[quote=jpinpb]I think not being able to deduct the MR is BS. I mean, technically, it’s property tax were it not for Prop 13. This is their roundabout way to go around Prop 13, but the reality is it is property tax. You should be able to deduct it. There must be some way to get a law overturned on this. It’s really screwing the homeowner. Prop 13 was supposed to help homeowners, but it just helps those who have been there for a long time. The new homeowners in new communities are really getting the shaft and carrying a load. It adds insult to injury. We will screw you w/a higher tax AND you can’t deduct it. That blows and sucks.[/quote]
jpinpb, the prop 13 portion of a tax bill (1% + voter-approved bonds and fees) IS tax deductbile.
It is only the portion of the bill for the Community Facilities Districts (CFD’s) that are NOT tax deductible. The CFD portion of a typical tax bill can be substantially more than the 1.*% of the Prop. 13 portion, however.
These homeowners of *newer* property get the *newer* benefits. For instance:
-Maintained landscaping on thorougfares leading to their tracts;
-Fairly new and high-tech police and fire substation in *their own* area for faster response time;
-New sidewalks and newer streets in their subdivision;
-Concrete walking/biking trails along their thoroughfares;
-Newer HS’s with swimming pools, carpeting, indoor lockers, wifi in every classroom, separate auditorium from cafeteria, landscaping, food courts (similar amenities in Elem. & MS);
-New branch libraries and parks in their neighborhoods;
-Separate fire protection districts with addt’l services (in some fire-prone areas);
ETC.
Compare these enhancements and services with SD’s “pothole mgmt” (or “mismanagement”?) in older ‘hoods, power lines still on wood poles and older, scraggly-looking businesses that you have to pass by to get to a *perfectly decent* house in an established ‘hood (even in an “expensive” area) and you can see why buyers are “psychologically drawn” to MR areas. It’s really hard for them to compare new and old RE side-by-side because they never leave a main drag that doesn’t “feel good or familiar” to them to see what’s off on the side sts.
