We were asked to open this for discussion by anonymous:
Looks like the town has figured out another way to raise taxes without raising the tax rate .. Just enlist Avitar to increase the value of your home and property to get them the extra money they want to raise employee pay and buy more new toys for them as well .. Nice way to treat us citizens in an economically challenged town in a struggling housing market .. Wonder how many lawsuits will get filed over this latest fiasco implemented by our wonderful Select Board ?
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What the hell is wrong with these idiots? Enough is enough, we need and hopefully will vote these people out come March. Unfortunately it'll be too late for some who will find themselves losing their homes over this latest move. Have you no conscience you greedy bastards?
Got to pay for the double bid on the Burt hill project, thank you Stephens/ Sepe / and Berthiaume. From what I hear, if you pay taxes in Winchester don't even think about applying for a job here. This is one messed up town, but with the right people it could be GREAT. Maybe we can find some people with no personal agenda to run next year.
People's committee on fair taxes,People's committee on fair taxes,People's committee on fair taxes,People's committee on fair taxes...I do not know how many times I need to say it.
By raising the property values, they will be able to lower the tax rate per thousand, of course most families tax bill obligation will stay the same. DAH! The town mental midgets at the town hall will say, see we lowered the tax rate for you. What more do you want? This is the old trick the selectmen used to play. Tax your property a 80% 85% 90% or most times 100% to make themselves look like the good-O-boys. The state does not allow the selectmen to play that game any longer so they came up with a new game plan. Its not us the selectmen will say, it's Avatar.
So you the people voted to have a tax committee instead of budget committee, and who the Hell do they ask to be place on this committee, yes none other than ask-O-Tedford the number one tax and waste spender of your tax dollars.
So you the people voted out the budget committee just because you didn't like Moser and took the word of the selectmen and Tedford over common sense. Now you have Tedford still there spending your money. When you people get made enough go apologize to Moser.....
No one came in to look at my property. No one made an appointment. What the hell is going on? My taxes dropped. Oh, and by the way I have finished my house. Who knew-it's all about who you know or did Avitar screw up in the first place?
Tax payers of Winchester have been repeatedly betrayed by Sherman Tedford with his gang of 5 and everyone has every right to be furious by the way this town has been operated. The tax payers and voters have repeatedly been rolled of our tax dollars and back stabbed by this S.O.B. People have forgotten how Harrison and Tedford sue the town for 10s of thousand of dollars for 30 years of sick pay. Tedford should have been entered in the Guinness Book of Record for never getting sick in 30 years. Now you think he is honest again…. So Tedford is voted out and now he is back making decision about when and where your tax dollars are spent.
Tedford had the lowest votes of any selectmen, as Trump would say, " Your Fired ", but for some reason Sepe and Stephens think he should be in charge. Time to fire them.
The tax rate will be a function of the total evaluation for the town (some of the worst properties may have devalued) and the amount of spending voted at town meeting. Selectmen cannot just raise money and spend it at will. Voters have to give them the specific authority and amounts every year -- except for money already deposited in a bunch of special accounts (with voter approval!) The rate can also be affected by how much they keep in the "unreserved fund balance" which is emergency backup money that still needs to be appropriated before spending.
If you want to cut your taxes, you'll have to cut spending at town meeting. That's the only way to do it. They will spend every dime you appropriate. That's the nature of government. That takes 150-200 people to outvote employees and families and others who benefit from town funds.. Start recruiting now if you intend to do anything of substance.
Winchester Friends,
If you're not happy with your property value now, just wait until KINDER MORGAN blasts through town leaving a disaster in their wake and lower property values, contaminated water supplies and more. Oh wait, they're already here preying on local residents trying to make deals.
We invite you to LEARN MORE! The pipeline affects every single resident in the state of New Hampshire, not just the towns it would come through and not just the affected property owners.
Contact us for information on denying survey access of your property or rescinding it if you've already allowed KM's survey contractors on your land. Every person who denies access sends more of a message to our elected officials that we are not going to have the character of our towns, rural culture, natural scenic beauty and healthy living perpetrated upon by this unethical, immoral company.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions (FERC) will be having a hearing in Cheshire County soon, possibly the first week of September. We all need to be informed and ready to defend ourselves with facts!
Join us on Facebook at:
Winchester NH Gas Pipeline Awareness
and
Stop the NH Pipeline: Fitz/Troy/Rich/Win
or email us for information at SS.StopTheNHpipeline@yahoo.com
#UniteAndFight
I also don't like the amount of taxes I pay, but I also do my part and go to town meetings and speak up when I don't like the way our money is being spent. It would be nice to see more people come on Wednesday nights and do the same. The only way to make a change is by getting out there and doing something. Also just for the record Sepe and Stephens terms are both up this year. :-)
I have two points...Every department has a budget with line items for each use, the department heads who are expected to live within it's budgets approved by the budget committee, then by the voters. The town had a lot of back taxes due us, by law it shall go into the unreserved fund. The selectmen have to petition the state to spend this money, as a emergency or to lower taxes which Tedford was good at using it to lower the tax rate. To stay elected. The selectmen have robbed and lowered this fund several times to dangerous lows.
The selectmen have been able to move money around within the departments budgets and move money between departments. Like awhile back the selectmen robbed the AC Lawrence legal fund to pay John Gomarlo thousands of dollars for none compensation days or when we had a floods with wash-outs of many road, the selectmen petitioned the state to use the unreserved fund money as a emergency. When FEMA reimbursed the town for the wash-outs. The money went directly into the highway fund where Dale Gray spent it at will. Robbing us of our rights of where and when to spend this money. Then Dale Gray declared his department had a surplus. HUH!
What has happened people having their homes foreclosed upon and sold t auction below market value where outsiders have bought these homes at a fire sale price who now are renting them out bring in many renters with children. Now we are getting another problem, causing our taxes goes up that will increase the homes owner payments then more foreclosures. This is what you get when you elect self interest nitwits to run a multi million dollars incorporation. This town is not run like a business it is like run like a slush fund to pedal influence. The circle of influence at the town hall!
Now Stephens has ran for selectmen several times, being the lowest vote getter (getting 25 votes once)even John P. beat him out. Most people remember his checkered past. Same with Seppe who also has a checkered past. Who has the same alliances with the same people, the junk yard, gravel, asphalt and racetrack people. You must ask yourself. Why can't Seppe keep a job? If this is the best Winchester has to offer, we the tax payers are screwed as a incorporation as in a town. Remember...The town is what it is due to it's people.
If you the taxpayers do not like the way your property is tax or assessed, if you feel it is disproportionate to fair market value then file for an abatement. It is easy and cost nothing. You have to wait till you get you last tax bill from the town, go to property records and get an abatement form. For an example Gus Ruth received a $45,000 abatement, Roberta Fraser received (I would have to look it up) a large abatement, the Beamans has also enjoyed this perk and many others that are friends of the town hall circle. Inundate the town hall with abatements. If they received 100 to 200 maybe they would get the message.
Avitar stated in one abatement, "property value have declined." yet most assessment went up.
Who is policing avitar? Got my new evaluation and the picture of my house was taken 10 years ago. Grand-the house does not look like this. The shutters have changed, the driveway is paved and the house completed. Yes, Leroy knew this. So, please tell me why my evaluation dropped and no one came to see what has been done. Only in Winchester could this happen. Yep, welcome to the real world.
My property values jumped nearly $11,000 despite my home being severely damaged by the blasting at the Mitchell quarry to the point where I have filed a lawsuit, because the Town would do nothing to help prevent this from happening. They tell me it's a civil matter and nothing the Town can do .. well that's bull, but that fight is for another day. I filed for an abatement and they are well aware of the costs to repair my home and that no repairs have been made as my lawsuit has not gone before the court yet. After granting me an abatement because of all the damages, they went right ahead and increased the values anyways. I contacted Avitar regarding this increase and their response was:
I have forwarded your concerns to Gary Roberge, as he is the Supervisor that worked on the update of values. The letter was an indication of the new value as established for this process, not an indication that someone has visited your property as that should have occurred prior to the update.
So without even coming back out to access my property and see if any repairs or updates have been made, they increased values. Under who's authority was this done?
So just who established this new value ?
According to NH law, the Select board had to have ordered this new reevaluation of property values and Avitar has to physically go out and view EACH property. Also, they CA NOT increase our values until next year according to the law. April 1st is the cut off date. What they are attempting to pull is ILLEGAL ,,,, read below
Valuing Property—The Appraisal Process
Property taxes are based upon the appraised value of property as of April 1 of each year. This means that the property tax bill, generally due in December, reflects the value of property on the previous April 1. By law, it is the responsibility of the selectmen to annually determine the appraised value of the property within the municipality as of April 1 . Most, if not all, municipalities rely on professionally trained assessors to fulfill this statutory responsibility.
Valuing property for property tax purposes is an ongoing process. Periodically, each municipality conducts a full revaluation of all property within the municipality. During a full revaluation, property is physically reviewed and then valued based upon the sale prices of other comparable properties or other approved appraisal methods. The goal of a revaluation is to appraise property at its “full and true” value, often referred to as “market” value.
Through revaluations and updates, assessors strive to ensure that property within the municipality is appraised proportionally as required by the New Hampshire Constitution, so that each property owner bears their proportionate share of the property tax based upon the value of their property—no more and no less.
Hmm, interesting. According to the woman Ive been conversing with through emails at Avitar, she stated in her last reply to me;
"Visit does not have to occur before April 1st for values to change, in fact no visit is necessary or required. Obviously if properties aren't visited it makes arriving at market value more difficult."
Guess something either has changed or Avitar does what it wants accordingly to the request it gets from our Selectmen.
There is a little factor Winchester is using (and the state allows it) to get the maximum tax from it's people, called the "median ratio". The state hasn't set the "median ratio for 2014 yet, the preliminary results indicate a ratio of 6.8% high than market value. So on a 200,000 home the town could be taxing your property @ 213,600. How fair is that to the tax payers from these greedy tax sucking bastards. Everyone must call Avitar to make an appointment to complain and to explain
For those of you that have appointments with Avitar hold your breath and your nose. They are convinced that they are correct and will not change their minds. For some of us that were lucky, our taxes did not increase. I did ask the question as to why they did not come in my house and was told that they had five years ago. I explained to the gentleman that that was a lie. The last time they were in my house was 8 years ago. The house is done imagine what the true tax bill should be. Oops, so the town now is going to have to deal with law suits as people have been unfairly taxed. Until the selectmen put on their big girl or boy panties we are going to have a fiasco. Just once I would like the town to do something that is appropriate and not be underhanded about it.
I have to agree as I had an appointment this morning and was fed the same line .. someone came in March .. Oh really? My taxes went up $10K, despite storm damages I can not afford to fix that were not covered by my home owner's insurance, so how did my property increase in value? I'll be spending money that I could use elsewhere to take them and the town to court over this unfair reevaluation just to give employees a raise. Mr. Tedford may no longer be on the select board but you sure can tell he's pulling the strings through his cohorts on the board.
Sorry to hear your story ref: have had a fill, Your in the same boat as many other. There is a less expensive ways to deal with these knuckle-heads at the town hall than suing. Get the state involved!!!! Take it out of the hands of the knuckle-heads at the town hall. Believe me they are interested in hearing from you to insure fair property taxes. The state has been suspicious of these knuckle-head for quit awhile now. The selectmen have been making special deals for themselves and with their circle of friends at the town hall. At your expense. The selectmen get their abatements ask Gus Ruth he received $45,000 on his home, if that wasn't enough he received an additional abatement on his home and a large abatement for his investment property on Forest Lake Road.
First when you get your last tax bill in November go to property tax office, and ask Shelly (she is very helpful and not a knuckle-head like the others) for an abatement form. File the abatement form before April 1, take pictures of your home of the damage, get quotes, or you have an independent appraisal of your home and file it. If it is denied than file an Appeal with the NH Board of Land and Tax Appeal Office in Concord. There is a web site for the necessary forms to down load. It cost $65.00.
I am sorry post abatement must be filed by March 1st
If I could be allowed to ask you, the readers of this post one question. WTF are you people asleep? Are you worried more about this stupid gas. Are you going to allow the 30 or so special interest people that show up at deliberative session to run your town and tell you what your going to pay for high taxes while the selectmen and their friends give each other breaks, abatements of their taxes. If you are I am not going to spend anymore energy on the subject with you and look out for myself.
The taxes wouldn't be so bad if you felt the dept. heads and a couple of the select board were trying to keep a lid on spending. This weekend it looked like we had more police on duty than we need in a small town like Winchester, and one has to wonder what happens to the uniforms of all the people we hire and send to the academy, that move on in less then a Year. Word is that one of the hwy guys can text and drive at the same time, maybe that's why we need so many officers each day.
Wake up Folks Ref police uniforms. Who the Hell would want to wear Teresa Seppe old uniforms. Not me even if I could fit in them????????? Glutsmaxiumas Are you $hitting me!!! Old uniforms are sold on police Facebook.
Your tax dollars..If you remember several years ago Brian Moser's budget committee cut the taxes and the Shermator took the committee to court and won using your tax dollars to sue yourselves. (not his). Then the Sherminator got his friends like Susan Pratt and others dimwits to run and fill the boards with people that he could control. Now you "the voters" eliminated the budget committee. Now the Sherminator is back in charge again of the budget. Webster hasn't any word in his book that would describe the stupidity of the Winchester Voters.
What the heck do you think all these uniform trucks are doing, they sure as heck aren't dropping of uniforms that the employees take with them when they change jobs. Looks like our PD employees take the uniforms along with all the other hardware that they have strapped on there person. This should stop, its a big expense we cant afford and I cant understand how its gone on for so long.
Town hall will be closed mon Sept. 7th and will reopen tue the 8th, employees will be along shortly after. Like Sherman said, your being picky. Not when its everyday, need time clocks.
No bids on the main st park project, looks like people are giving up on bidding in a town where there is a stacked deck. Good job board
Hey gang, how did we miss Elisha Jackson resigning from the school board and being appointed Business Manager for the district? In fact how did we miss an appointment to the board with nothing posted anywhere? Is this another of Rick Horton's slippery moves on a slippery slope? For that matter we lost a great person in Lisa Spencer. Who was responsible for that? The super-Lewis or Horton? Just thought that I would throw this out for people to ponder.
See all those free hotdogs Rich and Elisha passed out on election day is paying off. HOTDOGS! HOTDOGS! Vote for me and get a free dog...................
Voters made a BIG mistake when they eliminated town manager position.
They should have kept town manager and eliminated the board of selectman.
What are the qualifications to be a selectman and manage a multi million dollar organization?
The only qualification is that you got more votes than someone else.
A town manager would be qualified. Would have experience.
There would be accountability.
If you have a problem you can walk into one office and meet the person in charge.
Town hall employees would have an actual boss.
Board of selectmen is an archaic structure. It needs to go.
All town boards need to be eliminated and replaced with professional managers.
Winchester school board: part time people who got some votes.
Is that what we need to manage millions in school expenditures?
Personal note: on a recent very pleasant afternoon I went to town hall to take care of some business. On this very pleasant afternoon, the only two people in the building were the town clerk and town administrator. Everyone else had gone for the day.
It's interesting that the Conant Library board has not published any minutes in 10 months.
Only in Winchester could this happen. We have incompetent people doing jobs. In fact we have two people doing one job. A town manager would be the answer and then everyone would have to be at work in a timely fashion. (I am trying to be politically correct.) I just love it when you go by the town office at 8 and there are no cars there. In fact let's just change the hours from 8 to 5 five days a week. Or perhaps we should close the town clerk's office on Wednesday afternoon and have it open on Saturday morning from 8 to 12. The town clerk and deputy town clerk could switch off. These people are employed by the town and golly gee who is the town. The TAXPAYERS they work for us. So put on your big girl or big boy panties and make the change. You can do it with a smile.
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