November 4, 2015
The Julian News 13
California Commentary
It's Scary Season Again
(Our Annual Update on How to Translate
Your Property Tax Bill)
For many the real scare this
time of year is not the monsters
at our doors on Halloween but
the property tax bill in the mail
box.
Fortunately, as a direct
result of Proposition 13, which
limits increases in a property's
assessed value to two percent
annually, most property owners
have a good idea what their tax
bill will be even before opening
the envelope. However, like we
do every year about this time,
the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers
Association reminds taxpayers
to carefully examine their latest
property tax bill. Although not
common, there may be mistakes.
Taxpayers should understand
the various charges and make
certain that they are not being
assessed for more than they are
legally obligated to pay. The best
way to check a tax bill is to have
your previous year's bill handy
for reference.
Checking the bill is especially
important for those who bought
their homes a few years ago at
the height of the market. If your
home value is actually lower than
the assessed value shown on
the tax bill, you should consider
applying for a reduction in taxes.
(Sometimes called a "Prop 8
reduction").
For most California counties,
the property tax bill will show
three categories of charges.
They are the General Tax Levy,
Voted Indebtedness and Direct
Assessments.
General Tax Levy
The General Tax Levy is
what most people think of when
talking about property taxes. It is
based on the assessed value of
land, improvements and fixtures.
This charge usually makes up
the largest part of the tax bill and
it is the amount that is limited by
Proposition 13.
Proposition 13 passed
overwhelmingly by voters in 1978
and it established a statewide
uniform tax rate of one percent
of assessed value at the time
of purchase and limited annual
increases in assessed value to
no more than two percent. From
a practical standpoint, this means
that once the base year value
of your property is established
the General Tax Levy cannot
be increased more than two
percent each year. This allows all
property owners to predict their
property tax bills into the future
and budget accordingly.
The best way to check to make
sure that your current General
Levy of Assessment is correct
by Jon Coupal
is to compare it with the previous
year's bill. The increase should be
no more than two percent unless
there have been improvements
to the property like adding a room
to a house or if you previously
received a Prop 8 "reduction in
value." This bears repeating:
Because the real estate market
in many parts of California is
recovering many homeowners
who previously received a
temporary reduction in "taxable
value" from their assessment
may now see an increase in their
tax bill more than two percent
from last year. But in no case will
the taxable value be more than
the initial Prop. 13 base year plus
two percent annually from the
date of purchase. Although that
may seem unfair, keep in mind
that while the reduction was
only temporary, the savings you
received when your property was
worth less are permanent.
If in doubt about the current
value of your property, check
sales of comparable homes in
your neighborhood. If homes
like yours are selling for less
than the valuation on your
latest bill contact your county
assessor and ask that the value
and resulting tax be adjusted to
reflect true current value.
Voted Indebtedness
Voted Indebtedness charges
reflect the repayment cost of
bonds approved by the voters.
Local general obligation bonds
for libraries, parks, police and
fire facilities and other capital
improvements are repaid
exclusively by property owners.
Because a minority of the
population is required to pay
the entire amount, the California
Constitution of 1879 established
the two-thirds vote for approval
of these bonds. This assures a
strong community consensus
before obligating property
owners to repay debt for 20 or 30
years.
Until the year 2000 local school
bonds also required a two-
thirds vote but the passage of
Proposition 39 lowered the vote
to 55 percent. (Of course this did
very little to improve schools as
was promised). Because the 55
percent requirement guarantees
that most school bonds will
pass regardless of merit many
homeowners are seeing a
significant increase in the Voted
Indebtedness column on their
tax bills.
In some counties, parcel taxes
may appear under this second
category of property exactions
even though parcel taxes are
Kaaren Terry Carre St. Andre Paul Bicanic
cell 619-417-o481 cell 619-922-9687 cell 760-484-7793
CA BRE LIC #o1231449 CA BRE LIC #01878143 CA BRE LIC # 00872978
by Linda Thistle
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DIFFI(,ULTY THIS WEEK: * * *
* Moderate ** Challenging
* ** HOO BOY!
© 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
HOMES . LAND ° RENTALS . PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ° VACATION RENTALS
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www julian-real estate, co m "01111
3 Bedroom Home with Finished Attic in Historical District
Ready for your personal renovations.
Inviting 2BR, 2+BA
Manufactured Home
Large 1/2 acre corner lot covered with Pine,
Oak, Cedar, Sequoia. Underground utilities
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is constructed on permanent foundation.
Spacious laundry and mud room. Dog run.
New roof this year. 12x20 tuff shed for
additional storage.
Pristine Home
On 4.26 park-like acres. 3 bd room, 2 bath, 2 car garage, hard wood, granite, 2 wells and
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5 Acres - Beautiful Views
Large decks w/ views + Privacy Electric,
well, septic.Live-in while building dream
home. 402 sq. ft, 1 br, 1 ba. tiny home w/
washer - dryer hookups.
$165,000
Commercial or Residential
Unique opportunity to open a business in
town or live there; or even better, to work
and live in the same place. Darling historic
house behind Miner's Diner. Totally restored
with stainless appliances, granite counters,
claw foot tub, and a new stacking washer
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storage and a large fenced yard.
Pine Hills
1 acre lot w/water meter. ...... $ 75,000
Cuyamaca Woods
2.5 Acres - privacy, view ..... $ 47,000
1 Acre - Gentle slope ........ $ 50,000
2.5 Acres - Driveway, pad, water meter and
view ................... $ 85,000
2.63 Acres - Borders State Park, Private..
....................... $135,000
8 Acres - Excellent well, seasonal creek,
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139 Acres - Remote, private, three (3) legal
parcels ................... $ 499,900
Oakland Road
8+ Acres - Close to town, driveway, pad,
approved for 3 Bedroom, terraced for
orchard ................... $ 239,000
Wynola Estates
2.5 Acres - Large Oaks with water meter,
approved grading plan, approved septic
layout, House plans included .... $149,000
rarely used to repay debt. Parcei;:`~'-
taxes are taxes on property
ownership but are not imposed
as a percentage of taxable value.
Although there is no upper limit
to amount of parcel taxes you
have to pay (HJTA is working
to change that) the good news
is that under Proposition 13 they
still require a two-thirds vote.
Direct Assessments
The third type of levy one finds
on the typical property tax bill is for
direct assessments for services
related to property such as street
lighting, regional sanitation,
flood control, etc. Because of
continued on page 14
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@ 2015 King Fea[ures Synd., Inc.
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Thought for the Day: "Be
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the teachers of morafity; they
discourse like angels but they
five like men."
-- Samuel Johnson
© 2015 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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