EXEMPTION: Don't miss this deduction

We moved to beautiful North Idaho in 2007 and just found out that we have over-paid $7,000-plus in property tax with the county and have no recourse to be refunded. Since the "homeowner's exemption" wasn't an issue in other states we've lived in, and we assumed that because we bought our home and lived in it 12 months a year, we would be getting whatever exemption we were supposed to get. We didn't know that we are automatically taxed for having a vacation property unless this exemption is applied for in person with the county (which we have now done for this year, but even though we can prove it on our taxes, the county is not obligated to give us a refund for past years).

Our real estate agents should have told us, the title company should have told us, etc., but no one is actually required by law to do so. Yes, the homeowner's exemption is mentioned in the annual tax commission letter, but we (wrongly) assumed that as taxpaying homeowners, we were getting it. So after appealing to the local board and to the state, we were informed that we have no recourse. I wonder what would happen if it was the other way around? We KNOW that if we had underpaid all these years, they would be coming after us for back-taxes.

This wouldn't happen in the private sector! Welcome to Idaho (and Kootenai County) - prepare to be taxed to death!

SHERRI HAMPTON

Dalton Gardens