Why don’t the numbers add up?

The published numbers for the proposed “metropolitan park district” claims the cost to us taxpayers will be $95 dollars a year. I’m not sure where these numbers come from. What numbers I do find don’t match what’s been published.

First the “$95” is based on a $215,000 house. However, the Pierce County website has the average assessed value of a house set at $233,806. Interestingly, the value of the same average house in 2008, before the recession, was $360,059. It’s wise to keep in mind that our house values will go up in the future. More value, more tax.

The proposed tax can be set at 75 cents for each thousand dollars of value. On the mythical 215,000 house the tax will be 161 dollars, not $95. Why 44 cents was used isn’t clear. When we’re taking paying for something, don’t we want to know how much it will really cost? There’s no guarantee that the tax won’t be 75 cents.

It seems more accurate to use the current value of $233,806 with a tax of 75 cents. That gives us an annual tax of $175 dollars. Were the market to rebound to 2008 values, then the tax will be $270 dollars a year. That’s every year, forever.

Now we can play around with numbers forever. What seems clear is the tax wouldn’t be $95 dollars. Keep in mind that this is an additional tax on top of the all the other taxes we pay. Plus it won’t go away.

Next question: How will this money be spent? What are the projects?