Calcasieu parish taxes

[PaulMyers]

Originally Posted by barbarian

Is it a value or rate increase that is the cause? I never paid attention when living in LC because it wasn't enough to matter. Since I moved to Texas, I watch it much closer. My property taxes are right at $8k/year. The values do fluctuate annually and we can debate the county assessment. I have done so 3 times in 10 years and won each time by pulling some comps of nearby homes that sold in recent months and using the price/sq ft and comparing the actual sales to the county assessment. The county assessed values over here are usually very much over inflated from reality.

Assessed Value, some taxes might have changed a few mills but no new taxes have been voted in.

[elcamino]

Apparently they haven't accessed values in my neighborhood in a few years. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, I've gotten a break the last 4 years. A little notice that they were doing this would have been nice though. Bout had a stoke when I opened that envelope

[PaulMyers]

Originally Posted by Feesherman

I got a bill for over 900 dollars and I just bought my house in July. Something is way wrong!!

Normally that is part of the contract when you purchase the house. If you look at all of the paperwork from the closing there should be a line showing a credit for prorated property taxes. In your case, 6 months of the property tax or about $450.00.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by elcamino

Apparently they haven't accessed values in my neighborhood in a few years. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, I've gotten a break the last 4 years. A little notice that they were doing this would have been nice though. Bout had a stoke when I opened that envelope

Ours went up 50%. My wife called and they said the same thing. Everyone is being reassessed.
If you haven't gotten a higher tax bill this year, you will next year.

[PaulMyers]

Originally Posted by elcamino

Apparently they haven't accessed values in my neighborhood in a few years. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, I've gotten a break the last 4 years. A little notice that they were doing this would have been nice though. Bout had a stoke when I opened that envelope

You never hear about it until people get their tax notices. There is usually 1 little blurb about it on the news mid year. I never listen to it either.

[Raymond]

$1,400 and change I can believe in!

[ScubaLatt]

mine went up about $200 over last year. value of my home increased by about 15K.

[weedeater]

I heard that they were doing assessments from outline of roof line from satellite instead of going door to door and acutely measuring living space..... I hope things don't get to crazy or I will be selling my house before I even finish building, old house was about $300 a yr for 1600sqft living and this one will be double..... yikes, I maybe lookin for a handout/bailout

[jchief]

If your home is your primary residence, you are Homstead Exempt for the first $75,000. You pay taxes on everything above this amount. They are required by law to do a reassesment every 3 years and a couple of other times I can't remember off the top of my head.

During a reassesment a few years ago, people were screaming that their homes were not worth what they were being assesed at. The Assesors office told them to bring a copy of their homeowners insurance with the value on it and they would look at adjusting the assesment. Needless to say, not many fought it after that.

Being in the fire service, our budget was based on property values. I believe they were immensely under valued until that reassesment year.

[SULPHITE]

Anyone else's letter come with a tube of Vaseline?

[Hydro]

Yep, ours went up $480.00 more than last year ...

Hydro

[Bluechip]

Mine went up about $150.

$1150.00

[Gerald]

My taxes went up ~ $ 450. My assessted value went up ~ $ 60,000.

I called to Tax office today and after talking to the lady she asked if my last years "adjust gross income" was less than $ 65,000 [I think that was the number]. I am retired, so I am below that amount.

She said I should come to the office [with my 2011 tax information] and they could lower my taxes.

I also have a letter from the Calcasieu Parish Assessor's office staying that I filed a PERMANET HOMESTESAD EXEMPTION back in 1997.

[Raymond]

Most will have property taxes escrowed just like insurance so the increase will be on your monthly house note. Mines aren't so I get to see if they have increased next week when I get back to town.

[Ray]

Mine's ain't either. We pay taxes and insurance when we get the bill.

[Tightline11]

Originally Posted by jchief

If your home is your primary residence, you are Homstead Exempt for the first $75,000. You pay taxes on everything above this amount. They are required by law to do a reassesment every 3 years and a couple of other times I can't remember off the top of my head.

During a reassesment a few years ago, people were screaming that their homes were not worth what they were being assesed at. The Assesors office told them to bring a copy of their homeowners insurance with the value on it and they would look at adjusting the assesment. Needless to say, not many fought it after that.

Being in the fire service, our budget was based on property values. I believe they were immensely under valued until that reassesment year.

Just to add to this I received a notice when I paid my taxes last year that this was going to happen this year just like everybody else should have received a notice. It was also in the newspaper and on the news twice. The newspaper told you the rates changes also. Not to the dollar but a figure that was in the ball park.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Ray

Mine's ain't either. We pay taxes and insurance when we get the bill.

Ray......I was watching the news a couple nights ago. When they were talking about the property taxes going up and the people complaining on KPEL facebook......your name made the local news. You moving back to Cameron parish??????????

I went to the Tax Assessor office this past Wednesday. Because I am 65+ with a low income, I qualify to have my taxes frozen and not go up. The paper work has to go to Baton Rouge to be approved. I was told that I would get a new "bill" sent to me in a couple of weeks.

My wife said she saw a news report that evening that showed a long line of people there to get waited on. There was only 2 people waithing when I got there @ 11:30 AM and it only took me 15 minutes .

[Ray]

Taxes are cheaper down in the parish, but insurance will rape you.
One sister pays $6000/year and another pays $5000/year.
That's flood, home owners and wind/hail.

[fishinpox]

They passed the C.A.T.S. tax in Br so the democrats can still ride the friggin bus so ours will go up 1k/ year!

[Raymond]

Mines actually went down this year!!!