Stop boosts to valuations

SURPRISE, SURPRISE! I assume it is safe to assume the sap citizens of Bernalillo County have opened their property assessment notices to once again see another 3 percent increase in their property valuations, which will surely result in another increase in property taxes.

Not to worry, next year property values will be increased another 3 percent, as they will the year after that and in all years to come, ad infinitum. Shades of California anyone? In fact, since this asinine legislation was introduced in 2001 by the late state Rep. Ben Lujan, property values have on average increased a whopping 54 percent with a corresponding increase in property taxes. Add to this the fact that the mill rate has also been creeping up as well.

HB 623-2001 was hailed as being a “cap” on property valuations and therefore a “cap” on property taxes. There are a couple of exemptions to this so-called “cap,” but nowhere in this law does it state that property valuations must be increased by 3 percent each and every year as has been happening for the past 18 years. It is the overzealous county assessors who perpetuate this ever-increasing spiral in property taxes, much to the delight of our tax-and-spend public servants . ...

The question is how long the sap citizens of New Mexico and particularly those living in Bernalillo County will be able to pay these everincreasing property taxes. Tax lightning is alive and well.