We love Alaska. There is no place we'd rather live; and we've lived in many places. We wouldn't trade the blessing of being able to reside in Alaska.
HOWEVER, we have a bone to pick with the Matsu Burrough. We bought our house and THE BURROUGH had it assessed just at $300K. Seven years later they began by telling us it is assessed at $620K. Now they say the comps (homes of comparative size and such in OUR AREA) is $800K. Shoot - if we just make it another year, we'll hit $1mil in assets. ::snort:: Even taking the rising cost of homes into account this does not pass the giggle, nor smell, test. We happen to have a top-producing son who is a realtor in the area. A house bigger, newer and with more land than ours sold in our area for $575K. Another one just down the road which is still bigger but similar in age is assessed at $484K. The reason this matters is our property tax is based on their assessment of the value of our home. Michael is a 100% disabled vet and does receive a tax waiver for the first $279K of our home (which was very close to assessment when we bought). We actually tried to buy a home which property taxes would be covered or mostly covered by the exemption. In the past we communicated our disagreement when it had risen to 500K. This year it went even HIGHER. $620k is just silly. Michael communicated again and decided to file a formal dispute with the Burrough. In the process we discovered our home went from being graded at 4.7 to 5.1, with no explanation at all. They offered to move it back to 4.8 which would take the value down by 40K. They told us he gets a Senior discount starting next year. That doesn't matter in our case as he will get the VA Disability discount OR the Senior discount; they're the same. Michael checked the home they said was comparable to ours. It is 57 miles away on the FAR side of Wasilla....we live on the far side of Palmer. All that to say Michael attended a hearing and had 5 minutes to make his case. In the end they said they'll agree to lower the grade which lowers our assessment by $40K and next year we can have the new tax assessor into our home. We did not have the previous one as he was hostile when we met him at the office and we didn't want to invite him into our home. They said Michael needs to submit more photos of the inside of our home. OK - until next year then. We'll know what to expect, have the new assessor inside and submit a lot of photos should we need to appeal again. Maybe the market will crash, or the new tax assessor will give a realistic assessment of the value of our home. If need be, we'll be back.
It was noted Michael made some good points about the sleight of hand going on with Burrough politicians lowering the mill rate, while at the same time the Burrough raises the assessments. We end up paying more ACTUAL tax while they pat themselves on the back for lowering the mill rate. They suggested he make the same points to the Matsu Burrough Assembly.
Dad's Care Coordinator needed me to re-sign paperwork that was done in July 2024, because they have expired. I completed and mailed those. We are both expecting good news from the state, so we have gotten the screenings and such current - all had expired as we waited on the state.
I have discovered walking to the mailbox gives me a prayer break, gets me outside, and gets a 1.5 mile walk in. Three goals at once. I dug my New Balance out of the closet. Look at the blue sky!
It is much too nice of a day to stay inside. I'm going to take my seedlings out to the greenhouse and play with potting soil and dirt.
