OT: kind of a property tax rant

Doug in Illinois · Mar 6, 2012

One of my elderly aunts back in Nebraska owns several small patches of ground along with her farm and a couple rental houses.

One of the small patches used to have a street in town that turned into a road in the country. When the railroad added a second track they closed that crossing from where the town to country changes.

All was OK for several years until the county "deeded" back the road to the property owners it was originally "taken" from. So she now owns half that abandoned street in town. They increased her property tax by the amount of ground they "gave" back to her. She told them she didn't want it, but can't argue with government.

The property tax isn't the big issue now. Keeping the weeds down on 1/2 of a road is. It would cost more than that piece of property is worth to move the fence to the middle of the road and fill the grader ditch.

City is going in and mowing, then charging both owners for the mowing.

Just a rant, but maybe food for thought for all of us who own property where a road could possibly end up closed. DOUG

bo · Mar 6, 2012

If it is taxed seperately, don't pay the taxes and let them lien the property and finally sell it at auction. It won't sell so the town will take it back.

flying belgian · Mar 6, 2012

State of Mn. needs to buy some of our land for a hyway expansion project. They appraised it and their first offer to us was very low so we had it appraised privately(which they paid for) After seeing the private appraisal they came back with a reasonable offer. My question is how come their second appraisal and offer was different then their first? Why were they trying to screw one of their own residents as if this were a private sale? How could their first appraisal two months ago have been that wrong? I know there is a sucker born every minute but this is not me or you trying to get a low ball deal on a tractor This is the state buying land from one of their own. Only thing I can come up with is their appraiser must get a bonus based on how low he can purchase the land. The lower the price, the bigger the bonus. Is the salary and benefits of state employees public information? So I can check my theory.

tjdub · Mar 6, 2012

A similar thing happened here except it was a railroad line closing. The railroad had purchased (actually had been given) the 30ft of land through all the farms in my area including mine. When the line closed and the railroad went through bankruptcy, I shyster purchased (or was given) the asset and went around to all the farms trying to convince the farmers to buy the land back. Some farmers did, others did not. Those who did are paying about $20/year per 40 acre parcel for the privilege of ownership these days. Those who didn't, get to use the land and the county is collecting no property tax on it presumably because the shyster disappeared when he milked his deal for all it was worth. They don't even have seperate parcels defined for it anymore except for the people who bought the land back.

Like Bo said below, if it's a seperate parcel, just refuse to pay property tax on it and it should eventually fall into property tax limbo like the railroad land that runs through my farm, but I would talk to a lawyer about it first.

BarryfromIA · Mar 6, 2012

Some one could by it an start a tire dump or some other problem area. It has happened.

tomNE · Mar 6, 2012

which town is this in? something doesn't sound right. you can spread brome seed and that should cure the problem. I've lived here along time. sounds like someone is putting undo pressure onto her. unless this is in a bigtown!

MarkB_MI · Mar 7, 2012

Can she quit-claim it to the adjoining property owner?

Dachshund · Mar 7, 2012

Yeah - I'd like to know what town, too! Counties and towns are trying anything to get more cash these days.
I had it tried on us a few years back when we lived in a small town. We hired the neighbor girl to mow one spring. Instead of 2' outside of out fence, she mowed about 20' - ONE TIME. The village then figured it was our responsibility to mow it. Since it was a vacant lot, they (village) mowed right up to that 20', instead of the 2' where the property line was. The rest grew up in weeds. We started getting nasty letters, then bills when they finally decided to mow it to kill the weeds.

It took several visits with the Village Board, Town Maintainence Crew, letters, phone calls, etc, etc, to finally get it through their heads that THEY (village) owned the property, not me. They STILL tried to shaft us with over $1000 to pay for mowing that 20' x 100' piece of ground.

We were in the process of selling the house, and moved out. We haven't heard a word since.

LJD · Mar 7, 2012

Did they actually deed-back ownership - or just legally abandon the road and give up the public right-of-way? I know that in New York and Michigan most public roads are owned by private property owners. Governments just have "right-of-ways." In both states, owners are not taxed on the actual driven portion of public roads. If a road is abandoned- then they are. I know many counnty and state highways and railroad beds - that do actually own road beds have to offer the property to the original owners if abandoned. But that's an "offer." They can't force prior owners to take it back.

JDseller · Mar 7, 2012

Your Aunt always owned the half of that street. She just was not taxed on it while it was open. When it closed the use of the property returned to the original owners. Whether or not she uses it makes no difference. I can't see how the taxes would be that much. Plus most towns only require mowing a few times each year.

If she is up set about it then she should see if the owner on the other side would want to by that half she just got back. They may have a use for it then with the parcel bing wider.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 9, 2012

Thats exactly what I would do.If its not taxed seperately sell it,That will create a new deed.

OT: kind of a property tax rant

Doug in Illinois

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bo

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flying belgian

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tjdub

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BarryfromIA

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tomNE

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MarkB_MI

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Dachshund

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LJD

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JDseller

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Anonymous-0

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