What are results of exemption survey?

A status report in the Daily Bee about February 2008 reported a review of tax rolls through the As and Bs resulted in some $86 million in assessed value of non-residential property owners had been claiming the $100,000 homeowner’s exemption.

I could not determine from the way the information was presented if this was just one $86 million “vacation” property or if it was say 172 half million dollar “vacation” properties. My point is that such values receive “first dollar lax value and taxes due on each $100,000.” The article indicated back taxes could be resulting as far back as seven years!

I called the tax assessors office about 30 days ago and was told “they could not give me an up-to-date report because they had been too busy with other details.”

Please tell me what is more important than correcting a known problem that will result in collecting more tax dollars when the county is already claiming they are short of funds to even buy enough asphalt to fix roads?

You do not need appraisers; you need an emergency appropriation for part-time, short-term, maybe even volunteer quality relied residents for research and assistance. It is money, get the job done.

KENNETH CHATWIN

Sandpoint