NATIONAL

Private Equity in America Is Screwing Over College Students
Business Insider
Waterloo, a 30-story tower just a few blocks west of the University of Texas at Austin, has everything the modern college student needs: Its top floor features an infinity-edge pool, a pair of saunas, and a yoga studio, while the lobby includes an in-house coffee bar and ample nooks and tables for socializing or studying. To enjoy all this, a student just has to find five other friends willing to pony up a total of $8,100 a month for a six-bed, six-bathroom apartment, or come up with as much as $1,900 if they want their own studio.


CALIFORNIA

CA Passes Measure To Weaken Prop 13, Reduce Tax And Bond Vote Thresholds
The Center Square
A package of two measures aimed at changing the California constitution to reduce the popular voting threshold to increase property taxes and issue new debt will now face voters in November 2024 after being passed by the state legislature.


CONNECTICUT

City aims to terminate Fonda as Meriden tax assessor
MyRecordJournal
The city of Meriden moved to terminate the employment of Assessor Melinda Fonda earlier this month after receiving a letter from the state Office of Policy and Management citing “several deficiencies.” The letter followed complaints about Fonda's behavior toward city employees and the public, according to documents obtained this week by the Record-Journal under the state Freedom of Information Act.


FLORIDA

Gainesville finalizes 29% property tax increase
Main Street Daily News
The Gainesville City Commission finalized its property tax rates, fire assessments rates and budgets for the next fiscal year at its regular meeting on Thursday, closing a long budget season. The series of votes established a 29% property tax increase over the rollback rate, along with a 3% electric rate increase and 5% wastewater increase. The new millage rate for property taxes will sit at 6.4297 mills instead of this year's 5.5 mills.


MISSOURI

State required physical inspections for property tax increases, author of legislation explains intent
KCTV5
Physical inspections are now required by state law in Missouri if a property increases in value by more than 15%. It certainly applies to many homes in Jackson County where property values increased an average of more than 30%. Many homeowners question if those required inspections really took place. KCTV5 spoke with the former lawmaker who authored the law. “The intent was to keep the evaluation increases at less than 15%. And if it's going to be more than 15% the assessor's office is going to have to do a lot of legwork,” said J. Eggleston.


MONTANA

City: Property taxes at “breaking point” under state system
Missoula Current
With limited time to make such points and a new tax calculator that breaks down the statewide shift in taxes away from corporations and industry to homeowners, members of the City Council this week continued to voice the frustration of homeowners facing a sharp increase in property taxes.


OHIO

Montgomery County farmland taxable values jump 78%: Taxes hikes to follow
Dayton Daily News
Montgomery County farmers enrolled in a state tax savings program could see an average 78% property value increase to their farmland, with an increase in taxes ranging from 8-18% due to the value change. Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) is established by a statewide formula, based on agricultural income, that a county auditor cannot change. Through the program, farmland is taxed at a rate that demonstrates its value for agricultural purposes — not its value as a development property, according to the Ohio Farm Bureau.


TENNESSEE

Rutherford County, TN assessor shares plans to end property taxes for seniors
WKRN
“You never stop. You go until you achieve your goal.” Rob Mitchell's goal is simple – to end property taxes for senior citizens in Tennessee. “We're really strangling the people that built our communities, and we're almost casting them aside,” he said. As the growth continues to explode across Rutherford County, Mitchell, who serves as the county's property assessor, said he's watched seniors leave the area after being forced to.


WYOMING

Montgomery County farmland taxable values jump 78%: Taxes hikes to follow
Rocket Miner
In rancher Dave Belus' eyes, rising prices for agricultural land in Johnson County and across Wyoming are making it increasingly difficult for young producers to get into the ranching and farming business without the help of family ties to agriculture. “There is no doubt that real estate is going up,” Belus said, while cutting hay for the Belus Brothers Ranch that he operates in Johnson County.