Imagine my shock when I opened the letter from the city of Portland to find out that the value of my home and property has been adjusted upward by 284 percent. This equates to an estimated new tax increase of $3,046 annually.
Having lost my wife and her income last December, I now find myself with the decision to pay property taxes or eat, pay property taxes or stay warm in the winter. Not a pleasant choice to have to make. I would like to offer an alternative way of thinking. Perhaps someone of power within the city structure will read this and pursue it.
Revaluations are indicative of future value. As long as I remain in my home, the value remains the same for me, for no additional services or benefits come with having to pay an additional $254 a month in property taxes. There have to be hundreds of single-fixed-income folks facing the same dilemma.
To me, it makes sense to impose the revaluation at the time of the sale of a property. I think the city needs to take into account people in my position and make some type of exception until we sell our properties.
John P. Rague
Portland
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