AN OPEN LETTER TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMEOWNER.
By: SERGIO -retired banker and financial analyst.
August 28,2009.
CAN OUR LOCAL POLITICAL LEADERS BE TRUSTED?
Recently Miami-Dade County property appraiser PEDRO GARCIA announced that property values in our county will only be reduced by 9.2% from 2008 to 2009. His office also, made no reduction from 2007 to 2008. The property appraiser also said that in 2008 prices remained the same with NO drop in values.
Meantime, Miami-Dade County MAYOR CARLOS ALVAREZ, announced that the millage rate will have to be increased and that taxes will actually increase for most people in our County.
The truth is that the MIAMI HERALD, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, and the FLORIDA BOARD OF REALTORS, just to mention a few have been saying for months that prices in MIAMI DADE COUNTY have dropped over 40% over the last 3 years, and 28% from 2008 to 2009. The WALL STREET JOURNAL even said that next to LAS VEGAS, South Florida had the worst drop in real estate values in the whole country.  On top of all that all FLORIDA COUNTIES, including BROWARD COUNTY took into account in computing 2008-2009 values all the sales in a given area, including Short sales, and foreclosure sales. ONLY MIAMI-DADE COUNTY with the blessing of CARLOS ALVAREZ and PEDRO GARCIA, and most County commissioners, agreed to use a formula that only reduced the values by 9.2%. A TOTAL FRAUD.
 
Unfortunately, when you are trying to sell a home, the LENDERS, will have appraisals done using all homes sold in the area, which is normal under real estate rules and regulations. As LUIS ALVAREZ recently said to the HERALD ‘’ It is unfortunately, that elected officials continue to make up their own rules in order to push higher taxes, even when it is not warranted and in the midst of an economic struggle we face”. In the middle of all this MAYOR CARLOS ALVAREZ gave his close staff outrageous pay raises. According to Michael Putney in an article written for the MIAMI HERALD said” that while ALVAREZ was announcing the closing of libraries,parks, and social programs, and about 1,700 county jobs , and yet just weeks later ALVAREZ handed some of his key staffers double-digit raises”. A local Hialeah resident, a WIDOW of 93 years of age, received a proposed tax notice, whereby her tax bill will increase by around $100 per year, and the property values went down around 10%. In fact in Hialeah, property values have gone down over 25% in the last 12 to 18 months. In MIAMI-DADE COUNTY we have hundreds of employees and supervisors earning over $200,000 a year, an pension obligations have increased by 400% since 2001. The reason why MIAMI-DADE COUNTY is headed for trouble, is due to the fact that our political leaders took the windfall tax revenues during the good years 2001 to 2006 and blew them away. They refused to save money for the bad times and they hired thousands of new people we did not need and they spent on projects we did not want or needed.  Luis Alvarez further said “I am appalled at the corruption and lack of integrity or responsibility by our local government officials. We must unite to fight this, its is destroying our communities and our Country.Let elected officials know that this is wrong and that the people are not going to allow them to tax and spend as they please anymore”.
Both Luis Alvarez and Michael Putney are correct. The reason why the budget is $427 million short, is because we have done projects and currently have thousands of people in the county payroll, we did not need, including many of the top assistants to the MAYOR. Talented government employees deserve a fair salary and good benefits, as PUTNEY said, however, salaries should not be extravagant. Government salaries in MIAMI-DADE COUNTY outpace people doing similar jobs in the PRIVATE SECTOR, and retirement, pension and all other benefits are off the CHARTS. TODAY, PENSION OBLIGATIONS are approximately 20% of the total budget. People in our local government could retire with less than 25 years in service, and a huge pension and benefit packages, several times higher that people in PRIVATE companies. Our political leaders are treating the money they received in real estate taxes from the 93 year old lady in HIALEAH, and other homeowners as if they were dealing with MONOPOLY GAME money.  People in MIAMI-DADE County should begin to consider not re-electing anymore those COUNTY COMMISSIONERS who allow the MAYOR and the TAX-COLLECTOR to do as they please in detriment of our county citizens. What is wrong with these people.?
This is the way I see it. 

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Hello,
 
I wish this letter to be posted on your site or distributed (if you think it's OK) in order to reach as many people as possible. Please feel free to edit as needed.
 
En la proxima voy a enviar la version en espanol.
 
Gracias!
 
Lisette Palazzi
 
Dr. Sir or Madam:
 
I beg you to please vote against increasing our property taxes this year. We do not want and cannot allow the “rollback” tax to be applied.
 
You should adjust your budget to the reality of the situation we currently face here in Miami and the entire nation.
 
In this recession everyone has had to make sacrifices and many people have seen their savings and property values shrink in value or evaporate.
 
If you need funds, you can begin by lowering the salaries of the 15,000 Dade County employees who earn more than $100,000 a year. Middle class residents of Miami, who in their majority do not have a life pension like you do (financed by us), cannot continue to support this extravagance.
 
Our Homes Are Not the ATM machine of Dade County!
 
It is preposterous and inconceivable that you even consider increasing the property taxes at a time when property prices have diminished so much in value.
 
You must vote in favor of those who pay for your salaries.
 
Of the 30,000 Dade County employees almost half earn more than $100,000 annually, plus bonuses and benefits!!
 
Please do not insult our intelligence threatening to reduce the police and fire budgets or miscellaneous expenses like meals for the elderly.
 
If you need funds please start by cutting expenses here:
 
George Burguess         Annual Salary: $343,515!!
Robert Cuevas            Annual Salary: $317,000!!
 
I sincerely hope that you and your colleagues will seriously consider this petition.
 
Respectfully yours,

If I have complaints, issues, ideas etc on the present mess with the Mayor and the wasteful overspending by Dade County... where can I go?

The system has been set in a such a way that your complaints are ineffective if you use the official way such as reforms that must be made to the appeal process regarding your property taxes (see section 'change in appeals process').  That way you begin to get an idea of the clever ways they use.

Therfore the only avenue left is that of "unity" among taxpayers and all residents by participating in organized groups so that effective ways may be implemented based on previous experiences. 

 There are several groups in the county area ehich would be my suggestion, we are one of them.  We will be glad to keep you posted regarding protests, meeting etc. 

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Hello,
 
Hope all is well.
 
I was at the protest yesterday in the intersection of Bird Rd. and 87th Ave. I am committed to this cause and would like to be informed of any future protests and would also like to help. My strength is writing. I worked as a producer and writer for many years before having my daughter, Eva, who was also at the protest. My husband is a multimedia designer and is also onboard.
 
I can make phone calls, create signs, stuff envelopes, rally my friends and family through sites like facebook, etc. If another protest is not being planned, we should start thinking about it as many people have expressed their desire to be in involved but didn't have enough notice.
 
I look forward to hearing from you,
 
Michelle

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I wanted to let you know that I have been an attorney for over twelve years and a Florida resident for over 38 years. Like most property owners I am sick to my stomach as to this property tax situation. I think everyone can make a difference and help each other, if they take a stance. For this reason, I am creating a free webinar advising everyone on their rights and the process in hope that they take a stance and go appeal their taxes on their own. The process is actually quite simple and it could mean great savings in hard earned dollars for many years to come!

Please let me know how I can help you promote your cause. This property tax situation is very important and will affect everyone for years to come. Please feel free to forward this to let anyone you think can benefit from this free informational webinar. By registering I will be able to send the link for every one to watch and learn while the weminar is live or will send them a recorded version to watch at their leissure. Thanks again

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To: mhatcher@miamiherald.com
Subject: Your Herald article regarding Real estate taxes as per your article of SUNDAY, AUGUST 16,2009.
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:05:06 -0400

Dear MONICA: I like to congratulate you for the job well done. I have been reading for weeks the various articles you have been writting in connection with the real estate mess we have in MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
 
Although your latest article is very good, I would like you to go further and confront PEDRO GARCIA, the COUNTY TAX ASSESOR elected recently you the people, as to why he wants to do thing different from other FLORIDA COUNTIES, that are including all sales in the area, including SHORT SALES and FORECLOSURES. National newspapers and Realty Boards are reporting that in MIAMI-DADE county prices of homes have fallen over 40 % in the last 3 years, and in fact over 28% in the last 12 months. Why then is PEDRO GARCIA only reducing the value of the homes by 9.2%.
 
Let me tell you where he is wrong. Let me give you an example. My wife uncle passed away a few weeks ago, and the family is trying to sell a fairly new house in HIALEAH built in 1990 with all the luxuries of a modern home. Although many homes like the case of my wife uncle, are not SHORT SALE, or bank forecloures, they can not be sold for their regular price, because the huge amount of foreclosures have depressed those sales in the marked that are not short sales or bank owned properties. The house of our uncle could have been sold 12 months ago in HIALEAH for $300,000 and now according to the appraiser hired by the judge could not be sold for over $200,000. A comparison study of homes sold in HIALEAH over the past 12 months in the area, shows that the market of good homes, having nothing to do with the problems homes, is down over 25% in the last year. In fact a bank approached by a potential buyer, will not accept the rediculous story of PEDRO GARCIA. The bank is invoking REAL ESTATE LAW, that says that the fair market price of a house, is the maximum price that could be obtain in a sale, as compared to others in the area.
 
Even if you took off the equation, the short sales and bank owned repos, the average of the other homes sold in the area of MIAMI-DADE county will clearly show that sales of good homes, not problem homes are selling for at least 20% less this year, over what they were selling last year. If would be nice for the HERALD to do a further investigation to find out the actual data developed by PEDRO GARCIA, or better yet use your own home as an example. Get your latest tax assessment of this year and last year and compare it, and then compare it with sales in the area. For example my house was valued last year at $550,000 in MIAMI LAKES and this year was valued at $500,000.The truth is that homes similar to mine, having nothing to do with short sales or foreclosures in our area are now selling for around $400,000 or even less. Not the figure given by the County tax assessor office.
 
Who could demand, other than the HERALD to see the records, and use an independent real estate appraiser to see what PEDRO GARCIA DID. I believe that there is a conspiracy to manipulate the number, so the tax base will not go down.
For someone to tell you that prices in MIAMI-DADE county only went down 9.2% for good homes, not in trouble is a very improper and malicious statement. You should not let them get away with it. Do more investigation. Do not take their word for it. You are doing an excellent job, but you need to confront these people. Respectfully. SERGIO

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While private citizens taxpayers and homeowners struggle to keep our homes and jobs, the local Government's (County and Cities) increase property tax rates and deliver inflated tax assessments aimed to shelter their bloated expenses, salaries and pensions from the economic crisis.

Opponents to property tax rate/millage increases and homeowners need to have our voices heard at the public hearings to be realized in September by the Board of County Commissioners .

First Budget Hearing – September 3, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.
Second Budget Hearing – September 17, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.

Location: Downtown Government Center
Address: 111 NW 1st Street
2nd Floor, Commission Chambers
Miami, Fl 33128

Your presence and active participation can make a difference!
 
www.lowertaxesnow.org

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