>I just had an upsetting day yesterday when our director of equalization
>(assessor) told me she had to add my towers to the real estate tax rolls.
>We do not have personal property tax in South Dakota. It was repealed at
>least 10 years ago.
>
>I told her my towers were personal property and was a hobby. She said they
>are anchored to the ground so they are considered real estate. I seen her
>assessment guide book and it lists Rohn 25 at $42-$60 for linear foot which
>is rediculous for ham applications.
>
>Anyway my question is how many of you pay real estate taxes on your amateur
>towers? I don't want to clog the reflector up so I'm primarily interested
>only in those that pay real estate taxes and how you got it to a reasonable
>level. Also it would be valuable if anyone can tell me how they changed
>their state department of revenues ideas about taxing amateur towers?
>
>Thanks,
>
>W0SD
>
>Ed Gray
Hi Ed,
I don't pay any extra taxes for my 3 towers (that I know of). I just pay
property taxes on my home and land. If there are extra taxes for the
towers, they are hidden from me and probably included in the regular tax bill.
Anyway, if were in your position, I would argue that each and every neighbor
would say the presence of your towers LOWERS their property values and,
therfore, should lower yours even more. Most people would insist the towers
be removed as a condition of purchasing your house which should prove my point.
When I put up a wooden pole in LA (110 feet long), I had a company dig an 18
foot hole for it. The City of LA wanted to charge me a fee based on the
total cost of installing the pole and I talked them into charging only for
the resale value of the pole itself. I argued that although the hole had
cost me some money, it obviously had no "resale value" and therefore should
not be taxed by including its cost in the permit fee. With tongue in cheek,
I said that if they thought it had value, I would entertain an offer to sell
it. Funny, nobody wanted to bid even a dime for it . . . They did not
charge me for the cost of the hole . . .
Stan w7ni@teleport.com
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