…Why did no one question Mayor Gray’s decision to not collect the per capita tax last year because it was too hard and there wasn’t enough collected to make it worth it. Yet, Gray did raise property taxes to cover the loss of the per capita tax. Again, property owners are sitting ducks for the administrations gyrations.
According to City-data.com, in 2007, Lancaster had a population of 54,626 and 23,021 homes with 20,940 of those home being occupied. 53% of the homes were not owner inhabited or 11,199 were renter occupied. So 47% got a higher property tax because Mayor Gray found the per capita too hard to collect. Isn’t that his job?
He disdainfully sniffs his nose at property owners by saying that the new tax is “offset” by them not having to pay the per capita tax. It is an insult that he got back into office but then Marion Berry got back in too. What on earth are the people thinking?
While I am at it, check into the inequity of property taxes for single family residences as opposed to multifamily units. Single family residences pay proportionately much higher property taxes than multi-family units while the multi’s are the ones burgeoning the public services while reducing the property owner can reduce his income tax liability with their “business deductions.”
Compare singles against multi’s on property report card on the Lancaster county site. I pay tax on every square inch of my home while some of the multi’s don’t even include the second floor of the structure although they have 15 rental units.
This may not be of interest to you but property taxes should be on the minds of everyone and the fair treatment of everyone should be the foremost thought.
