School is back, that means school tax bills

**Darlene** · 09-01-2007, 12:36 PM

Ugh, just got the bill (today) up $101 since last year. Boo Hiss! How are the rest of you faring?

**changed4life** · 09-01-2007, 01:29 PM

Taxes? Did someone say taxes??
Where I live I pay almost $6,000 a year on my property taxes. My school tax is about 56% of that. Does that tell you how I'm faring?

**Odilia** · 09-01-2007, 01:58 PM

Our last election cycle, we had a candidate for governor who proposed giving homeschoolers back our school taxes. I liked that idea!

I don't mind so much that we pay school taxes for institutions where we don't send our children, but I hate feeling that the schools don't do the best they could with that money.

Taxes are a sore subject with me lately. Our founding fathers started a revolution, in part, over taxes. We're taxed more heavily than they were!

**Dixie** · 09-01-2007, 02:40 PM

I think our property tax is pretty reasonable, here. Last year's was $320. If I remember correctly, 71% of that goes for schools.
Don't get me started on state and federal taxes, though.

**FrugalMomof3** · 09-01-2007, 04:28 PM

We pay our school tax in August, and that's a whopping $1500+ a year.... our state and city taxes together are less than half that... I understand paying taxes but sheesh, and then here in PA, you pay school tax then school per capita tax, like WTH?

**Susanscraps** · 09-19-2007, 07:57 PM

It's painful here. Luckily, we can divide it up in 3 payments (Aug/Sept/Oct) without any extra fees. I covered Aug and most of Sept. Will be crunching and squeezing pennies in October!

**bee9984** · 09-19-2007, 08:35 PM

We pay $350 a year for school taxes and our property tax is $900 a year which is 1/2 of what we were paying when we lived only a 15 minute drive from here and the kicker is we are now living closer to the city and have city busing although our yards are a good size, twice the size as what we had with the higher taxes.

**mikandmari** · 09-20-2007, 01:25 AM

Property taxes in Delaware are cheap. We pay about $600 per year, about half goes to school taxes. The schools aren't bad. My taxes are paid from my mortgage escrow.

There are things about living here that I don't like, for instance the traffic and lack of open space... since everyone is moving here for the cheap living! But when we reach our goal and move out of state in a few years, I know I'll miss the low taxes

**frugalfarmwife** · 09-20-2007, 06:53 AM

We don't have a separate school tax in Ohio, it's rolled into our property taxes and currently 75% of mine IS for school tax.

Odila may I ask, does everyone in your area pay school tax or only those with children? I'm interested because if they're thinking about giving you that tax back and childless couples have to pay it also then THEY should also get it back.

I understand the schools need funded but DANG I'm tired of helping them build big fancy new buildings and natatoriums, they do NOT need them!

kj

**YankeeMom** · 09-20-2007, 09:49 AM

Our total property tax bill is $1400. School tax is half that. The rest is city/state tax.

**YankeeMom** · 09-20-2007, 09:50 AM

ETA: The total is $2500, not 1400.

**Judi Dial** · 09-20-2007, 11:27 AM

Hmm...I'm not sure what our school tax is, it's sure better than it used to be!

NH has no state income tax or sales tax, so land tax and food/meal/visitor taxes are where most of the revenue comes from.

I think I'd rather pay tax to get other people's kids educated (I have no kids) than watch our country decline because we have a lot of ignorant people. On the other hand, if you homeschool, shouldn't the state be giving you $? But I think of it like the fire department. I pay for that and never use it, but it's a resouce that is there to benefit the community.

I don't mind paying the tax. What I DO mind is having inequality in the tax rates and appraisals. Why, if you live in a rich town, can you pay less per $1000 of evaluation than anyone else in the state? Now THAT burns me up.

Judi

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 09-20-2007, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by Odilia

Our last election cycle, we had a candidate for governor who proposed giving homeschoolers back our school taxes. I liked that idea!

I don't mind so much that we pay school taxes for institutions where we don't send our children, but I hate feeling that the schools don't do the best they could with that money.

Taxes are a sore subject with me lately. Our founding fathers started a revolution, in part, over taxes. We're taxed more heavily than they were!

I was homeschooled and I thought it was unfair that my parents had to put in for that tax AND come up with the $$ to homeschool (though I'm glad they did).

My Dh and I can't have kids, but we're still stuck payin' the taxes for schools! Seems kinda unfair.

I think we all have a responsibility to make sure that education is available for everyone...but I sure DO NOT like how they're using the $$...or how MUCH they say it takes!! Private schools here spend less $ per kid than the public schools and the private school kids get a MUCH better education. Somethin's fishy!!!