Property taxes are way too high in Chester, Vermont. How high are your property taxes in Brattleboro?
The teachers need to go back to chalk and black boards. Student test scores have only gone down since they’ve been using calculators and the internet.
I was so shocked at my property tax bill I called the State 802-828-6848 and left a message for the Taxpayer Advocate, but I have not received a return call yet. My property tax bill for my home in Chester, VT 05143 was 10% higher than last year, and I have to pay 6.2% of my annual income. I think their arithmetic might be in error. There are no codes and statutes printed out with the property tax bill to prove they have a valid claim for such high amounts. Anything that comes from the State with a demand for our money should include a code and/or statute that they are basing their demand on.
One of my neighbors packed up his entire family and filled a rental van with their things, and left out everything that didn’t fit in the Van on the lawn for free. One of his sons brought a table over for me. They haven’t even put up the For Sale sign yet, and the house is completely cleaned out and empty.
I drove around my neighborhood, the circle, Church Street where I live, turn right onto North Street, turn right onto Main Street, then again turn right onto Church St. Just one circle, and look how many houses are for sale on this one neighborhoold cirlce!
Oops. I think I’m only allowed to upload 3 photos here, and I have 16 photos for one circle of the neighborhood! SIXTEEN HOUSES FOR SALE IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOP!
I wish I could upload all the photos.
O.K., I just took these photos real quick, watching out for traffic,so they are low quality, but you get the idea: I’m not the only one who is unhappy with the property tax rates and results of throwing so much money at schools with low test results.
I walk my dog by these houses every day. The first two are just 2 houses away to the one side or the other of mine, the stone house is a half dozen or so around the corner and down. AND THERE ARE 13 MORE FOR SALE LIKE THESE IN THE LOOP: Church St. turn onto North St. turn onto Main St. turn onto Church St.
So, how’s it going in Brattleboro? Are your property taxes up 10% like mine in Chester?
Did the government ask for 6.2% of your annual income like they did of mine?
High cost of housing
As a lifelong renter, my rent has never been less than 25% of my annual income so 6.2% would be great but that’s only if you own your home outright with no mortgage. Add in the mortgage, and I can see how that could get pricy. People are obviously complaining of high taxes in Brattleboro. We just had a mini tax revolt at town meeting.
As for the incredibly high cost of public schools, that seems to be driven by federal education policies to some extent and the cost of employing staff in general. Our schools seem pretty well staffed, and unfortunately, personnel costs are high these days. Everything is high these days.
Some Tea Party
“We just had a mini tax revolt at town meeting.”
Yeah that was some tax revolt. Just read the meeting minutes. New parks and rec truck. New paver, New equipment trailer. Boy I guess the taxpayers really sent a message to stop spending.
lol !!
You are a trip mr.mike. You are.
Wrong meeting
I think Lise was referring to the last town rep meeting -not this week’s SelectBoard meeting. Two different meetings – two different sets of minutes. No new pavers and trailers voted on during Town Representative meeting. Unless it was in secret.
all over
I believe Brandon voters rejected their town and school budgets. (I should go check to see if they finally got one. I’m pretty sure they were heading toward austerity last time I checked.)
34 school budgets were rejected in VT last year.
And yes, town meeting is different than a select board meeting.