By Mike Thayer
If you have a double vanity in your bathroom, it's frankly none of the county's business.
Johnson County government is currently out and about in Coralville, doing revaluation appraisals on residential homes. They're looking to jack up your property taxes is what they're doing. They're digging for gold.
You may want to seriously consider not letting them into your home and you can legally do so.
Take a look at their little checklist (which you funded), they're looking for how many bells and whistles you have. They're sending out *inspecters* (which you fund) to see if you have two sinks in your bathroom, or perhaps a separate tub and shower, they're looking for jacuzzis and/or whirlpools..... If you've got such things, they're going to manufacture more paperwork (which you pay for) to raise your property taxes. If you have a built-in microwave, they think that somehow justifies raising your property taxes. If you have a central vacuum system..... That's right, more money for county government! And here's the one that should really make your blood boil..... If you have a wet bar, the government gets a bigger cut of your paycheck.
What?
How on earth is a two sink bathroom or a wet bar any of the government's business? It's not!
Did the government install that wet bar? No, you did.
You have the right to deny the appraiser access to your home. You don't have to allow them in. Frankly, the inside of your home is none of the county's business.
The property tax code is a twisted, manipulative mess. As property owners, we should all have a problem with the government taking more of our hard-earned money on what we've accomplished, on things we've done, on things the government has nothing to do with. Joe homeowner installed or paid to install the built-in dishwasher, not the government. Joe homeowner installed or paid to install the built-in microwave, not the government. Homeowners pay sales tax on product purchases and cabinet hardware, not the government. Homeowners pay the electric bill and water bill and pay the taxes and added b.s. fees on those bills........
And the government wants more?
That's unacceptable.
Again, I urge TRUE property tax reform. It needs to be based on square footage and acreage, not bells and whistles done via a subjective appraisal. No government official should be stepping foot inside anyone's property to see how *nice* it is under the guise of providing a fair assessment. This isn't about a fair assessment of property, this is an excuse to TAKE more money from you!
You are to be punished for creating and achieving based on a subjective appraisal of *value*?
Remember, Iowans can legally refuse to let an assessor into the residence. You don't have to allow them in. Be nice about it, not indignant. The assessor may then threaten to go to a judge and ask for an administrative search warrant (not to be confused with a regular search warrant) which is supposed to be executed during a reasonable time, like say, between the hours of 10am to 2pm, a lunch hour, something like that. And even when presented with an administrative warrant, you can still legally deny access. But note that your refusal at this point may result in the execution of a regular warrant and that, you must comply with. How hard appraisers are going to be pushed by their greedy supervisors to go through the process of getting administrative warrants, possibly a regular warrant, tying up judges' time, costing taxpayers more money and the bad press county government might get as a result - is something the county will have to weigh.
A large number of people refusing the government access puts them in a bit of a pickle. We the People have the right to refuse.
Seriously, perhaps it's time for the people to start using this tool, to take back control. After all, government officials work for us, it's NOT the other way around. If enough property owners deny appraisers access, the county can't dig for gold. They shouldn't be allowed to, we've been manipulated up to this point. County officials should be forced to work with the appraisals they already have on file. We need to demand accountability for the money they've already been given and insist they work with tighter budgets. Refusing appraiser access is an effective tool that can help make that all happen.
Don't let county government dig for gold.
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