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Wednesday, April 4, 2007
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The arrival of spring, and property tax statements
Senior Reporter One sign of spring may not get a warm welcome.
Property tax statements are arriving in lakes area mailboxes.
But just how unsettling tax statements may be depends on where you live and the individual taxing districts, including the county, the school district and the city or township/territory.
A north Brainerd home with a taxable market value of $100,600 in 2006 paid $840.88 in property taxes for 2006.
That same Brainerd home has a taxable market value of $103,400 for 2007. And the property taxes actually went down $13.36 to $827.52.
In the lakes area, market value increases along with population and construction growth have helped pay for increased cost of services.
Paying taxes
Property taxes may be paid in two installments. The first is due no later than May 15. The second is due no later than Oct. 15.
The Crow Wing County treasurer's office will take payment installments up to the due date if people are unable to pay the full amount at one time.
The county has partnered with Official Payments to offer taxpayers an option of paying their taxes electronically via the Internet and using a credit or debit card at www.mncountypayments.org or by calling (800) 272-9829.
However, taxpayers should be warned this payment option comes with a transaction fee that may make it less attractive. The credit card charge is 2.75 percent of the tax amount being paid.
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Property taxes - which affect homeowners, businesses and renters - are determined based on a property's estimated market value.
Taxes are the end product of a complicated process that begins with an assessment of what a buyer would pay for a particular piece of property. Assessors estimate what property would be worth if it were sold in the open market.
How a property is used, whether for a residence or business, comes into play as a parcel's tax capacity is determined. Then the budgets of taxing authorities - cities, counties, townships, school districts and others - are part of determining tax burdens.
Laureen Borden, Crow Wing County treasurer, said one of the common questions comes from people who wonder why they are getting a statement when an escrow company pays the tax for them.
"Everyone gets a copy for their own records or filing with the state to get a refund if they are eligible," Borden said.
If a tax statement hasn't been received by the first of next week, Borden said a call to the treasurer's office may be warranted to see if there was an address problem.
The statements from Crow Wing County came out about a week later than normal because the treasurer's office was moving from the courthouse basement back to the second floor. Borden said volunteers helped get the mailings out and she appreciated the public's patience.
Crow Wing County Assessor Marty Schmidt said he hasn't witnessed any dramatic fluctuations. The county has about 80,000 parcels.
"Lakeshore has very definitely not decreased in value," Schmidt said. "We are still seeing that go up."
Even with a slower housing and construction market, the county has not witnessed dramatic decreases in market value. It has been pretty steady.
"We are not having as much sales activity that we've had in the past," Schmidt said. "That could change real quick in the spring."
If people have questions on their market valuations, Schmidt said they are encouraged to talk to the assessor's office staff. The only appeal option for the tax statement is in tax court. For 2007 assessments, property owners will have more appeal options through local boards.
Homeowners who owned and occupied their home on Jan. 2, 2007, as a homestead may qualify for an additional tax refund if they saw a tax increase of more than 12 percent in the last year. More information is available online at www.taxes.state.mn.us or by calling (651) 296-4444.
And qualifying senior citizens may be able to defer a portion of their property tax on a homestead. Individuals must be at least 65, have a household income of $60,000 or less and have lived in their home for at least 15 years. For more information, call (651) 556-6088.
More information on both of those potential tax breaks is printed on the back of the property tax statement.
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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