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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-18-22 Public Comment - D. Erickson - Property Tax Revenue Increase8/18/22, 3:07 PM Mail - Agenda - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/agenda@BOZEMAN.NET/AAMkADcxY2VhMTdiLWNhMDMtNDhkOC1hNDk0LWMyZDFlMWRmOGQ5OAAuAAAA…1/2 Thank you for your public comment. agenda@bozeman.net <agenda@bozeman.net> Thu 8/18/2022 1:00 PM To:Agenda <agenda@BOZEMAN.NET> A new entry to a form/survey has been submied. Form Name:Public Comment Form Date & Time:08/18/2022 12:59 PM Response #:1678 Submier ID:51793 IP address:2600:6c67:5000:2d1f:2139:2350:1382:9d8d Time to complete:19 min. , 49 sec. Survey Details Page 1 Public comment may be submied via the form below, or by any of the following opons. Public comment may also be given at any public meeng. Email: agenda@bozeman.net Mail to: An: City Commission PO Box 1230 Bozeman, MT 59771 First Name DENNIS Last Name ERICKSON Email Address MTHOMEFINDER@GMAIL.COM Phone Number 4065798967 Comments The current proposal to increase property tax revenue via an increase in local property taxes is ill-med and without jusficaon for the following reasons: 1. We are currently on the precipice of a recession. Inflaon rates are near 9% naonally, gasoline is at $4.50 a gallon, the average Bozemanite is under severe financial pressure already. 2. The increase is being jusfied by poinng to recent high end development projects, all approved by the council, as having driven property values skyward and by extension made all property more valuable and subject to reassessment and taxaon at higher levels. This amounts to a roundabout subsidizaon of mul-million dollar projects by those least able to stand the cost, i.e. older property owners on fixed incomes, renters who will feel the impact of increased taxes via raises in rental rates, business owners who will also experience increased commercial lease rates or increases in their property taxes, which have already doubled in the past three years! We are helping the already wealthy investors and out-of-town property owners who are turning the town into a bason of wealthy property owners by migang the impact of their properes, hotels, apartment complexes, all of which require extended city services, through an increase in our property taxes. 3. An increase in property taxes is in effect, an extracon tax on Montanans. The tax is taken from Montanans to 8/18/22, 3:07 PM Mail - Agenda - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/agenda@BOZEMAN.NET/AAMkADcxY2VhMTdiLWNhMDMtNDhkOC1hNDk0LWMyZDFlMWRmOGQ5OAAuAAAA…2/2 support the impact of new projects with the outcome being more homeless people living in campers on our streets, recent college graduates having to leave the area to start their life in a financially balanced area, older Montanans on fixed incomes unable to afford groceries, gasoline, the basic elements of life due to increases in taxes. 4. You may argue increased equies in property valuaon have made Bozemanites wealthy. Only if they sell their property do they realize this equity gain. If they sell their Bozeman property, where will they live? They can't replace it with another local purchase. 5. Finally, the proposed tax increase is insulng, arrogant and unbelievably ill-med! It suggests a disconnect with the council and the people it serves! 6. Your system for informing the public about this maer is also seriously flawed. I am in touch with business leaders, property owners on a daily basis. NONE of the people I've spoken with about this were aware of this proposal not to menon the quick upcoming vote to approve this incredibly ill-advised tax increase. I respecully suggest you postpone or completely abandon this idea unl it is properly veed in the public arena including adversements in local publicaons, media coverage of the proposal and several public hearings to allow voters, your constuencies, to properly understand the issue. If you would like to submit addional documents (.pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .gif, .jpg, .png, .r, .txt) along with your comment, you may alternately address agenda@bozeman.net directly to ensure receipt of all informaon. Thank you, City Of Bozeman This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email.