NTF Issue Paper: Taxplan18

NTF Issue Paper: Property19. 5-08.

NEBRASKA TAXPAYERS FOR FREEDOM ISSUE PAPER:

THE PROPERTY TAX SQUEEZE.

BACKGROUND. State and local politicians continually lie to us that they have alleviated our property tax burden. Truthfully, property taxes constitute less in proportion to our total tax load but have increased significantly in dollar amounts. Growth in the NE economy in the 1990s meant that income and sales tax receipts grew faster than other tax sources, making these taxes a larger share of the total revenue intake by 1999. Property tax rates decreased but not sufficiently to neutralize higher residential, commercial, and agricultural revaluations. State aid to local government subdivisions has risen, thanks to our heftier state income and sales tax revenues, aid ladled out to encourage local governments to lower property taxes. However, local property taxes likewise have risen precipitously to fund increased local government services. Periodic shrinkage in state aid accelerates the rate of local property tax hikes.

THE BURDEN. Property tax levy limits set by the Legislature have not reduced the level or amount of property taxation. The rise in property valuations has neutralized levy limits for most. 2003 property valuations statewide grew by 6.15%. Hardest hit were Custer County (45%), Loup County (16.67%) and Lancaster County (14.42%). Valuation growth increased at twice the rate of inflation. The average valuation increase in Douglas County from 1997-2003 was 59.62%. Other county residents suffering during this 6 yr. period included Sarpy County (91.46%), Lancaster County (69%), Johnson County (63.39%), and Dixon County (62.33%). Statewide, real property taxes increased 9.13% from 2002 to 2003, the largest hike since 10.9% in 1989. Property taxes in 1 county increased by 18.08%. 2003 property taxes totaled $2.04 billion, compared with $1.64 billion in 2000. $25.6 million of this total came from voter-approved bonds! Seeing the highest cumulative hike in property taxes from 1997 to 2003 were Sarpy County (71.70%), Dixon County (54.74%), and Washington County (44.42%). Highest average tax rates hit Douglas County (2.21%), Sarpy County (2.16%), and Hall County (2.05%) 1 Increases in property taxes from 2002-2003 on residential, commercial, and industrial properties outpaced the rate of inflation. Many Douglas County homeowners saw an 8.58+% hike, a $160 boost on a $100,000 home. Sarpy County residents found a 12.9+% raise; Lancaster Co. householders a 14.29+% gouging.2 Almost 25% of homeowners in both these counties saw a 15% hike.

BLAME YOURSELVES. Look in the mirror to discover one major reason for local property tax hikes. Much of this total increase comes from school bonds approved by voters since 1996 and municipal bonds approved by voters since 1998. Surprisingly, many voters do not realize that property taxes pay the principle and interest on bond issues.

TAX HOGS. Taxes on a $100,000 house rose 14.1% in the Omaha Public School District, 11.1% for La Vistans living in the Papillion-La Vista School District, 10.9% for folks living in the Ralston School District, and 10.4% for taxpayers living in the Westside School District. The primary recipients of local property taxes are school districts, which consume from 55-60+% of such revenues. Nebraska public schools bore levy limits on general fund operations from the 1870s to the 1950s, when legislators repealed the limits. The levy limits enacted by LB 1114 (1996) were Swiss Cheese lids. School boards can vote for an additional 1% growth annually, and 75% of school boards voted for that 1% in 1996 and 1997. 68% of public school boards voted to use the additional 1% growth in budget authority allowed under the Swiss Cheese lid in the FY 2000-2001 school year.3 In 2003, legislators lifted this lid on property tax rates for schools, which increased taxes more than necessary to substitute for state aid cuts. School districts lost $21 million in aid but increased property taxes $104 million!4 In 1995, public schools enrolled 288,692 students; in 2003, the figure was 283,908, yet school district budgets continue to rise.5 Despite the declining number of students and school districts, public schools added teachers, from 19,869 in 1995 to 20,651 in 2000. The aim was to lower the student-teacher ratio, from 14.5 in 1995 to 13.8 in 2000, one of the lowest in the nation. The greatest reduction was in metropolitan areas. NE public schools saw an increase of 22% in total receipts for general fund operations 1995-2000, a 4.4% annual growth in resources. School property taxes used for operations rose 14.6% from 1995-2000, a yearly increase of 2.9%. It cost $5,450 to educate a student in 1995-1996 but $7,126 in 2001-2002, a hike of 31%. This increase averages 5 % per year in resources per pupil, compared to inflation of 2.6% during this period. Use of property taxes for school bonds and building funds inflated the use of school property taxes for general fund operations. From 1995-2000, school bond property taxes rose from $54 million per year to almost $88 million annually, a hike of 62%, or about 12% yearly. A flurry in the use of school building fund property taxes occurred from 1995-98, in anticipation of LB 1114 limiting building fund property taxes, though much of the building fund property tax lies outside levy limits. The Legislature in 1996, 1997, and 1998 passed additional budget and levy limit exceptions, such as for leases of school equipment, buses, and early retirement bailouts for teachers. See addenda charts contrasting public school district and county levies of property taxes.

CITIES. In FY 2000-2001, only 9 of 510 incorporated NE municipalities levying property taxes voted to exceed legislative levy limits. However, over 50% of municipal city councils voted to use the additional 1% budget authority permitted in that fiscal year. In 1996, before the legislative property tax lids, 70 cities used the local option sales tax. By 2002, 109 cities used this tax. Of the municipalities using this tax in 1996, 10 have raised the rate, most from 1% to 1.5%. Cities have not used this alternative tax to lower their property taxes correspondingly, probably because of the budget lid exception for capital improvements. Thus, increased revenues from all sources have paid for infrastructure projects, like convention centers and arenas. Moreover, much of the urban property tax growth stems from extensive use of property taxes for bonded debt projects. From FY 1997-98 to FY 2000-01, property tax funding for bonded debt increased 50.2% in NE municipalities.

NATURAL RESOURCE DISTRICTS. Natural Resource Districts increased their property tax levies despite infusions of state aid that replaced vehicle taxes. Districts have fueled themselves from property taxes rising from $21.5 million in 1995 to $27.7 million in 2000, a 28.6% hike, or 5.7% annually.

OVERALL. From 1995-2000, total property taxes on agricultural, commercial, industrial, and residential property rose from $1,389 million to $1,553 million, or 14.1%. Examining property tax rates in the largest city in every state, Omaha assesses the 13^th highest rate of 50 cities.1 Property taxes still take a greater % of our personal income in relation to sales, income, and gas taxes.2 The FY 2001-2002 increase in local spending with property taxes rose 7.5%, the largest yearly increase since 1992. Notwithstanding a $67 million net increase in state aid to local government subdivisions, property taxes increased by $120 million in 2001.3

WHO GETS HIT WORST. Farm and ranch property lies under a 75% of market value property valuation, and farm income has dropped by 19% since 1995. Ag real estate property taxes have risen .84% from 1995-2000, residential taxes have risen 18.56%, and commercial taxes 20.92%. As a sector, residential and commercial property pays a larger share of property taxes. Examining several past years, the residential statewide average change in property tax was +6% in 1996, +10% in 1997, +5.9% in 2000, and +31.82% in cumulative change from 1997-2003.4

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. Tax watchdogs in Washington State in November, 2001 passed an initiative to limit property taxes. 34 of 39 counties passed it overwhelmingly. I-747 limits yearly property tax growth to 1% or less. Only a majority vote of the people can allow local taxing authorities to exceed this percentage. Taxers must convince taxpayers that officials have exhausted all other options before raising taxes. Average tax savings on a Washington home is $126 yearly. Endorsing this measure were the state Republican Party and Washington Association of Realtors. Opposition included unions, chambers of commerce, and current and past officeholders. Or, set a limit on property tax charged homes within various price ranges, with a cutoff point at a particular valuation. For example, a specific dollar amount for homes valued between $75,000-$100,000. Or, change the valuation process (see NTF issue paper “Property Valuation Relief”).

TAKE ACTION. The only means to stop the spiraling rise in property taxes is to individually become active as a taxpayer watchdog in a grass-roots groundswell. Use our NTF materials to learn how to become a watchdog over a local taxing authority and then work with someone already involved as you gain experience. Secondly, join campaigns of candidates who you believe sincerely dedicated to property tax relief, or run for a local office yourself!

Research, documentation, and analysis for this issue paper done by Doug Kagan and Ed Signer, with express prior permission granted for its use by Citizens for Local Control, Cherry County Taxpayers, Dawes County Taxpayers, and other groups in the Tax Freedom Network. 5-08. C

Addenda 1-4.

1 NE Dept. of Property Assessment & Taxation, 12-2003. http://pat.nol.org.

2 NE Dept. of Property Assessment & Taxation, 12-2003.

4 NE Dept. of Property Assessment & Taxation, 12-2003.

5 NE Dept. of Education School Progress Report, 2003. www.nde.state.ne.us.

1 Tax Rates & Tax Burdens, A Nationwide Comparison.

4 NE Dept. of Property Assessment & Taxation, 12-2003.