Anyone else heard of this from their water company? Storm water charge?

[Al B. Sure!]

http://www.phila.gov/water/Stormwater_what.html

In a natural, undeveloped environment, rainfall from storms falls on the ground and evaporates or is absorbed into the soil. The water that is absorbed is "cleaned" as it moves through plant material and the soil layers. This water replenishes the groundwater and provides baseflow for streams.

In an urban, developed environment, like Philadelphia, rainfall from storms falls on the ground and runs off from impervious surfaces (e.g., concrete, asphalt, buildings, etc.) and flows into the sewer system. This water is what is referred to as stormwater runoff or stormwater or runoff. Since this water can't be absorbed into the ground and take part of the natural water cycle, it needs to be managed. Stormdrains on the street and other surfaces allow the stormwater into the sewer system that PWD builds and maintains.

PWD will now relate a property's burden on the sewer system directly to its stormwater charge by using the property's individual characteristics as the basis for this fee. We do this by using Geographic Information Systems technology, or high-tech mapping software, to measure a property's gross area and impervious area. Impervious area is classified as any surface that prevents water from soaking into the ground. Once we know a property's gross and impervious area, we use this formula to calculate the stormwater charge:

Stormwater Charge = (Gross Area Rate * Gross Area of Property) +
(Impervious Area Rate * Impervious Area of Property)

Not sure exactly what this is... you get charged for the amount of rain-water that goes into the sewers near your property?

[The Mad Monk]

They've finally figured out how to tax rain. Can air be far behind?

[Dinner]

No, we don't have that here. Maintaining the storm drains is paid for out of property taxes.

[Al B. Sure!]

No, we don't have that here. Maintaining the storm drains is paid for out of property taxes.

Philadelphia property tax is 9.432% of the assessed value of the property. How does San Diego's compare? You guys pay more?

[Dinner]

Much, much, much less. Around 1/3rd. Prop 13 capped property tax rates back in the late 1970's so California has one of the lowest property tax rates in the country. Even Texas has twice the tax rate on property.

[Al B. Sure!]

Actually my bad. It was raised:

http://www.phila.gov/revenue/Real_Estate_Tax.html

Note: Effective January 1, 2012, the Real Estate Tax rate will increased from 9.082% to 9.432%

[Spaced Cowboy]

WTF, TX is only ~ 2.5% depends on where you live, no state tax either.

[Al B. Sure!]

Much, much, much less. Around 1/3rd. Prop 13 capped property tax rates back in the late 1970's so California has one of the lowest property tax rates in the country. Even Texas has twice the tax rate on property.

San Diego must have a crazy budget deficit. We have an annual deficit of $120 million in Philly and that's with the property taxes, 8% sales tax, and the 4% wage tax.

[Hauldren Collider]

1.07% in Fairfax County, no state level property tax. There's also a .015% surcharge to that for stormwater, but it's assessed as part of the property tax.

[The Mad Monk]

My taxes are at 0.84% (not kidding, I pay about $1600 annual on $190,000), but they're Ag rates in an unincorporated part of the county.

[Hauldren Collider]

9% is ****ing huge.

[The Mad Monk]

Generally, property taxes go up as property values go down.

Unless you live in New Jersey. Yikes.

[KrazyHorse]

Property tax rates are meaningless. Assessed value relative to market value is different in every municipality.

[Dinner]

San Diego must have a crazy budget deficit. We have an annual deficit of $120 million in Philly and that's with the property taxes, 8% sales tax, and the 4% wage tax.

Despite the claims of California being big government the state actually is among the lowest, if not the lowest, when it comes to public workers per 100,000 of population. Sadly, San Diego has even lower service rates with among the fewest numbers of police, fire, and other public workers per 100,000 of population but the crime rate is really low so I guess it works. BTW the state has a 8.75% sales tax and a highly graduated state income tax system though there are a huge amount of exemptions and a high cut off point for income tax so most people end up not paying state income tax. That said, California is WAY over represented when it comes to the number of high income earners so even though most people don't pay the state income tax the amount of money brought in is pretty high.

There is also a sizable corporate income tax though personally I think that should be phased out.

[SlowwHand]

WTF, TX is only ~ 2.5% depends on where you live, no state tax either.

Will you hush?