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I have seen a lot of chatter today on FB about the new assessment. It never fails to amaze me how many residents have no idea how the revaluation works or how the taxes are calculated.  

Check this out!

https://maplewoodonline.com/reval/

Friday evening, 12/8/2023

Happy Chanukkah!

Rain likely to start early Sunday morning and continuing all day and most of the night.

Sunday starts with showers and by late afternoon more likely to be moderate. Steady rain overnight, should be heavy at times. Wind likely to pick up overnight as well, steady 15 - 20 with gusts possibly into the 40s.

Rain tapers off early Monday morning but the wind is likely to hold at 12 - 15 with gusts possible into the 30s through the day Monday.

Timing could change by a few hours either way on the rain and wind elements depending on when the front passes through.

Total rain 1.5 - 2.5" forecast at this time

Shout out to Professional Property Appraisers who promptly called me this morning and we went over the details by phone of my home. There was no need for a meeting for me as all he had jibed with what I have in my house (and what I do not have).  Highly recommend calling and more likely than not, a meeting may not be necessary beyond a phone call.

So, not the best pics (couldn’t stand in the road, for fear of being run over). On the viewer’s left wall, there’s a little tinsel tree wall-hanging complete with a star atop the greenery. In the middle, slightly to your right and leading away from you, is a length of gold tinsel looping around that roof strut.

Amazing how many elderly dog-walkers, runners, cycling packs, and tradies (construction trades workers) are out and about around 5-5:40am  :)) Also, bus shelter is under video surveillance!

We’re expecting the remnants of a cyclone may trail through town in the next few days; winds more than thing else. Some parts of the State may reach 113°F+  in the meantime. 

joanne said:

Dear friends, I have a crazy idea to spark Christmas in public transport in my neighbourhood…but I’m not sure how to do it safely. Can you advise me please?

A few steps from my front door is a lonely bus shelter, bravely facing the world with its large frame of brightly coloured, scrolling, advertisement posters.  Then there’s the bench, a few timetables tacked up around the other walls, a notice that you can’t just put up your own notices,  traces of old graffiti and a waste paper bin. 
I thought  I’d affix a few strands of sparkly tinsel up around the walls, fairly high so they’re not easy to dislodge.
But I’m not sure what to use to hold the tinsel up??  I have some clear, wide packing tape.
Also blutack, but I don’t think that would work. 

Today will be over 100°F. The last few days have been high 90s and humid, with strong winds. 

I’ve never done anything like this, so your advice is appreciated. TIA.

Are there posts? Openings where you could secure wire, string or ribbon? My husband I did this today with a little wire and ribbon. The utility company left this to rot on our berm, so we decided to make it festive. 

sprout said:

wendy said:

sprout said:

The estimated 2024 total annual taxes are calculated using the 2023 budget. I think that means when the annual 2024 budget increase is finalized, it's likely every single "estimated 2024" annual taxes, as indicated on the letters, will end up being an underestimate for everyone.

The point is it's for everyone as yes budgets increase every year. But compare 2024 Estimated Annual Taxes to 2023 Total annual taxes to see if your tax rate stayed about the same or went up or down considerably.

I basically was aware of this -- but the paragraph after the bold "2024 ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAXES" does not make it very clear to readers that the 2024 taxes are likely to be higher than this amount for everyone, it just alludes to the future 'budgetary adjustments in 2023 that are yet to be determined" (which will take effect in 2024 budget? Or did they mean to say 2024 here instead of 2023?)

Also, I don't think the estimated annual taxes are telling us about our 'tax rate' (as we will all have the same rate), but how much one's property appraisal increased relative to everyone else's. 

E.g., my property's assessed value increased a whole lot (by almost 50%). But my estimated 2024 taxes are estimated to be about $1k lower. 

• So this means many other people had their property value increase by an even larger percentage than mine... And it's those people who will have higher estimated 2024 taxes on their letter. 
  

They are just trying to give everyone perspective on whether their tax bill is going up or down due to the revaluation. What would have been better is if they said your 2023 taxes would have been XX based on the new assessment.  Bringing 2024 into it is confusing.

On that note, in Hong Kong whenever you're called up by a govt agency / health clinic / anyone, they use the Chinese order of your name, which is LAST, FIRST MIDDLE. The way they pronounce my middle name is not how I pronounce it and because it's a family name I'm always thinking 'well, glad I don't use that as a password anywhere' (but banks do ask for it when I'm trying to get phone help as one of the secrets).  They (HK officialdom) put the stress on the wrong (or right) syllable. I am no longer certain who is right but think both are OK and I don't bother even trying to change what is deeply engrained in the bureaucracy and its perhaps British English pronunciation. 

Very, very helpful jamie! Thanks!  The listing by Block number certainly makes it clear that it is more or less by neighborhood as Susan wrote above. 

The estimated 2024 total annual taxes are calculated using the 2023 budget. I think that means when the annual 2024 budget increase is finalized, it's likely every single "estimated 2024" annual taxes, as indicated on the letters, will end up being an underestimate for everyone.