[Logs and Dogs]

Originally Posted by vtvette

Could not agree more with this post. You hit it on the head.

X2.

It is all relative to your income. Paying $4000 in property taxes from a $40K job is tougher than paying $8000 from a $120K job.......seems fairly obvious to me.

[j_jimerino]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

Perhaps it is relative to the area in NYS. Downstate taxes are high.

I live on LI. The house I own is set on 13 acres in Chester, VT with taxes $4600 a year. The same house here would be around $10K on a 60X100 lot. Pricewise, the VT house is currently worth a little under $200K. On LI, in a comparable area, it would be worth approx. $300K- $325K

School taxes make up a substantial portion of both tax bills.

I don't think its really fair to compare long island with upstate NY or Vermont. One is part of a massive city that offers higher pay, more economic opportunity and services as well as proximity to a lot more amenities that simply don't exist in the other area. The other is basically barren and you have to get by with a lot less and receive a lot less from the government in return.

I never thought it was any secret LI real estate is expensive, but it might be that Vermont's is as well!

[blackht]

Originally Posted by vter

Real estate prices have dipped in Vermont in the second home market-thats why you're seeing lower prices in the "tourist" towns such as Woodstock, Quechee, Stratton etc.
As others have mentioned above, try branching out to what I call "normal" Vermont towns. Try Danby, Wallingford, Springfield, Woodford, Readsboro or Rockingham in Southern Vermont and I think you'll find much more reasonable real estate prices AND tax rates.

Can you tell me what the property tax rates are in Brattleboro and surrounding VT towns compared to towns in NH across the river? I am being offered a job in Brattleboro next summer and am worried about high property taxes.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by j_jimerino

I don't think its really fair to compare long island with upstate NY or Vermont. One is part of a massive city that offers higher pay, more economic opportunity and services as well as proximity to a lot more amenities that simply don't exist in the other area. The other is basically barren and you have to get by with a lot less and receive a lot less from the government in return.

I never thought it was any secret LI real estate is expensive, but it might be that Vermont's is as well!

You do realise that Long Islanders don't all work in NYC, don't you? We certainly do not all benefit by living near NYC (some LIers are over 100 miles away.) I'm only 1/2 way out on LI and my commute would be 2 hours. I own a local business and despite not commuting, pay into the MTA so that others can be subsidized to commute into NYC. For evey $1.00 I send to Albany for school taxes, my district receives .80 back. While you feel I may be receiving more in services, it isn't necessarily true. LI has been NYS's cash cow for some time. LIers tend to pay more and receive less when compared to NYC or downstate.

Someone paying $12K a year in my NY community (median income $90K) is paying more here than someone earning $40K paying $4K in my VT community. That VTer would be eligible for income sensitivity under Act 60 would they not? We have STAR here, but in terms of taxes, it isn't much and is not income sensitive. One LIer struggling on $50K a year will see the same STAR as someone earning $100K.

As you point out, there are some apples and oranges here, but you can't paint all of LI or VT with one brush. One thing both areas have in common is that the lack of significant industry causes people to pay out more in taxes.

I am not trying to argue and split hairs with you; I am trying (as a person paying taxes in BOTH states) to show you how I come upon the VT taxes to be lower.

[LiveLoveLaugh]

Originally Posted by j_jimerino

I don't think its really fair to compare long island with upstate NY or Vermont. One is part of a massive city that offers higher pay, more economic opportunity and services as well as proximity to a lot more amenities that simply don't exist in the other area. The other is basically barren and you have to get by with a lot less and receive a lot less from the government in return.

I never thought it was any secret LI real estate is expensive, but it might be that Vermont's is as well!

I think the key word here is RETIREMENT. When retired you don't have to be close to a massive city w/ economic opportunities. I lived in So Fl for 25 years and taxes were over $10,000 a year. I bought a summer home in the Blue Ridge Mountains which I have since made my permanent home (I have horses and I LOVE it here) My taxes on 3 acres, is under $1000 a year!!!! When I go to the tax assessor's office every year to pay...lol...I feel like getting down on my knees and thanking them!!!! I am THRILLED to have simplified my life and my expenses and I am in HEAVEN living here! Good luck to OP!!!! If the taxes in Vt are sooo high , keep searching! You will find your forever happy home

[68vette]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

You do realise that Long Islanders don't all work in NYC, don't you? We certainly do not all benefit by living near NYC (some LIers are over 100 miles away.) I'm only 1/2 way out on LI and my commute would be 2 hours. I own a local business and despite not commuting, pay into the MTA so that others can be subsidized to commute into NYC. For evey $1.00 I send to Albany for school taxes, my district receives .80 back. While you feel I may be receiving more in services, it isn't necessarily true. LI has been NYS's cash cow for some time. LIers tend to pay more and receive less when compared to NYC or downstate.

Someone paying $12K a year in my NY community (median income $90K) is paying more here than someone earning $40K paying $4K in my VT community. That VTer would be eligible for income sensitivity under Act 60 would they not? We have STAR here, but in terms of taxes, it isn't much and is not income sensitive. One LIer struggling on $50K a year will see the same STAR as someone earning $100K.

As you point out, there are some apples and oranges here, but you can't paint all of LI or VT with one brush. One thing both areas have in common is that the lack of significant industry causes people to pay out more in taxes.

I am not trying to argue and split hairs with you; I am trying (as a person paying taxes in BOTH states) to show you how I come upon the VT taxes to be lower.

Your post makes perfect sense if you look at median income. In Vermont you can't look at median income. There is such a huge difference in low and high incomes in the state. The recent data released fom the state shows that about 50% of people living in Vermont make less than $13/hr. (27,000 or less/yr). Due to our population size, looking at it from a statistical or research point of view, it takes fewer higher income people to drive the median income number up. I agree you can't always look at state to state data and make comparisons, but in the Metro NY area as an example, the median income level is more reliable due to population size.
ACT 60 is not really working as well as the state would like. The state is not making the money it should to support its needs. The new admin. has announced it will be cutting 110 million in spending to help balance our state budget. The cuts are in social programs that are there to help the low income people in the state. Also the state healthcare program is changing. Catamount Healthcare will be gone and rolled into the Vermont Health Access Plan and their deductibles are going to double. If someone is low income, they pay one way or another.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by blackht

Can you tell me what the property tax rates are in Brattleboro and surrounding VT towns compared to towns in NH across the river? I am being offered a job in Brattleboro next summer and am worried about high property taxes.

NH also has high property taxes because there's no income or sales tax, meaning the towns get little assistance from the state. So they make up for it with property taxes. I know in the upper valley (Woodstock, White River, Norwich, etc) the towns in NH (Hanover, Lebanon, etc) seem to have higher property taxes than those in VT. Not sure about the area near Brattleboro.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by RunawayJim

NH also has high property taxes because there's no income or sales tax, meaning the towns get little assistance from the state. So they make up for it with property taxes. I know in the upper valley (Woodstock, White River, Norwich, etc) the towns in NH (Hanover, Lebanon, etc) seem to have higher property taxes than those in VT. Not sure about the area near Brattleboro.

Brattleboro has astronomical property taxes. The taxes in Chesterfield, NH are lower than Brattleboro. A small to medium sized house in Chesterfield will run about $4-4.5K in property taxes.

[blackht]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Brattleboro has astronomical property taxes. The taxes in Chesterfield, NH are lower than Brattleboro. A small to medium sized house in Chesterfield will run about $4-4.5K in property taxes.

Thanks for the info- I will check it out. My property taxes in Denver are only $1200/yr, so these figures sound really high to me!

[TheSecondHalf]

I'm in the same boat, Ulysses. I'd like to live in Burlington Vermont. I can afford a house there, but I cannot afford the property taxes. So it may be Colorado for me.