[EconProf]

I appealed my assessment on two properties. On one they reduced it, saving me thousands. On the other, they haven’t responded in 1 1/2 years–they have two years under their rules to agree to my number or prove otherwise. I expect they will accept my number as they are overwhelmed with appeals and cannot possibly spend the time necessary to hold hearings & prove the appeals wrong.
It took hours to come up with valid comps and support my case. This is a daunting task for the amateur, and these companies perform a legitimate role by doing the paperwork for them. They should be getting economies of scale in doing so. Don’t know how good their work is, and this is not an endorsement. But they may well be serving a valid purpose by expediting appeals en masse for a lot of taxpayers who are otherwise going to overpay their property taxes and are too busy or too uninformed to do the job on their own.
The simple fact is that our local governments enjoyed gushing revenues when property values were soaring. They ramped up their expenditures, programs, and pensions, and now don’t feel inclined to make the serious cuts everybody in the private sector is making. They are now hoping people don’t get wise and appeal their overassessed properties. So on balance, these outfits fill a gap and may help to right a wrong.

[EconProf]

I appealed my assessment on two properties. On one they reduced it, saving me thousands. On the other, they haven’t responded in 1 1/2 years–they have two years under their rules to agree to my number or prove otherwise. I expect they will accept my number as they are overwhelmed with appeals and cannot possibly spend the time necessary to hold hearings & prove the appeals wrong.
It took hours to come up with valid comps and support my case. This is a daunting task for the amateur, and these companies perform a legitimate role by doing the paperwork for them. They should be getting economies of scale in doing so. Don’t know how good their work is, and this is not an endorsement. But they may well be serving a valid purpose by expediting appeals en masse for a lot of taxpayers who are otherwise going to overpay their property taxes and are too busy or too uninformed to do the job on their own.
The simple fact is that our local governments enjoyed gushing revenues when property values were soaring. They ramped up their expenditures, programs, and pensions, and now don’t feel inclined to make the serious cuts everybody in the private sector is making. They are now hoping people don’t get wise and appeal their overassessed properties. So on balance, these outfits fill a gap and may help to right a wrong.

[EconProf]

I appealed my assessment on two properties. On one they reduced it, saving me thousands. On the other, they haven’t responded in 1 1/2 years–they have two years under their rules to agree to my number or prove otherwise. I expect they will accept my number as they are overwhelmed with appeals and cannot possibly spend the time necessary to hold hearings & prove the appeals wrong.
It took hours to come up with valid comps and support my case. This is a daunting task for the amateur, and these companies perform a legitimate role by doing the paperwork for them. They should be getting economies of scale in doing so. Don’t know how good their work is, and this is not an endorsement. But they may well be serving a valid purpose by expediting appeals en masse for a lot of taxpayers who are otherwise going to overpay their property taxes and are too busy or too uninformed to do the job on their own.
The simple fact is that our local governments enjoyed gushing revenues when property values were soaring. They ramped up their expenditures, programs, and pensions, and now don’t feel inclined to make the serious cuts everybody in the private sector is making. They are now hoping people don’t get wise and appeal their overassessed properties. So on balance, these outfits fill a gap and may help to right a wrong.

[EconProf]

I appealed my assessment on two properties. On one they reduced it, saving me thousands. On the other, they haven’t responded in 1 1/2 years–they have two years under their rules to agree to my number or prove otherwise. I expect they will accept my number as they are overwhelmed with appeals and cannot possibly spend the time necessary to hold hearings & prove the appeals wrong.
It took hours to come up with valid comps and support my case. This is a daunting task for the amateur, and these companies perform a legitimate role by doing the paperwork for them. They should be getting economies of scale in doing so. Don’t know how good their work is, and this is not an endorsement. But they may well be serving a valid purpose by expediting appeals en masse for a lot of taxpayers who are otherwise going to overpay their property taxes and are too busy or too uninformed to do the job on their own.
The simple fact is that our local governments enjoyed gushing revenues when property values were soaring. They ramped up their expenditures, programs, and pensions, and now don’t feel inclined to make the serious cuts everybody in the private sector is making. They are now hoping people don’t get wise and appeal their overassessed properties. So on balance, these outfits fill a gap and may help to right a wrong.

[EconProf]

It is possible, but not easy, to eat healthy at fast food places. Order a hamburger PLAIN. You’ll get lean beef and a bun–necessary protein and carbs. Skip the mayo-laced sauce, gloppy cheese, fries, soft drink, etc. Bring your own apple or orange for your “drink”, or get a free water, maybe your own peanuts, and voila, a complete meal for under $2.
The downside is the dirty looks from the order-taker.

[EconProf]

It is possible, but not easy, to eat healthy at fast food places. Order a hamburger PLAIN. You’ll get lean beef and a bun–necessary protein and carbs. Skip the mayo-laced sauce, gloppy cheese, fries, soft drink, etc. Bring your own apple or orange for your “drink”, or get a free water, maybe your own peanuts, and voila, a complete meal for under $2.
The downside is the dirty looks from the order-taker.

[EconProf]

It is possible, but not easy, to eat healthy at fast food places. Order a hamburger PLAIN. You’ll get lean beef and a bun–necessary protein and carbs. Skip the mayo-laced sauce, gloppy cheese, fries, soft drink, etc. Bring your own apple or orange for your “drink”, or get a free water, maybe your own peanuts, and voila, a complete meal for under $2.
The downside is the dirty looks from the order-taker.

[EconProf]

It is possible, but not easy, to eat healthy at fast food places. Order a hamburger PLAIN. You’ll get lean beef and a bun–necessary protein and carbs. Skip the mayo-laced sauce, gloppy cheese, fries, soft drink, etc. Bring your own apple or orange for your “drink”, or get a free water, maybe your own peanuts, and voila, a complete meal for under $2.
The downside is the dirty looks from the order-taker.

[EconProf]

It is possible, but not easy, to eat healthy at fast food places. Order a hamburger PLAIN. You’ll get lean beef and a bun–necessary protein and carbs. Skip the mayo-laced sauce, gloppy cheese, fries, soft drink, etc. Bring your own apple or orange for your “drink”, or get a free water, maybe your own peanuts, and voila, a complete meal for under $2.
The downside is the dirty looks from the order-taker.

[EconProf]

You are right mixalot. And it is amazing how much less junk you eat when you prepare it from scratch and also how much faster it is once you get used to it. Going out to a restaurant, possibly waiting to get in, waiting to order & be served can really be far more time-consuming than eating your own creations at home.

[EconProf]

You are right mixalot. And it is amazing how much less junk you eat when you prepare it from scratch and also how much faster it is once you get used to it. Going out to a restaurant, possibly waiting to get in, waiting to order & be served can really be far more time-consuming than eating your own creations at home.

[EconProf]

You are right mixalot. And it is amazing how much less junk you eat when you prepare it from scratch and also how much faster it is once you get used to it. Going out to a restaurant, possibly waiting to get in, waiting to order & be served can really be far more time-consuming than eating your own creations at home.

[EconProf]

You are right mixalot. And it is amazing how much less junk you eat when you prepare it from scratch and also how much faster it is once you get used to it. Going out to a restaurant, possibly waiting to get in, waiting to order & be served can really be far more time-consuming than eating your own creations at home.

[EconProf]

You are right mixalot. And it is amazing how much less junk you eat when you prepare it from scratch and also how much faster it is once you get used to it. Going out to a restaurant, possibly waiting to get in, waiting to order & be served can really be far more time-consuming than eating your own creations at home.

[EconProf]

What’s going on here is that we are in a deflationary environment that is spreading to many areas once thought to be immune to price declines: housing of course, but now rents, vehicle prices new and used, cost of labor & contractors, restaurant meals, etc, etc.
In fact, deflation is everywhere but in taxes and the size of government! Property taxes due next Friday (anyone’s going down?), income taxes due the following Wednesday.
Not to worry…Obama is our President and Schwartzenneger is our Governor. Our future is assured.
Apologies for the rant.

[Author]

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