Taxes and Affordability
Rising Tax Burdens: Local Real Estate and School Taxes Surge Amid 36% Spike in Cost of Living
Local real estate taxes just went up 3% this year. Your Montgomery County taxes went up 9% just this year. In the last 10 years, our property taxes have gone up 29%. School taxes have gone up 26.3%. In addition, the cost of living has gone up more than 36% in a decade.
Taxes and Over-development are linked together.
It hurt me to figure out that the Democrats here have been lying to all of us about open space. They kept campaigning on it, knowing that it was one of the most important issues in the township. Open Space is directly connected to taxes and quality of life. Where open space disappears, taxes go up and quality of life goes down. It is a mathematical formula. Despite the propaganda from developers about “adding to the tax base” that is simply not true and never has been. Studies have shown that in the long term more development always leads to higher taxes.
The Democrats here have abandoned their chief campaign promise of the last decade, with nothing to show for it. Now, they have changed their campaign literature from “protecting open space” to encouraging “smart development.” They have capitulated. They broke their promises. They sold us out.
Rising Tax Burdens: Local Real Estate and School Taxes Surge Amid 36% Spike in Cost of Living
Local real estate taxes just went up 3% this year. Your Montgomery County taxes went up 9% just this year. In the last 10 years, our property taxes have gone up 29%. School taxes have gone up 26.3%. In addition, the cost of living has gone up more than 36% in a decade.
Taxes and Over-development are linked together.
It hurt me to figure out that the Democrats here have been lying to all of us about open space. They kept campaigning on it, knowing that it was one of the most important issues in the township. Open Space is directly connected to taxes and quality of life. Where open space disappears, taxes go up and quality of life goes down. It is a mathematical formula. Despite the propaganda from developers about “adding to the tax base” that is simply not true and never has been. Studies have shown that in the long term more development always leads to higher taxes.
The Democrats here have abandoned their chief campaign promise of the last decade, with nothing to show for it. Now, they have changed their campaign literature from “protecting open space” to encouraging “smart development.” They have capitulated. They broke their promises. They sold us out.
Debating Affordability: The Illusion of Million-Dollar Townhomes in Springfield Township
I have heard many decision makers in this township argue that “Springfield needs more affordable houses.” OK. But everyone knows that million-dollar townhomes are not “affordable” right? They must think we are rubes.
Increasing the density in Springfield Township will not solve the affordability problem. We cannot simply build things out here to solve what is in fact a national problem surrounding wages and mortgages. In fact, it is foolish for one small township to try to solve a national policy problem by itself. We need to reject any nonsense that says we need to “do our part” by building tons of million dollar townhomes.
Rural areas serve a purpose. Cities serve a purpose, and suburbs serve a purpose. I used to live in the city, and I loved it. And I may live in a city again someday. But I chose 20 years ago to live in the suburban community that Springfield Township is, and I think we should insist that a city not be built on top of us.
It would be helpful to visit Glenway Road, one block off of Paper Mill. It is a street with wonderful and neatly manicured ranch houses. Recently, developers have begun buying these homes and knocking them down to build towering homes priced as high as $1.4 million. That is not affordable.
Should we allow the wholesale destruction of our most affordable and stable properties in the township and exchange them for McMansions and rental properties? We need to have a serious and honest conversation.
WE CAN FIX IT. But only if we make a strong statement that we won’t accept business as usual. The commissioners know every developer’s name, but they don’t know yours. They are overmatched. They keep rolling over and breaking their promises. Their lip service is not enough. Their record is awful. Whether by design, or through weakness, our commissioners have failed. But we don’t have to. We can stand up for ourselves.
Debating Affordability: The Illusion of Million-Dollar Townhomes in Springfield Township
I have heard many decision makers in this township argue that “Springfield needs more affordable houses.” OK. But everyone knows that million-dollar townhomes are not “affordable” right? They must think we are rubes.
Increasing the density in Springfield Township will not solve the affordability problem. We cannot simply build things out here to solve what is in fact a national problem surrounding wages and mortgages. In fact, it is foolish for one small township to try to solve a national policy problem by itself. We need to reject any nonsense that says we need to “do our part” by building tons of million dollar townhomes.
Rural areas serve a purpose. Cities serve a purpose, and suburbs serve a purpose. I used to live in the city, and I loved it. And I may live in a city again someday. But I chose 20 years ago to live in the suburban community that Springfield Township is, and I think we should insist that a city not be built on top of us.
It would be helpful to visit Glenway Road, one block off of Paper Mill. It is a street with wonderful and neatly manicured ranch houses. Recently, developers have begun buying these homes and knocking them down to build towering homes priced as high as $1.4 million. That is not affordable.
Should we allow the wholesale destruction of our most affordable and stable properties in the township and exchange them for McMansions and rental properties? We need to have a serious and honest conversation.
WE CAN FIX IT. But only if we make a strong statement that we won’t accept business as usual. The commissioners know every developer’s name, but they don’t know yours. They are overmatched. They keep rolling over and breaking their promises. Their lip service is not enough. Their record is awful. Whether by design, or through weakness, our commissioners have failed. But we don’t have to. We can stand up for ourselves.
