Residents weigh in on property taxes

The legislative tax hearings in Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint Wednesday drew hundreds of people with various concerns about property taxes. Here is a sampling of what they told the Property Tax Interim Committee that’s traveling the state taking public testimony and looking for solutions.

• “It’s time the Idaho Legislature protect the homeowners of Idaho,” said Harold Stevenson of Sandpoint, who proposed tying the amount of property tax a homeowner pays to their annual earned income.

• “The Bible forbids tax on property,” said Rev. Jon Smith of the Post Falls Presbyterian Church. “Property taxes don’t have to be taken if we live by God’s law and stop all the social programs.”

• “If you think you own your own home just wait until you can’t afford to pay your property tax,” said Mark Springle of Sandpoint.

• “I feel like the dirty little secret is, if I can’t pay my taxes somebody else will,” said Chad Solsvick whose assessed value on his Kidd Island Bay home increased $150,000 last year.

•Carrie Logan of Sandpoint said real estate agents, developers and speculators are causing the problem by paying too much for property and homes. She said they “come, take and leave.” “I see them as a drain on the community – not contributors.”

• “I compare property taxes to feudalism,” said Bill Christensen of Hayden. “The serfs pay the annual fee to the king. If we don’t pay, we lose it. Do we truly own it? No. We are serfs.”

• “We really have a tax crisis and it really is your job to work for us and not grow government,” said Colleen Clark of Sandpoint.

• “Here we are in 2005 are we are still trying to revolt against the state legislature,” said Alice Rankin, the widow of former Kootenai County Commissioner Ron Rankin, who tried to get a property tax initiative passed in 1994.

• Carla Skinner said she bought her Post Falls house two years ago for $170,000 and was offered $425,000 for it last month. “My taxation is going up but the value to me is still $170,000. It’s in the eyes of the beholder.”

• “We’re back to when King George was taxing us,” said Bessie Kline of Post Falls.