01-11-2010, 12:41 PM
Carol,
You guys got your discount in the initial cost of the land. That is my point. If your land had County water you wouldn't have paid what you did, but considerably more, same as folks in Hilo (and Kapoho).
I should add that we paid $3000 to get the water meter in the first place. You could fill up a lot of catchment with that money. Our property tax on the vacant lot was $2000 a year. Is anyone paying that in Puna for 1/3 of an acre?
I just don't like it when people get envious of Hilo even though they could have bought in Hilo but chose not to, perhaps to be more rural, perhaps because it would cost so much more for a house.
It's like buying a base model car and then complaining that people who bought fully loaded cars have more features. If people aren't willing to pay for it up front with their home price or their rent, then I see no reason why it should be available for free, property taxes or no. And my property taxes aren't based on square footage. My home is valued at the price I paid for it in 2007, said market price reflecting the fact that it has County water and all utilities.
You guys got your discount in the initial cost of the land. That is my point. If your land had County water you wouldn't have paid what you did, but considerably more, same as folks in Hilo (and Kapoho).
I should add that we paid $3000 to get the water meter in the first place. You could fill up a lot of catchment with that money. Our property tax on the vacant lot was $2000 a year. Is anyone paying that in Puna for 1/3 of an acre?
I just don't like it when people get envious of Hilo even though they could have bought in Hilo but chose not to, perhaps to be more rural, perhaps because it would cost so much more for a house.
It's like buying a base model car and then complaining that people who bought fully loaded cars have more features. If people aren't willing to pay for it up front with their home price or their rent, then I see no reason why it should be available for free, property taxes or no. And my property taxes aren't based on square footage. My home is valued at the price I paid for it in 2007, said market price reflecting the fact that it has County water and all utilities.