Hornet says:
Lies and Liars

Real estate taxes are only part of the total tax burden. You have to look at all taxes and fees to get apples to apples instead of apples to tire irons AND look at services and amenities provided your local government. Also pay attention to how much of this is just talk and how long it takes council to get anything sustantive put into place – like a freaking pool now Taj Mahal ACC cement pond. Return on investment is sorely lacking in Christiansburg, a town with too many banty roosters fast to claim credit after riding on the coat tails or bus seats of others while bad mouthing anyone who wants to participate who haven’t been consecrated as worthy (in other words, a Kiwanis sponsor or someone born here who has never lived more than 2 blocks from town hall and vacationed anywhere other than Outer Banks or Myrtle Beach). Send the Mayor packing because he is useless. Is that guy partially demented or just drug addled? Look at other town operations that cost more than what they bring in like recreation or water services and know some council members post as”anonymous” to try to hold up the real property tax rate as THE thing to compare. How about inclusion, diverse viewpoints, a wealth of community or public parks, subdivisions that have sidewalks or path ways connecting them to something else with no flooding after 4 hours of rain, choices in cable or land line phone service instead of monopolies, less waste in fire and rescue departments who misuse expensive equipment, outdoor parks and trail systems, filled up shopping centers, historic preservation, and fair application of zoning that pays attention to the Comprehensive Plan council supposedly created? Real property taxes will be jumping with reassessment and the need to pay for the Kiwanis pool and a bloated number of employees. OUt of control big government spending in a little bitty town hiding behind a fake real property assessment is no growth grave.

Reply: of course, lowly citizens don’t know what special discounts on property taxes or special benefits are in place … since someone asked so nicely:
General Property Taxes 2007:
Blacksburg: $4,352,569
Christiansburg: $2,664,912

According to Citi-data:
Blacksburg Median house or condo value: $226,641
Christiansburg median house or condo value: $162,077

Lower cost housing = lower real estate taxes.

So Christiansburg becomes the low income housing suburb for Blacksburg. That doesn’t solve the issue that real estate taxes don’t generally fluctuate as much as other sources. However, other jurisdictions have taken big steps to try to keep from increasing real estate taxes, but falling real estate values (in double digits in some areas of the state) will drive those revenue sources even lower unless taxes are increased.

Anonymous says:

You might want to factor the Real Estate Tax into your equation.

Reply: go ahead…tell me about it:)

Anonymous Reader says:

We foot the bus bill? Not hardly. Look at the federal stimulus funds and see that Cburg is truly getting a free ride. Someone take the scissors away from Dickie, Please!!

Reply: Christiansburg has a long history of letting others pay the way…just look at how much of the town’s bills are being carried by businesses.

aba says:
Your right

Blacksburg isn’t catering to the needs of its citizens. They have to drive or be bused (We C-burg foot that bill partially) in to our town to suit the needs of its people. Sad really. Sure they have nice bus system and greenspaces but they also live and die by VA tech and its students. Its downtown area is quaint. The shops are very expensive and its restaurants have great food if you dont mind waiting in line. I love where I live and wouldnt want to live anywhere else sure we have alot of things here in this town that need to be addressed but we are an up and coming town not an established one.

Reply: And there in lies the rub….we are up and coming…a lot of things need to be address, a lot of things need to be re-evaluated and revised, citizens need to be more involved in shaping what the town does become. Otherwise, we have Christiansburg not catering to the needs of its citizens either….both jurisdictions doing the same thing from different angles.

Actually, that hotel/motel data is available at DataPoint.apa.virginia.gov also:
Christiansburg Hotel and Motel Room Taxes $908,605
Blacksburg Hotel and Motel Room Taxes $510,571

OH, and for the right to have 911 access:
Emergency Telephone Service Taxes (911)
Blacksburg: $81,596
Christiansburg: $145,655

And, let’s not forget all those Business License Taxes:
Blacksburg: $1,493,065
Christiansburg: $1,406,201

Or, what about Permits, Privilege Fees and Regulatory Licenses
Blacksburg: $541,753
Christiansburg: $211,538

There is a lot more available at this great site. This is Open Government!

There is also a page where you can compare Blacksburg and Christiansburg but it is less specific. Part of the 2008 information is available there right now but not all. 2007 has the most complete data.