Monday, February 24, 2014

Study: Crete Has Highest Property Taxes In Statewide Comparison


A new study comparing property taxes paid in Nebraska's 30 largest cities confirms that Crete property owners pay more in taxes than in any other sizable city in Nebraska. In some cases, much more.

Last fall, voters in the Crete School District narrowly passed a $33 million bond referendum by mail-in vote.  The $33 million in new debt and spending is being used to complete Crete Schools "most comprehensive overhaul" in district history.

The debate over the Crete Schools bond issue was very emotional, with supporters prevailing by only a handful of votes.

Now an annual comparison of property taxes paid in 30 of Nebraska's largest communities -- other than Omaha and Lincoln -- has been released.  The study, conducted by the City of Norfolk, looked at total property taxes paid on a $100,000 house.  The range is from York, the lowest at $1,759, to Crete, the highest at $2,411.

If that doesn't sound like much difference, think of it this way: Over ten years, a homeowner would pay $6,520 more on the exact same $100,000 house if it were in Crete instead of York.  Over 40 years, the difference would be more than $26,000.  Over 50 years, it would be nearly $33,000.


Among school districts, the lowest levy is Chadron’s $1.05 and highest is Crete’s $1.34, according to the study.  (In the Dorchester School District, the levy is $1.11, according to our check last fall. Friend is $1.28.  Wilber is $1.12. Milford is $1.04.  Exeter-Milligan is $0.96, the lowest of the levies in the Times' local comparison.  Here in Nebraska, about 70 cents of your property tax dollar goes to your school district, in most cases.)

Once again, it has been proved that elections have consequences.

3 comments:

  1. Good report and factual information.

    I wonder if the person who criticized this blog for being too Dorchester-centric a few stories down feels better now. Ha!

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    1. I don't know what you're talking about in your comment, but I'm from Crete and this story darn well better be in the Crete News. We deserve to know about this in the town that's shelling out these extraordinary property tax dollars.

      Word to the wise in Friend: You're not too far behind. Don't let your school "leaders" do what they did in our city beside the Blue.

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  2. ............ sick and wrong............................... you taxers and spenders must sit around all day and think of ways to steal other peoples money ..................... worst part is you think youre gonna get to heaven on another mans dime ............................. i have news for you ........................................ heaven aint where you going ................................ in fact i have just one message for all of you who want to tax the working man and contributing man to death ................................................. here it is..................
    ╭∩╮(︶︿︶)╭∩╮

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