The Observation Deck

According the the State of Ohio the City of Lakewood is owed nearly $4 million in delinquent property taxes. See:

http://tax.ohio.gov/divisions/tax_analy ... d2cy05.xls

City governments are not responsible for the collection of property taxes, the County is. However, it might be a good idea for the Cities of Cuyahoga County to start putting some pressure on our dysfunctional County government.

Why can't the County authorize cities to act as their agent in the collection process? How hard can it be? (hint: In the 1930's The Hoover dam was completed on time and on budget, 70 years later the 450 car garage and visitor center took longer to complete than the dam itself and was tens of millions of dollars over budget.)

Maybe someone should form a citizen committee to to study the possibility of forming a committee to study:

The Concept of Property Tax Collections in an Urban Environment.

(The actual title would have to be more complicated. You and I pay the electric bill. City governments transfer unencumbered balances to interdepartmental department budgeted fund allocations as set forth in budget document C-4, as authorized by the 2006 budget authorization, except where otherwise noted).

Perhaps a study group could also be formed to exam the under appraisal of commercial property.

When the County issues its residential property tax assessments it does not hesitate to assess your house for more than it's worth. I guess that's only fair since the County does not hesitate to assess commercial property for less than it is worth. They have to balance the books somehow.

Isn't that how a business friendly environment is created to benefit the region?

Kenneth Warren

Another great case for regionalism.

not.


.

Let's go back to the Feudal tax system. we should only be writing checks to the city of Lakewood. The county should tax the city, state would tax the county, the federal government tax the state. I hate the fact that for the most part, the money starts on the wrong end.

Bret Callentine wrote:Let's go back to the Feudal tax system. we should only be writing checks to the city of Lakewood. The county should tax the city, state would tax the county, the federal government tax the state. I hate the fact that for the most part, the money starts on the wrong end.

Lakewood is a multi level colony. We send more to the County than we get in return. We send more to the State than we get in return. We send more to the feds than we get in return.

There are people out there who think that Columbus has grown so fast because it has "regional" government. Of course if Columbus covered twice as much territory but was not the capital it would still be a cow town.

Is Northern Virginia the wealthiest area the country because all those people are so smart and productive or is it because it's a suburb of Washington D. C.?

Collecting property taxes should be a no brainer. Proper assessment of commercial real estate should be a priority. I don't expect either to happen.

The more expensive government gets the more incompetent it gets. Why don't things get done? "It's just too harrrrd". "Youuuu don't understand". "Weeee doonnn't have enoufffff moneeeee".

A good example of how modern government works:

I recently applied for a permit in Cleveland. Two clerks were chating on the phone while a half a dozen people waited (trying desperately not to show their impatience) while the conversation continued.

I went up to one who was on the phone to get her attention. No luck.
A few minutes later I got noticed. "Do you need help?", she asked. Yeeess.

"I am here for a permit".

"Oh, you should have said something!"

"Well, I still need the permit".

"You have to wait till I get back. Nows I have to take my break."

Bill Call wrote:
A good example of how modern government works:

I recently applied for a permit in Cleveland. Two clerks were chating on the phone while a half a dozen people waited (trying desperately not to show their impatience) while the conversation continued.

I went up to one who was on the phone to get her attention. No luck.
A few minutes later I got noticed. "Do you need help?", she asked. Yeeess.

"I am here for a permit".

"Oh, you should have said something!"

"Well, I still need the permit".

"You have to wait till I get back. Nows I have to take my break."

<sigh>

Yet another unverifiable anecdote about lazy, rude, unresponsive public employees.

You never mentioned what field you work or worked in, but Ill bet that if you shared that info, a few of us would be able to share stories about lazy, rude, and unresponsive people in THAT field.

Do you have a cell phone? Have you tried to get ANY kind of customer service from Verizon? Tell me how that works out for you. The barely-upright simians they hire for "customer care" are as bad or worse than any public worker I have ever encountered. Oh, youll say, you have a choice on cell phones but not cities. Do I? I can take my business elsewhere, AFTER I pay my $175 homage to get out. And Anyone want to send bouquets to Sprint? Alltell?

Fish rot from the head down. While I dont doubt that there are bad public employees in some jurisidictions, Im saying its the fault of supervisors, managers, even elected officials. Its NOT the fault of the SYSTEM. Some governments DO work, and a lot better than Verizon, AOL, or Medical Mutual does. Tarring every jurisdition and every public office with the same brush is just unfair.

You're not the only one who has issues with Verizon. 3 months later, they still haven't refunded my credit balance of $55.73, after I terminated service with them.

Maybe my "Consumerist.com email carpet bomb" to all of Verizon's management will help.

$4m

Not all property taxes are returned to the city, but a significant proportion are.

I have mentioned before, collecting revenue is as important as making decisions on expenditure.

Those homeowners who are denying Lakewood one of its sources of revenue, in my mind, are just as anti-social in their conduct as the other residents' behaviors (loud noise etc etc) that are critiqued on the OD.

Richard Cole wrote:Not all property taxes are returned to the city, but a significant proportion are.

You are very observant.

See this: http://auditor.cuyahogacounty.us/budgetcomm/where.htm

Bill Call wrote:

Richard Cole wrote:Not all property taxes are returned to the city, but a significant proportion are.

You are very observant.

See this: http://auditor.cuyahogacounty.us/budgetcomm/where.htm

I knew I'd seen that pie chart somewhere.

Fifty five percent of property taxes go to fund the schools. Electing to not pay property taxes is anti-social behavior.

The Auditor website is excellent, a mine of usefull information.

That pie chart is very good and everyone should look at it. It reminds us that the property tax, which is the REAL tax where Lakewood is higher than other cities, benefits primarily the schools.

I'm sure others have related the $4,000,000 delinquent tax figure to the pie chart and have determined the following but here are the results:

55% not going to Lakewood Schools - $2,200,000
22% not going to Lakewood Gov't - $880,000
3% not going to Lakewood Public Library - $120,000

What could these entities do with this money?

Question: Is the $4million delinquent tax figure accumulative over a number of years or an annual figure?

Thanks