A more conservative approach needed

How many of you called the Hernando County Property Appraisers office this morning to say thank you? Did anyone say thanks for increased market value on your home? I'm sure everyone called the appraiser to say thank you for assessing my property the maximum allowed amount under the Save Our Homes Act at 3%. So I'm sure the next time your local business owner raises his prices, a thank you note will be forthcoming as you struggle to pay your monthly bills. All this is tongue in cheek to emphasize the out of whack property appraisals mailed out this year on our TRIM notices. While mom and pop worry where they will get the funds to pay their property taxes, businesses of all sizes are asking the same question. Estimates are starting to surface on the increased market values businesses will face this year, starting at 16% and jumping to over 257%. Everyone knows that these increased market values on businesses mean massive tax increases (to business) equating to higher prices to the consumers. Commercial and industrial properties do not have the luxury of the annual 3% cap on values, nor does that local non-profit organization that survives on your contributions to pay their expenses. A friendly little note accompanied our TRIM notices that stated, "The Property Appraiser's office does not set your tax rates, we only establish the market value of your property". His office appears to distance itself from any negative affect of the TRIM notices with this statement but he always manages to impose that maximum cap of 3% on our personal property, plus much, much, more on business entities. Even though our economic growth is market driven, a more conservative approach by our local property appraiser could have slowed the escalation of costs in our community by more fairly evaluating the market values on our property. Just remember, if the county government does not receive the money in the first place, it cannot spend it. We would be far better served by having more of our own money to expand this free market economy than be paralyzed by tax burdens created by the assessments of our property appraiser's office.