Judge rules 2,000 percent tax hike fair

There is no justice in WV but there may be some in Monroe county your taxes are fair to me you got a good deal.Do you know what the rest of us have to pay? If you get tax cut we want one too.

we don't want a cut-- we want to pay at the same rate using the same formula used for you (not used for the theiving MRC commissioner's own taxes), based on fair market value

how could our taxes be fair to you if we pay on fair market value and you don't? That seems pretty darn unfair.

maybe you just don't get it, and the law is meaningless to you, like it is to our elected officials

"They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did't speak up, bedcause I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time, no one was left to speak up." (Pastor Martin Niemoller)
--- Get it yet??? The more public corruption is allowed to go on, the more it corrupts the public officials, and the more emboldended they are. The more they feel confident in their corruption, the farther it spreads. Monroe County isn't that large - eventually, it WILL spread to you. You'll be singing a different tune then, won't you?
What makes you think they won't come after you next and raise your taxes unfairly? What if you can't afford to or don't care to contribute to their political campaigns, and you'd rather pay for medical care or education for your child with your hard earned money? Will theyu assume you don't support them, and turn on you, as well?
Why assume these folks purchasing land from out of state aren't honest, hard-working Americans just like you?!? What makes you think they didn't struggle to save some money to buy a beautiful piece of land to retire on some day? What makes you think you are somehow better than they are -- or that they would ever think they were better than you?!
Not all change is bad change, and economic development can ge a true blessing to the community, if done in a responsible and considerate way. Why not work together to ensure that happens -- DOESN'T EVERYONE WIN THAT WAY??

Justice is alive and living well in Walnut Springs Monroe county WV open for Joes Business we all have to give till its hurts.Now its yor turn.

No, No, No - I would never expect people to actually GET ALONG. Get a clue was more like it, and work together, not necessarily enjoy it, but I guess you're probably right - that probably won't happen either, not with the type of attitudes and ignorance displayed by some (not you, but others) in this forum and in the community in general.
Ignorance simply frustrates and confounds me - I suppose it was more of a rhetorical question. Perhaps if I had been drinking, some of this would easier to stomach!:)

UPSET, please explain your post. What did you give until it hurts? To Porterfield and Ashley's campaigns?

Let's hear your basis for thinking this is right other than you are a hater. You are in support of exactly which principles?

You have not responded intelligently to a single point. Do you have anything to add that might show that there is some useful brain brain in that head, rather than just, gee gosh willikers, "we all have to give until it hurts-- it's your turn now"?

Of course you are upset. Who wouldn't be upset if they were unable to think of something intelligent to say.

So True

I have just read this forum for the first time now. I looked on the county internet site and looked up the judge, the commissioners and the clerk adn am feeling physically ill. I voted for Judge Irons, Olliver Porterfield and Michael Ashley. My taxes went up. Theirs didn't. I don't know anything about Walnut Springs except it is on the knobs where my husband and I used to go for sightseeing, but what they did is dishonest and I could never stand for it. My vote is changed now.

Here's the bottom line. West Virginia will,at any time it likes,lie-cheat and steal what anyone has.
The state and local commissions do not rule by law, but by fear.
West Virginia sucks, but only because West Virginian's run it.

disgusted wrote:

I have just read this forum for the first time now. I looked on the county internet site and looked up the judge, the commissioners and the clerk adn am feeling physically ill. I voted for Judge Irons, Olliver Porterfield and Michael Ashley. My taxes went up. Theirs didn't. I don't know anything about Walnut Springs except it is on the knobs where my husband and I used to go for sightseeing, but what they did is dishonest and I could never stand for it. My vote is changed now.

Maybe you need help understanding the tax rate,that applys to land,and housing.Then maybe you wouldnt be so bitter.

Dingo, of course the rate is different (ie, double). But that has nothing to do with the assesed value of your elected officials land. Their land should be assesed at 60 pct of fair market value (60 pct of what a willing buyer and seller would agree to) just like every one else. There are two ways to cheat-- channge the assesed value to be far too low, or raise the rate. Their scam is the low value scam. Get it?
I would gladly buy all the county commissioners' and judge's landholdings for at least 200pct of the value given by Donna Huffman to them.(that is over 3x the 60pct alleged fair market value.) On a few of them I would pay 50x what it is assesed at. That is just how big this cheating scam is. Your elected officials' land and improvement vales are pure works of fiction, false, made up values (pennies on the dollar) and their being on the tax books at those absurd numbers is a crystal clear violation of WV Statutes and they know it. Don't you get that they are stealing from the citizens and the county by not just allowing this, but orchestrating it? So, just go look on the MRC site. If you think Ashley, Porterfield and Irons live in doublewides, and if you are right, then I stand corrected. But your own eyes should tell you the truth. Look at the website. You couldn't get a doublewide for those values. Their math is so funny, it cannot possibly be explained, and someone soon will bring it to light.

I think your version of FMV is somewhat distorted.
If I have land for sale then the FMV should be comparable to land surrounding mine. Of course I'd be nuts not to sell for 30, 40 or $50,000 per/acre. And if the new owner builds a 6, 7 or 800 thousand dollar home on this land then my neighbor would be nuts not to try and sell some of his acreage for $50 thousand an acre. Don't misunderstand me, I don't begrude anyone for being able to buy what they want when they want it. However, don't expect the minimum wage earning people of MRC to live on your level.

well, point taken. but ashley, porterfield and irons don't earn minimum wage,
don't live frugally and don't live or earn a living in ramshackle digs. but they pay taxes as if they earned minimum wage-- and know they are cheating the citizens and children of the county of services, schools and roads. and they are elected to serve the public, not defraud it. this is very bad behavior and thosw who lie, cheat and steal from those who they were elected to serve ought to pay some day soon

You missed the point- everyone's taxes went up except the politicians. Gee whilakers, How did THAT happen?
Are you really that stupid?

is everyone so stupid and powerless that they will just let these thieves continue to theive? i hope you are not that stupid-- i know i am not-- the truth should be known, and the people should do something about it

Hey the facts- I've been in West Virginia for 25 years. Yes, they are that stupid.

Monroe Countians are far from stupid but if you and your friend get a kick out of calling us stupid because we don't let people with pockets full of money come in here and push us around so be it.
Now I agree with you that Ashley, Porterfield and Irons are far from minimum wage earners however I don't know why you stopped with them. You did not mention Huffman. In her defense, she forwards the tax rates which is set by the state to us for us to pay. The problems with the assessors office is that for prior to Huffman, thiry years or so, the rates were keep very low and because of that a select few prospered. In my opinion when they did away with the field deputies for the assessors office they created tax assessing problems. You also forgot to mention the wealthy over 65 years of age that take advantage of the homestead act and the business' that do not pay but a portion of the taxes they should. We understand as you should that there is only so much you can do 4 or 6 yrs at a time and one of the problems with that is finding good people to put in this offices'.
We feel your pain but calling us stupid will not help your cause one little bit.

I think we can all agree that the current assessor Huffman is not part of the solution but in fact part of the problem. Instead of complaining about the problems including her do something about them. Get them out of office. The next assessor might do the same thing but there is a chnace that they will actually do their job and value property at the amount at which it would sell on the open market. The Commission would them be forced to reduce the rate to generate the amount of necessary revenue to run the County. If you believe that they would not do their job and reduce the amount then don't elect Porterfield to his current position. SO if you really want change...don't vote for Huffman or Porterfield. Elect someone with whom you can sit down and express your viewpoint. Maybe they will do the same thing as the current officials to those post but we'll not know until we make the change and take the chance. At AA they have saying...."if you keep doing the same thing you'll keep getting the same result." Vote for some reasonable change and try to be part of the solution.

i wasn't tring to call monroe countians stupid at all. people just need to know what is really going on with our "public servants" who serve themselves. Once the public in MRC knows the facts I am confident they will do the right thing and not support those who cheat and steal. I meant no offense, I was just responding to being called stupid-- intending the response as a rhetorical question to the author and readers. I apoloigize if I offended anyone other than "realism." If that is the way it is, then we all have no hope. I just don't believe that.