Today, at the Mall where I was talking with “folks on the street”, one taxpayer started in about the incumbent’s claim that “she saved the taxpayers $16.5 million” over the last few years by applying Prop 8. “Total non-sense” is what he called it, and asked my opinion. I agree. After taxpayers had paid more money than was required of them under Prop 8 for a period of 2 to 3, or more years, the incumbent Assessor decided to reduce their assessment, as required by law on January 1 of each year due to the downturn in the housing market, and then reduced their property tax to where it should have been for the 2 to 3 years previously….and called this “saving the taxpayer money”. Any way you look at this, this is merely reducing what they will be paying in the future….and not refunding to the taxpayer what they have already over paid….no way is this “saving the taxpayer money”. This is government “gobbledegook” if I have ever heard it…and this has been stated publicly in my presence on numerous occasions, as well as on Public Radio. Since when is it saved after taxpayers have paid it, and then reducing the tax amount that they should have never paid? A significant refund to each taxpayer that had overpaid would be more like it, and that never happened.
I have stated in my public appearances as well as in my printed material and on the website that upon taking office I will institute a plan to bring all that are eligible for Proposition 8 enrollment into Prop 8. This will take a different kind of leadership than has been exhbited the past 3 years, and we will have outstanding results. Our goal will be to make property assessment and the property taxes consistent with market value, which is the goal of Prop 8.
To state “I have saved taxpayers money” that they have already paid to the County, is not my concept of a good savings program. The County is not my “bank for saving money”. I will see that taxpayers are paying only as much as the Prop 8 reassessment calls for, which in essence will be reducing their property taxes. And, as appropriate, some may be entitled to recover part of what they have already paid. I, for one, would not mind if my taxes were reduced three or four hundred dollars, or more, a year. How about you, the taxpayers? Not such a bad idea.
www.largent2010.com
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Facts are Facts About Shasta Housing Market
Earlier today I was challenged by a citizen that is obviously supporting my opponent. I was accused of using “scare tactics” early in my campaign by saying the housing market was going to continue to go down and that the resulting loss of value would reduce the tax revenue to Shasta County. He said I had “lied to the public” to get their attention. This was the “straw”, and I referred back a few weeks to the Record Searchlight article that follows, but he would not hear it. I am the guilty one. Well, here is the article, and you can be the judge. Did the market continue to fall in 2010, or is it static, as is claimed by my opponent, and the critic today?
“Year-over-year home values in the greater Redding area fell for the 13th straight quarter, according to federal figures released Tuesday.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency all-transaction house price index showed that values in the region that includes Redding, Anderson and Shasta Lake dropped 12.82 percent in the first quarter of 2010 compared with the same three-month period a year ago.
Values in Redding in the first quarter fell 4.1 percent compared with the previous quarter, and have plunged 16.17 percent over the last five years.
Nationally, home values fell 6.8 percent in the first quarter over the same quarter in 2009, and 1.6 percent compared with the previous quarter, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said.
The index gives estimates for 301 housing markets, tracking data from mortgages used for both home purchases and refinances. Because the source data is different, it provides a similar but distinct picture compared to that offered in the figures from MDA DataQuick.”
So, critics beware. My numbers are nationally published numbers. Every seminar that I have attended in the past two years has been saying this…so nothing is new here. The reality is fact in Shasta County, and home values will continue to go down as the bank owned properties continue to come on the market. Again, my critics are saying I do not know the market, and if the Assessor is to determine assessed values based on market values, as is required by Proposition 8 as a follow on to Proposition 13, then I think I have a sense of the market and where it is going. If the above is “static market”, as is claimed by the incumbent, then maybe this is why we need a change. Is there such a thing as “reality” in government thinking? Your call, as the voter on June 8th in Shasta County.
www.largent2010.com
“Year-over-year home values in the greater Redding area fell for the 13th straight quarter, according to federal figures released Tuesday.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency all-transaction house price index showed that values in the region that includes Redding, Anderson and Shasta Lake dropped 12.82 percent in the first quarter of 2010 compared with the same three-month period a year ago.
Values in Redding in the first quarter fell 4.1 percent compared with the previous quarter, and have plunged 16.17 percent over the last five years.
Nationally, home values fell 6.8 percent in the first quarter over the same quarter in 2009, and 1.6 percent compared with the previous quarter, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said.
The index gives estimates for 301 housing markets, tracking data from mortgages used for both home purchases and refinances. Because the source data is different, it provides a similar but distinct picture compared to that offered in the figures from MDA DataQuick.”
So, critics beware. My numbers are nationally published numbers. Every seminar that I have attended in the past two years has been saying this…so nothing is new here. The reality is fact in Shasta County, and home values will continue to go down as the bank owned properties continue to come on the market. Again, my critics are saying I do not know the market, and if the Assessor is to determine assessed values based on market values, as is required by Proposition 8 as a follow on to Proposition 13, then I think I have a sense of the market and where it is going. If the above is “static market”, as is claimed by the incumbent, then maybe this is why we need a change. Is there such a thing as “reality” in government thinking? Your call, as the voter on June 8th in Shasta County.
www.largent2010.com
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Pros and Cons of a Local Campaign
As my campaign for Shasta County Assessor Recorder comes to an end with the election on June 8th....I have been asked on various occasions, "what are my impressions of the campaign and would I do it again?" Yes, I would do it again, as it has been a very interesting and worthwhile time and well worth the effort.
"What have been the good parts?" is usually the next question, along with the "not so good".
First, I have met thousands of very nice, respectful, courteous citizens from the mountains and valleys of Eastern Shasta County to the farmers and ranchers of the south county. They are very concerned about many issues, ranging from the national economy to the local Shasta County economy. They are very concerned about the changing moral and ethical concerns and values of our elected officials, and they are very concerned about the continuing challenges to our "quality of life" that we are able to experience here in the North State.
Secondly, the average person is very appreciative of the fact that I have made myself available to meet and visit with them. Some have complained that I am the first "politician" they have seen since the last election, and they are happy that I am meeting with them. The group meetings, such as the Candidate Nights have been worthwhile and informative, and pretty well attended by the citizenry in general, and, again, appreciated by the people in attendance.
The aspect of the campaign that I did not expect, due to the fact that I am not a "politician" but a businessman, is the constant "being watched by the media and the opponent". Rather than concentrating on the issues, it is as if they are looking at everything personal and are ready to attack. I have been able to stay on the issues, but this has not been the case in all of the races here locally. I have been disappointed with the lack of respect for personal property, in that many of my campaign signs have been stolen or destroyed, for this is a right that comes with running for a public office. Another "weird" part of the campaign is my being video-taped by the opposition as I talk to folks "on the street". I am told by counsel that this video tape cannot be put into a public media without permission, and furthermore what about how I talk to people is worth watching. Weird, for sure, and I don't think it is my "movie star looks", bald head and all.
In summary, we are very fortunate to live here in Shasta County. We have folks that, for the most part, are here by choice, and they want to keep things as good as they are now, and even better. They are very concerned about the future of education in California, as they are about the environment, and about immigration...but these are also national concerns. These are folks that do not want to see "bigger government", or a government that gets too restrictive or demanding or too much involved with private property rights. These are folks that question "why are we doing what we are doing?", and this is a healthy question for a society such as ours. These are folks that also question the issue of my campaign, "why are we taxed more for our property when the real estate market is going down?". Over assessment is over taxation...call it what you want.
Thanks for reading, and let's get out the vote on June 8th....it is our right, and privilege.
www.largent2010.com
"What have been the good parts?" is usually the next question, along with the "not so good".
First, I have met thousands of very nice, respectful, courteous citizens from the mountains and valleys of Eastern Shasta County to the farmers and ranchers of the south county. They are very concerned about many issues, ranging from the national economy to the local Shasta County economy. They are very concerned about the changing moral and ethical concerns and values of our elected officials, and they are very concerned about the continuing challenges to our "quality of life" that we are able to experience here in the North State.
Secondly, the average person is very appreciative of the fact that I have made myself available to meet and visit with them. Some have complained that I am the first "politician" they have seen since the last election, and they are happy that I am meeting with them. The group meetings, such as the Candidate Nights have been worthwhile and informative, and pretty well attended by the citizenry in general, and, again, appreciated by the people in attendance.
The aspect of the campaign that I did not expect, due to the fact that I am not a "politician" but a businessman, is the constant "being watched by the media and the opponent". Rather than concentrating on the issues, it is as if they are looking at everything personal and are ready to attack. I have been able to stay on the issues, but this has not been the case in all of the races here locally. I have been disappointed with the lack of respect for personal property, in that many of my campaign signs have been stolen or destroyed, for this is a right that comes with running for a public office. Another "weird" part of the campaign is my being video-taped by the opposition as I talk to folks "on the street". I am told by counsel that this video tape cannot be put into a public media without permission, and furthermore what about how I talk to people is worth watching. Weird, for sure, and I don't think it is my "movie star looks", bald head and all.
In summary, we are very fortunate to live here in Shasta County. We have folks that, for the most part, are here by choice, and they want to keep things as good as they are now, and even better. They are very concerned about the future of education in California, as they are about the environment, and about immigration...but these are also national concerns. These are folks that do not want to see "bigger government", or a government that gets too restrictive or demanding or too much involved with private property rights. These are folks that question "why are we doing what we are doing?", and this is a healthy question for a society such as ours. These are folks that also question the issue of my campaign, "why are we taxed more for our property when the real estate market is going down?". Over assessment is over taxation...call it what you want.
Thanks for reading, and let's get out the vote on June 8th....it is our right, and privilege.
www.largent2010.com
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