City property taxes

A tax rate cut is NOT necessarily a tax cut!

TAX CALCULATOR
Taxes are going up again for homeowners in Alexandria, since Council's small rate cuts do not offset rising assessments.
How much more will you pay?
Look up your property online, then enter your assessment values from 2005 and 2006. Compare what you might have saved, if Council had controlled spending and picked a lower tax rate. Step 1: 2005 taxes • 2005 assessment: $,000 • City tax rate: 0.915 • City tax bill: $ Step 2: 2006 taxes • 2006 assessment: $,000 • City tax rate: 0.815 [Council] 0.805 0.795 0.785 0.775 0.765 • City tax bill: $ Bottom line: Tax increase • You'll pay $ more. • That's % higher than 2005.

BREAKING NEWS On April 24, City Council adopted the budget for FY2007. City spending will increase 5%, and the average homeowner's taxes will go up 7%. The all-Democrat Council refused to consider a 3% spending cap, which would have helped keep the lid on taxes. Had enough with taxes? Vote Republican on May 2!

Property taxes are placing the squeeze on thousands of Alexandria homeowners. Real estate assessments have been rising sharply, but all-Democrat City Council has provided only limited reductions in the tax rate. That has meant higher spending by city government, and higher tax burdens for city homeowners.

Assessments are up again for 2006, averaging nearly 20% for most residential properties (see Washington Post news story). Civic activists called for a tax rate reduction to offset higher assessments -- and for limiting increases in city spending to no more than 3%.

More on City finances • Press coverage of the '06 tax debate • City budget documents • Your assessment online

But the all-Democrat City Council increased by the budget by 5%, and reduced the real estate tax rate by only 10 cents (see news story). That means yet another tax increase for Alexandria homeowners. The average tax bill (already over $4000) will go up another $260 -- a 7% increase. City property taxes have doubled in the past five years.

We believe the City can and should do more to control spending, and provide greater relief to hard-pressed taxpayers. Many groups in the City recommended that spending should increase no more than 3%, to allow a larger tax reduction and offset most of the latest assessment increase. ARCC supports that effort -- and so do the Republican candidates for City Council this year.

The spiraling tax burden is a predictable outcome of one-party government in Alexandria. City Council needs Republican members, who will provide some balance on budget and tax decisions.

This message paid for and authorized by the Alexandria Republican City Committee.