Talk of Lufkin

By concernedtaxpayer

July 1, 2009 11:44 PM | Link to this

Do we employ 10 appraisers at the appraisal district? I am pretty sure we do not. So why would you ask 10 property owners to come in all at 9 a.m. when it would seem obvious that for starters everyone is irritated and heated over this years property values, knowing that all 10 could not be seen at the appropriated time. Presumably at some point the appraisers are going to take their lunch our during this period of time and so we are looking at a 3 hour window of trying to resolve a protest with citizens who are unlikely to be happy even with the end result. What authority will the appraisers be given? And how can we be assured that when their buddy or good friend Sally who lives next door walks in they won’t be given preferential treatment? If the appraiser is not able to resolve the protest then a more formal ARB hearing will have to be scheduled and thus wasting more of taxpayers time, and constitution. Imagine how frustrating it would be to show up beliving you will be able to get this mess straightened out with an appraiser, only to find out that isn’t going to happen and have to take more time away from work or family or school, whatever it is you do to return a second time for an absolute answer with the possibility still remaining that you have wasted your time on not one but two occasions and your value remains the same. The sad thing is there is really no way to fight the government. They spend as they see fit and send us the bill. We might well be better off to show up with picket signs and tea bags to protest the whole thing. With 1000 protestors rolling in, there is a reasonable asumption that hundreds of them are not going to get any resolution and come October to February they are going to be required to pay up. Good luck and congratulations to anyone who does succeed with lowering their value. While you’re over there protesting you might want to take a stroll on over to the Museum of East Texas across the street and see where our 56000 dollars went to.

By Christopher

July 2, 2009 1:48 AM | Link to this

These people are just a bunch of idiots. The appraisers are way off and when they are questioned they can not justify anything with an intelligent answer. This is a joke. I own homes in Lufkin and in Destin, Florida. My taxes went up in Destin which I can understand. Here in Lufkin though mine went up quit a bit. They should not have went up as much as they did. They can not justify my taxes jumped so much. The way they do things here is just a joke.

By Sansmentis

July 2, 2009 9:48 AM | Link to this

Where can we access this yearly property study of Angelina County conducted by the State Comptroller’s Office, and who do we need to vote out of that office? If this extortion racket is all about getting the maximum state funding for schools, then are other school districts also buying land for “future expansion” at 29K/acre? This whole dishonest scheme needs to be exposed for what it actually is, a shakedown of property owners to lavishly fund a mediocre at best public education system. Adding insult to injury, deserving classroom teachers are at the back of the line when these monies are dispersed. We need to get back to the basics, and live within our means. Keep the pressure on, and VOTE when the time arrives.

By Ben Anderson

July 2, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this

The current system of funding schools, counties and municipalities is broke and needs a total overhaul. The current system is said to be based on an individuals ability to pay. Not only is this an unfair approach but flawed as well. Judging someone’s ability to pay based on the type of house they live in is a poor source of determining ability. Things change in peoples lives that may quickly change their so called ability to pay. They may get laid off their job, have a major medical situation, have the bread winner in the family pass away. Any of these situations could find a property owner staring at a tax bill they cannot pay and have to sell the house they worked for all their lives. It is the worst form of government that would force an individual out of their home because they cannot pay the tax, yet it happens every day. Even individuals who work all their lives to pay for their homes and retire find themselves unable to afford to stay there. This is simply wrong.
The burden of supporting our schools, cities and government programs should be beared by all citizens. Not just those who own property. Every citizen except the truly indegent should participate in funding our governments through a sales tax. This approach is one of the most equitable and fair ways of taxation. With a sales tax, every citizen participates when they purchase goods or services. Regardless of age, gender, race, etc. everyone contributes. This is the way it should be. Everyone uses the services provided by taxes, everyone should contribute. The other key to the puzzle is getting all governments to realize they have to control budgets and operate as a business. We can no longer afford to waste money at any level of government. If services have to be cut then so be it. Some of them should never have been funded to begin with.

By Here we go again

July 2, 2009 10:54 AM | Link to this

Boss Hogg needs to revisit the Constitution. While it mentions the rights of citizens to petition their government, the implication is to do so singly, not in groups of ten in order to convenience some bureaucrat.