x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by IQ12 with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Thu, 26 Mar 2015 11:07:05 -0400 thread-index: AdBn1oWzhldbMsW0TR+yzhAiHKcWgA== Thread-Topic: Rental Home Property Taxes From: To: Subject: Rental Home Property Taxes Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2015 11:07:05 -0400 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 26 Mar 2015 15:07:05.0959 (UTC) FILETIME=[85D2C770:01D067D6] CUSTOM Mrs. Simi John SC Homeowner and Taxpayer 185 Hope Springs Rd Lexington SC 29072 simijohnlove@gmail.com 7044538000 PCOR Rental Home Property Taxes I have been living in the Lexington county with my family for the last 7+ years and have mostly enjoyed our stay here so far except for a few issues concerning taxes. There are a few major matters concerning taxes that have been heavily disappointing over the last several years that I want to bring to your attention. These matters are turning out to be a heavy burden on our life and pursuit of our happiness. I noticed that there is a constant lack of attention to some important issues concerning public safety, transportation, and equal and fair tax act for the Lexington county residents and perhaps the entire residents of this state. There are two major issues that concern me and I will start off with the most recent one that our family was personally impacted with. We invested in a single family starter home in the Lexington county (West Columbia area) 7 years back and recently upgraded to a bigger home as our family has been growing. By doing that, a choice was left upto us to either sell our first home at a low market value and take a loss OR rent out the house and wait to sell the property until the property value increases where we could possibly receive a decent return or profit. I am sure this is probably the hope and wish of every homeowner who invests in their first home. Since the Lexington county housing value has not increased for the houses in the last 7+ years or at least in the area that we invested in, we would take a significant loss if we sell our first home in the current market. So, we made the decision to rent out the property, but we were hit with our first property tax bill late fall of 2014 from the county to discourage us from renting. I was notified by the county that rental property taxes are different from the primary resident property tax and we are not talking about even double the taxes, but a significant increase in the taxes for the rental properties. I was also told that this 6% increase in rental property home legislation was passed back ~2006 and has been effective since then, so I am guessing I am not the first one to complain about this matter. Due to this, I am spending additional $300 to make the mortgage for our rental property on top of paying our current house mortgage. This is a heavy burden to the taxpayers who are paying vehicle and real estate property taxes in this county. Considering that we are paying higher taxes for our vehicles, but the roads we ride our vehicles in and around our neighborhood are NOT at all in the best shape and actually some of the worst roads I have driven on. I have had to take both of my vehicles in for more frequent service and repairs in the last 5+years living in this city due to the roads and conditions that we have to travel on a daily basis. With the amount of money everyone is paying taxes on their vehicles annually, it would be nice to see some improvements with the roads in the last 7+ years and I haven't seen that and it is getting worse every year. If the roads can't be fixed, then you should consider lowering the vehicle taxes. It is unfair to the taxpayers living in this community and has been faithfully contributing to the community. Also, every community wants to see their area developing and booming and also wants to help out their neighbors in a way they can. By putting our first home on rent, we also wanted to invest as middle class family for ourselves but while benefiting our community and neighbors in the process. There are many people who are out of job nowadays or struggling with their credit but wish to live in a private fenced house in a decent neighborhood to have the comfort of a house life environment. We thought that we are helping those individuals to fulfill that desire by putting one of our properties on rent. We are not at all making any $ by doing this and in fact losing $ because of these ridiculous property taxes. It is very much unfair that I am hit with 6% tax increase which is due first of next year for renting out our house for a year. I don't at all mind paying property taxes on the property that we are living in or renting out, but to have a bill of $3500 vs. $800 is drastic and unfair to those individuals who are trying to do the right thing. In addition to this, we will be paying additional taxes to the government during tax year on this property. WE are hit with two unfair taxes when all in all we as a homeowner done our share of properly maintaining our houses and continue to maintain it but still hasn't seen any property value increase in the last 7 years which in turn brings a loss to us when selling it. Overall, the system is working against the residents and it is not the way the state legislatures should function. You work for the people and you should want to see the community enlarging and help those who are trying to help others. I have spoken with several of my friends and family members living in other counties and states who also have properties that they are renting out but they are not stuck with a high property tax bill like we are in the Lexington county. I would kindly ask you to take this matter seriously and address it as soon as possible. Please address these matters effectively and within reason and rationale and respond to this request Thanks and Sincerely, Another Concerned and Unhappy Tax Payer Living in Lexington County Simi John