if not raise property taxs , demo the trash homes, or pass building codes how do you get rid of the trash so you can have a happy retirement in this community ? If have a different answer i would love to hear it.
I know about trash buildings, I have a wide open, dangerous, eye sore of one just down the street from me (I could post a picture if you haven't seen it).
Four more trash houses were approved to come down using tax dollars tonight.
They have a list of many more in the wings.
To give them some credit, they did mention a state demolition grant of $75,000 that they can apply for.
The reason we have so many trash/slumlord houses is because the value of property is so low.
Too many people have been leaving for too long.
With a large supply of houses and few buyers, many are rented or sit empty.
Many people with insufficient income become attracted to the area by the abundance of rentals that provide a low cost of living.
Some of the properties get abused by these tenants and/or maintenance neglected by the vacant owners.
With a higher percentage of economically challenged people comes some other negative elements.
With the need for increased enforcement, a lack of it only encourages more good people to leave, creating more empty houses.
More empty houses creates lower property values, which creates more slum lords/trash houses, more demolitions, higher taxes, lower service levels, etc.
A vicious circle, until we start doing things differently.
Jobs are what would be most apt to create the type of home owners here that would take pride in their property.
We also need to enforce our laws to make people more safe and be able to start changing our reputation, so that more people will want to live here and come to spend their money here.
I would not be against a tax increase if it were for some type of investment in our economy (professionally trained economic development person, a portion of a fiber optic network, better law enforcement, etc.)
When people want to live here, it will be worth it to invest in the properties.
I do see some people investing in our community now though; there are a couple of retail type businesses in the works. There also seems to be a lot of houses being cleaned up by CMJs Tree Service, it seems they are doing a lot to combat the problem. Kudos CMJ.
This tax increase is not finalized yet, but the first step was another 4-1 vote.
If the taxes do go up it will be to make bandshell and fountain payments, things I wouldn't mind paying for if the other problems were handled and we could afford it.
I don't see people moving here for a bandshell and fountain near as much as for jobs in a safer community.
If we don't change our direction there will continue to be more and more trash buildings.
They already can't keep up with the demolitions.
Just tearing them down as they keep becoming trash is like putting band-aids over a ruptured vein.
Much of this is just my insignificant opinion though.