Comments on: School, taxpayers at odds over appraisals

By: Roger

Roger — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:27:02 +0000

I feel t he school treasurer needs to do her job and let the county auditor do hers; if she feels something is being calculated differently — then maybe she should run for office — otherwise — mind to your own business and job!!!!

By: Interested Citizen

Interested Citizen — Wed, 19 May 2010 13:58:09 +0000

So, if it was ruled unconstitutional, why are schools still being funded this way? I was under the impression that this would be illegal. Was the ruling overturned? Is there just not an easy way to challenge the current system? Granted, I’m all for people paying what they need to pay for their property value. Technically, it’s not even directly about the school and the school is right. People would be getting a tax break if their property wasn’t valued properly (or taxed to much if there is a devaluation). Still, if anyone wants to chime in on the constitutional ruling, please do. I’d like to know more.

By: jt

jt — Wed, 19 May 2010 09:49:49 +0000

so exactly how can a school get involved with MY TAXES ????
since we already know it is unconstitutional???
i think they should keep their noses out of county business. we have a department for that. so let them do their jobs.
just my opinion though

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:13:17 +0000

The school district is yet another case of a government entity being mismanaged. I am absolutely sure the treasurer has spent sleepless nights and countless overtime trying to first determine if they are getting every bit of value out of every tax dollar they already receive…..NOT. Instead of more efficiency, these government employees just want more money. How much have you spent on Freshwater? He would have been gone long ago if he had performed like this in the private sector. Now that home values have drastically plummeted and my taxes just went up?????????, the school believes they deserve more???????? You should make sure everyone in YOUR organization is doing their jobs instead of worrying about the auditor.

By: Alumni

Alumni — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:50:53 +0000

I HATE TO SAY IT BUT ANY VOTER WHO VOTES YES ON THESE LEVEYS IS JUST PLAIN STUPID

By: Alumni

Alumni — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:49:05 +0000

Citizens, Do everything you can legally do to server this vampires head. Vote NO NO NO

By: rdr

rdr — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:24:33 +0000

Why do you keep voting for the levies. Quit voting the levies in and then maby the school will wake up. Look at the money it is being wasted on the Freshwater case. And it isn’t over yet. They will probalby need to pass another levy to pay for that.

By: Thomas Jay

Thomas Jay — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:50:51 +0000

comeon:

The School District has hired counsel from Columbus. Some reports have them paying many thousands (20k?) of dollars to these attorneys. As for winning percentage, I believe the School District will win most of the “arms-length transaction” cases, but has decided to file on CAUV cases, against non-profit/tax exempt organizations, and filed on others that will have no benefit to the school – even if the school wins them. This is just frustrating for taxpayers – especially after we just voted in another emergency levy. I feel for Manners, of course he should have had a professional helping him with his conveyence form and he wouldn’t have had this problem.

I’ll also say that the School’s estimation of what it will make on these cases is highly inflated.

By: comeon

comeon — Tue, 18 May 2010 18:07:46 +0000

I too would like to know how much the school has paid. Are they using local attorneys? If they aren’t, why not?
I would like to see the news ask home/business owners how much they have had to pay for legal bills. Also what is the percentage of “wins” for the school? If they are spending money on outside attorneys and not even winning many cases, I think that is a huge mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.
I do know someone who went through this. They did go to court in Columbus. The school district lost.

By: TD

TD — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:42:27 +0000

I understand the school’s position, but it is my opinion that many properties are overvalued in terms of tax valuation. They were valued at the height of the recent economic “boom”. Now that values have gone a bit on the “bust” side, it appears that the school system may be getting MORE money than they should. I have never voted against any school levy–ever. However, right now nearly two-thirds of my property taxes are going to the schools. It was based on a figure that is 22% higher than the last valuation–and I haven’t done ANYTHING in the way of an upgrade to my house. So….if this has happened to me (and I assume, to others) wouldn’t it possibly lead to the idea that the schools are actually getting more than they shouuld have in terms of actual money value from properties. My property valuation was/is too high and the mechanism for getting it changed is difficult. It was going to cost to get a professional appraiser and do all the paperwork….now I am stuck with a larger tax bill and the school is griping they aren’t gettting enough….Wow!