Hartford City Taxes More Taxing Than Foreclosure Woes
Hartford City taxes are proving to be more taxing than foreclosure woes. This year there has been a staggering increase in property taxes in Hartford – increase of about 13% for the average owner. He has been raising taxes for five running years.
One homeowner complains that the taxes are more than the monthly mortgage payments. Hartford has the lowest number of house owners and increase of taxes will further discourage ownership. Many of the owners are struggling to balance budgets. Foreclosures have already taken its toll. Predatory lending has led to jumbo increases in mortgage repayment amounts. Small business owners are badly bit. Restaurants, malls and gas stations are seeing huge increases in property taxes – far above the average. The rate for commercial property is much higher than for the residential units. It leaves many with few alternatives – either to shut down, shift elsewhere or increase prices or lose the few customers left. It is strange that property prices are increasing considering there have been no extra services are being given by the city. Rather the existing ones have deteriorated. The Mayor and his colleagues put the blame on the state. He recently said, “They [the state] are increasing the tax bill of every small business and homeowner in the city.” Many of the residents of Hartford are not willing to accept this. This critical situation would not have arisen if the Mayor had met more often the unions of the city. He only met them once annually to discuss the budget. If he had browsed through the accounts he would have noted that $30 million was required to bridge the gap. Instead in a meeting with the unions he said that the deficit amounted to $6million to $8 million.
The workers of Connecticut State union agreed to many concessions so as to save about $700 million. The public service unions are also likewise willing to make sacrifices but nothing can be done unless the Mayor sits with them more often. Unlike other states no drastic cuts has been made in funds available for kindergarten to 12th grade. Public health programmes too have not been affected. Many states have cut down facilities for elders and the handicapped. These types of cuts have been avoided in Connecticut. There will be no reduction in funds from the state till 2011. Rather there will be an increase because of federal stimulus money rolling in.
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