tiny Nieman Marcus Gecko Collars made of white gold, set with a flawless 1/8 marquis cut yellow diamonds, bordered with Burmese rubie chips and a tiny little pooper-catched strapped to their backside made of pure kevlar mixed with silk from worms grown especially on the finest of mulberry leaves in a tiny mountain province in China.

At least that's what I told him when I rounded up a bunch of geckos in my backyard and bought an old box of Barbie jewelry on Ebay....

You should see what I sold his silly wife to put in her stores! Barbara Bush is wearing it to her grandson's wedding.

Speaking of which, this Korean whore is still looking for me because I stole her flaming polyester dragon kimono when she went outside to pee....

-- -Mapi
The Mapanari of Usenet.