TAXES: We can do better

How wonderful for the Coeur d’Alene City Council to proclaim there will be no increase in our property taxes and have not raised taxes in the last seven years. But they don’t address the increase in property valuation which leads to an increase in the property taxes we pay.

We have seen how property valuations for homes have exploded, all you have to do is read the real estate section of the paper on any given Sunday. Million dollar homes abound, I’m sure those homes’ property tax didn’t just remain as they were when the owner initially bought the property.

Unless I’m reading this wrong and my thinking is skewed, it sounds like government double speak. If they really want to lower property taxes or at least maintain them at a level we can live with, do something about the valuation they base their taxes on.

PHIL MORGAN

Coeur d’Alene

Editor’s note: Property taxes are affected by levy rates, not just the valuation of properties. Also, Coeur d’Alene was able to not increase property taxes in large part because of a state funding increase of $2.4 million.