The Crawford County Court of Common Pleas found the county's base-year property assessment system unconstitutional as applied and ordered a countywide reassessment to be completed by April 30, 2030; the court directed the county to file a plan in 60 days.

Look, I’m as frustrated as anyone when taxes go up or funding gets cut.

A Tarrant Appraisal District Place 2 candidate told the board that appraisal ratios in August showed small homes valued above market and expensive homes below market, and warned those disparities and unstable revenue projections contributed to the district's S&P downgrade.

At an Oct. 8 hearing, councilors pressed the city's interim assessing commissioner and outside experts about reported gaps between sale prices and assessed values, particularly for high-end homes, and discussed fixes ranging from targeted appraisals to data improvements.

Justin Peroli told forum attendees he is not opposed to data centers per se but opposes preferential tax treatment and believes communities should decide whether to accept data center projects because localities bear the impacts.

Chief Kaufman said sales tax is fairer than property millage because it spreads burden beyond property owners, but noted some districts cannot use sales tax and must rely on millage or parcel fees; he suggested reviewing exemptions and reassessments to improve fairness.

Council members asked staff to prepare comparative data on tax and utility rate options; Turnaway agreed to provide a light set of options at the next results-team meeting and prepare material for a public hearing on revenue sources.

County Administrator Corso Coomphy presented a recommended 2027 budget that proposes a $63.7 million property tax levy — an 11.96% ($6.8M) increase — estimating a $171 annual county-tax hit for a $290,000 home and a reduction of 17 county positions. The legislature will review and may alter the proposal before adoption.

An ad hoc committee presented three broad tax‑fairness concepts under study: a municipal property transfer tax (proposal discussed: 5% on single‑family home sales $1M+ to fund the housing trust fund), authority to create enhanced assessment classes (second homes, vacant properties), and a homestead exemption or targeted rebate; committee will hold public forums in October–November and return recommendations by December.

Board members and district representatives debated options to cover a roughly $20,000 ambulance shortfall and a larger $94,000 figure tied to district assessments, with legal advisers warning that using town general funds to cover a district's obligation could be unlawful.

The ad hoc tax‑fairness committee presented three options under consideration: a 5% municipal transfer tax on home sales of $1,000,000 or more to fund the housing trust fund; enhanced assessment factors for second homes and certain non‑homestead properties; and a municipal homestead exemption or targeted rebate. Public forums on the proposals were scheduled for October–November.

Opponents of Hawaii’s new millionaire tax have a familiar warning: raise taxes on the rich, and they’ll leave. A recent Island Voices column made this argument, suggesting that if just 10 of the rough...

At a work session following the council meeting, the new owner of Hebron Woods said he added the county's 15% mobile-home tax as a separate line item to residents' bills; residents said the change effectively raised lot rent and asked the council to reexamine the tax and its implementation.

A board member reported on a legislative committee presentation showing large recent tax reductions for some commercial properties and said Brockport will seek a NISBA study on property tax apportionment.

Economist Gabriel Zucman discusses why opponents of California’s billionaire tax are wrong, how to get Bezos and Musk to pay their fair share, and if the UK’s Andy Burnham should opt for a wealth tax.