Property taxes for my duplex rental suddenly more than doubled.

However all the houses around me on the street stayed the same(??!).

I can see the amount they were billed on the County website- and the single family unit being rented next to me (the owner of which had sold me the duplex) was paying less in taxes BEFORE mine doubled. Now he is paying less than half.

They're all about the same size, the houses on each side a little bigger at least from the street as far as I can see. I wasn't allowed in them to see or know anything more.

So I filled out a property tax protest, which was a huge amount of paperwork which had to be submitted in 5 plicate (5 copies). They finally summoned me months later in front of the tax board today. I am relatively low income and only have two rentals which I renovated and maintain myself, so this bill increase is a big deal. Also I finally have decent renters who have limited income. So I am loathe to raise their rent at all.

Anyway when I went in front of the board most of them were reasonable, except this horrible woman on the left. She didn't say anything until the end of my plea, and then tanked the whole thing.

She asks, "What are you charging in rent?" I told her the rent amounts, which are very reasonable for the city. She then told the guy in charge, "He can cover his taxes with just one month."

The board murmured approval to this, and they basically kept the taxes the same, doubled. Next, bye bye.

Yeah, if the only bill I had were taxes!!! How does that logic even make sense. And if income is the measure..... I only have two rentals and the outfit that owns the one next to me has over a hundred, as well as having a maintenance staff. They are way wealthier and paying less than half the tax.

Two other houses who are neighbors are also paying half as much.

Has anybody experienced something like this? It really seems strange and unfair to me. That I have to pay twice as much as everyone else around me, with an almost identical sized house. With the explanation "He can afford it"..?

I'm at a loss. I protested and apparently thats all I can do, they simply say no they're not budging.

Has anyone protested their taxes, and had them do that though?

I thought they're supposed to tax you on the value of the house.

Instead they said, "You're a duplex, so you'll paying 2x the taxes."

So why was the rental company who owned the exact same duplex before me paying half as much, when it was also a duplex?

Maddening. You have this belief that somehow the government has to be fair to everyone. But then why do they have to be fair right, if they don't have to.

When the govt gives themselves the ability to put their hand in your pocket, they often get greedy.There is no limit to what they will take - because they can.

If you don't roll over and pay, they will take your property, your bank accounts and possibly your freedom.

They don't care.

They have endless needs and family and friends that need to be on the payroll.

Your part in this is to work until you can work no more.

What gets me is this: if they can just push a button on a computer and create money for themselves why do they need us?

Recently they have a new shell game here. They increased the property taxes but supposedly decreased the water bill.

Could some of the properties you are comparing be owner occupied? Having a homestead credit reduces property taxes a lot around here. Plus they cap OO at 1% and rentals at 2%.

I have fought increases in the past. Usually I get my realtor to pull comps. That won't work now with all the houses being sold for so much more. I agree that you need to see what other options you have.

EXACTLY what tryan MA said... it does not matter what anything is (what if you lived there? who cares?). Did ALL of the 2+ buildings (multi, apt houses, etc) go up that same way?

I would recommend getting an appraisal done for tax reduction purposes and submitting that.