Comments

Jennie wrote on Nov 18, 2009 1:58 PM:

" Assessor lady says she'll lower our taxes. Schools, county, college & city say they don't have enough money to service us. I'm missing something here - if Alder lowers the taxes how will all the enities run? She's gonna run us out of the county. I don't see her out and about anymore now that she was elected. She should remember she only won by a very slim margin O well - my neighbor says she'll only be in there 3 years or whatever the term limit is. Good riddins I say "




Thatcher wrote on Nov 13, 2009 8:44 AM:

" Yes you are right. Our taxes went up 48%. We went in the Assessors office. Alder was confused and of course blamed others. There was not a thread of understanding from anyone. I am a dissatisfied voter. I will be voting different next time. "




mesa wrote on Nov 11, 2009 10:45 PM:

" I don't understand. You vote someone in that doesn't understand the law hoping that they will circumvent the law and --------it appears that they can't. This person must of ran a fantastic campaiign. As I have said in the past, a person is only as good as their word. If their word is founded untrue, then look out. "




Billy wrote on Nov 10, 2009 11:07 PM:

" I heard Alder camp spent more like $20,000 to capture the office "




Nokia - Play like Nancy Drew wrote on Nov 10, 2009 11:00 PM:

" Part 2..
If your home is older or smaller than the "comps" you found, adjust the price down; if you recently renovated, adjust up. Collect five solid comps -- more is overkill. Next, informally discuss your findings with the Ms. Alder. If she does not agree with you, then it's time for a formal appeal. While waiting attend a hearing, see the format. When your turn comes, you don't need anyone to represent you. Just give board members a packet with copies of your tax statement, data on your five comps, and any additional evidence. "




Nokia - Play like Nancy Drew wrote on Nov 10, 2009 10:50 PM:

" You can appeal your assessment in any year, as long as you do so within a certain amount of time after you get your tax bill -- typically within 30 to 90 days.
First, check the accuracy of your official property record, in the assessor's office. Hunt for factual errors . Prove that, find discrepancies and your tax can get lowered immediately. Also gather info on comparable homes using real estate sites or realtor. Look for homes like yours within a mile of your address that sold within two months of the assessment. "




To the next Assessor wrote on Nov 9, 2009 9:21 PM:

" You better come up with $10,000. I hear thats what Alder spent to get the office "




Pima2 wrote on Nov 9, 2009 9:19 PM:

" The county assessor should be able to explain this in detail to us. "




dunn1 wrote on Nov 9, 2009 9:17 PM:

" Well my property tax went up 25%, and it was because the value increased (at least according to the assesors office). This is the exact opposite of what has happend to property values. It seems the Assesors office found a "new way" to assess property value. "




To Nokia wrote on Nov 9, 2009 9:13 PM:

" I don't disagree with you. The slam here is that Alder ran on the ability to "lower tax bill's or assessments". Yes - there was a boo-boo. Alder can't produce what she told the taxpayers it seems. Only the market, mortgage companies, etc. have the ability to set these figures. Once again the voters were duped "




OH EM GEE wrote on Nov 9, 2009 12:28 PM:

" Did any of the commenters bother to read the second paragraph of this letter? Yes, there was a complaint about the tax bill, but it was due to an outrageous increase in evaluation! I too would like to know the legality of using a 3 year old evaluation to determine current values, especially in this market! I suppose one way to get around asking for a tax rate increase, would be to create a land value increase! Seems the real question is whether or not they will get away with it? "




Nokia wrote on Nov 8, 2009 5:31 PM:

" The Assessor shouldn’t take all the blame for higher taxes. Appraisal, mortgage and real estate fraud are the problems. In the last four years, appraisers, brokers and agents fraudulently inflated the value of properties to defraud mortgage lenders in the Gila Valley. Since the FBI says 80% of it involves collusion and usually with the appraiser, underwriters should have asked for a second appraisal when the loan looked like it could have been part of a flipping scheme (e.g., the owner hasn't had it for long and the new appraisal has it coming in much higher than the last). "




PimaBob wrote on Nov 2, 2009 11:26 PM:

" Maybe we should call Mr. Rhodes and ask him to explain our taxes. Sounds like he had a hand in the change. "




to taxing authority wrote on Nov 2, 2009 12:49 PM:

" taxing authorities are the schools, college, cities, fire district, county, etc. These people set the tax rate. Check out your tax bill and see how much in tax dollars you pay to the school. You'll be surprised. "




Mesa wrote on Nov 2, 2009 12:22 PM:

" Watching this all unfold just as I thought it would. Graham County was told what they wanted to hear just so new Assessor could get elected. Previous and current Assessor's have had info on web pages explaining the job. You people didn't want to hear it. You just wanted to believe assessor could lower your taxes. Now you find out she can't . I'm betting she resigns to stay home with her family again. "




Taxing authorities wrote on Nov 2, 2009 10:15 AM:

" Hey, next assessor, who do you suppose the "taxing authority" is anyway? The assessor has a lot more power than you think. An assessor goes before the Board of Supervisors to ask for increases for a lot of different reasons. The can ask for increases because they need more employees, they can ask just because they feel like it. The board of sup has to approve it but that sure doesn'[t mean that the assessor has no power. "




AZ wrote on Nov 2, 2009 9:20 AM:

" Another way to get more money out of the citizens of Graham County. Believe what you want, but I bet its true. "




The next assessor wrote on Nov 2, 2009 8:59 AM:

" I think the assessor's role is misunderstood by the majority of the public. I think that's due to the poor job that the past and current assessors have done. The assessor doesn't have the power to raise or lower taxes. All she can do is value the property. To quote the asessor's website: "The tax rates are set by the County Board of Supervisors and Taxing Authorities in your taxing district". I'm thinking about running against her in the next election. "




Tea and Taxes wrote on Nov 2, 2009 8:33 AM:

" "If he doesn't want to pay taxes, he shouldn't own the land."

Brilliant deduction. With reasoning like that "Real Estate Investor" sounds like a prime candidate for political office - Maybe county assessor.

Yes sir, folks, that's what we need, more and higher taxes. That's what made America great! Oops, I forgot, isn't that what all the Tea Parties around the country are about? "




PimaTwo wrote on Nov 2, 2009 7:49 AM:

" Wow! What a total suprise. Just didn't see it coming i guess Sorry! Ka chiing!!!! "




Pat wrote on Nov 2, 2009 5:06 AM:

" When we voted for Ms Alder we understood our taxes would go down, too. Thank you, Butch for bringing this to our attention, and forget all the negative comments, there must like paying higher taxes. "




South of Safford wrote on Nov 1, 2009 11:48 PM:

" Yap you're right. She told us she would revalue everything as soon as she got in office, she would send the same value for three years and she would lower everything. Now figure that one out. She stood right on our front porch and told us these things. "




voter wrote on Nov 1, 2009 8:41 PM:

" The facts are in the pudding. Lorren believed Ms. Alder that she would indeed lower taxes. That is the platform that she ran on and certainly broadcast in print and on the air. "




Real Estate Investor wrote on Nov 1, 2009 4:13 PM:

" I don't think Lorren knows how to do math. His increase is not an increase of 290 percent. But he brings up a point I think he should follow. If he doesn't want to pay the taxes, he shouldn't own the land, simple as that. Sell your land and rent a house if you're that upset about it. Tell you what, I'll help you out and buy it off you for 30 percent less than your 2008 evaluation if you're going to cry that much about it. "




bwana wrote on Nov 1, 2009 3:27 PM:

" It's a CONSPIRACY against Lorren! Those darn liberals who run the county are trying to force you off your land and into a state mental hospital! hahaha "