of 158% and, while the city reduced the tax rate by 51%, it still yielded a net increase of 56% more in tax revenues from property taxes. Percentage change in local property tax revenue Percent change Percent change 1980-1990 1990-1991 RI 107.3% 9.4% MA 46.9% 6.4% NH 212.0% 16.7% VT 140.6% 11.3% CA 172.1% 8.9% NY 109.4% 8.0% NC 133.8% 7.6% In a recent report on property tax rip-offs, Razzi (1995) gave tips on how to reduce the amount of property tax that a person pays. According to the National Taxpayers Union, only 5% to 10% of homeowners appealed their assessments, but more than half of those who do appeal receive some type of reduction in their assessment. Razzi stated that Dale Cheema has saved $4,300 in five years by challenging the assessments on his California home and rental properties. (p.4) Sales tax makes up for a big chunk of revenue in states that are looking to place levies on users. Fortune magazine reported on the extremes of state taxes. If you like to pay taxes, be sure to buy gas in Connecticut and cigarettes in Michigan, and shop in Rhode Island or Mississippi. Where has all the money gone? The government, both federal and county collects from millions to billions of dollars annually from taxpayers. The people who benefit the most are the people who get to collect from government programs that give benefits to qualified individuals. Such benefits could range from low income housing, college tuition grants, to tax exempt investments for investors who invest in government approved projects normally associated with other government aid to investors. The people who get ripped off are the people who never get to collect from any government give-a-ways. The people who get ripped off are the people who pay absurd amounts of taxes every year so that the government can support these programs. The American government gives away billions of dollars to foreign countries that have no means of repaying such depts. and the govern...
