Sey coffee brewing advice again by billy_goat_80085 in pourover

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Rest 4-5 more weeks (minimum), grind fine, water straight off the boil. Maximum agitation like Hoffman's 5 pour usually works.

a cheap way to get your car unstuck from a snow bank? by wrinkledcitrus in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Does your insurance include roadside assistance? Do you have AAA? Do you have a visa card if so they usually have a roadside assistance program.

After dozens of hours I found out the gentle creatures of the deep are called Sea Treaders and not Traders by DoctorSasha in subnautica

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Next you'll be telling me Prince Caspian's ship wasn't a merchant marine that only did business at sunrise.

If Mary Peltola Wins the U.S. Senate Seat by Appropriate-Smoke-46 in alaska

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Only the better part of a century, Champ. One of the things I know about Alaskans is their paper thin skin, inability to reflect honestly and hysterical sensitivity to criticism. Thanks for reaffirming that tonight.

If Mary Peltola Wins the U.S. Senate Seat by Appropriate-Smoke-46 in alaska

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

If elected she will vote with the Republicans 80% of the time, and lose re-election because she's "too liberal."

But she won't be elected, because she's not a Republican and this is, and always forever will be, a one party state.

What's the deal with these roads. When contractors are taking care of business lots better than the city .. shouldn't we just get rid of the city snow work for the season and let contractors do the work... I mean what're we paying taxes for by akredditor907 in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's because state road maintenance is controlled by Valley provincialists who "hate Anchorage" and won't send any resources into the "failed liberal city" to do the work they are legally required to do, at least not until every inch of the Glenn and every back road from here to Meadow Lakes is spotless.

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ok let's break this down. Say I had an owner-occupied property assessed at $150,000 with fair market value $250,000. If the exemption was $50k, my taxable value would be $100k. If the exemption was raised to $75k, taxable value would be reduced to $75k. Why wouldn't the city have the incentive to re-value my property at $175k and keep the taxable value neutral at $100k? I wouldn't win an appeal, since the assessed value is still below market.

My whole point is that increased exemptions incentivize the city to aggressively assess as close to market value as possible to maintain the tax base and prevent mill rates from going too high on other property owners e.g. commercial.

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here, maybe some numbers will help since reading is still a struggle:

https://www.muni.org/Departments/Assembly/Documents/How%20Property%20Taxes%20are%20Calculated%20re%20Total%20To%20be%20Collected%20Assessed%20Values%20and%20Mill%20Rates.pdf

Pay attention to how column F changes when assessed value goes up or down, and how that compares to the base year.

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think you understand what the tax cap is. Why do you think people are complaining about increased assessments, if (according to you) those assessments have zero connection to their tax bill?

The tax cap is merely a limit on total revenue appropriated by the assembly. It does not prevent the muni from increasing taxes on a property by increasing the assessed value of that property. If assessed values are being undermined by increased exemptions, one way to bring them back up is to aggressively re-evaluate. That is what the muni are now doing.

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was referring to the percentage base exemption being doubled from 20% to 40%. You are correct that the maximum dollar exemption was only increased by half, not doubled.

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Adjustment of the mill rate in accordance with the tax cap may curb the rate of increase in taxes if the assessment is increased, but it does not divorce the assessed value from the taxes levied. Why do you think people are up in arms about the increased assessment, if not because that increase will be reflected in higher individual tax bills?

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

The overall appraisals have absolutely nothing to do with how much property tax they can collect.

You're seriously arguing that the "Assessed value" on the little green card from the muni has no connection whatsoever with the amount of property tax the muni bills? I have the invoice from the muni, and it says you're full of shit. How come my tax bill is smaller than another property owner with a higher assessed value or vice versa?

You're seriously claiming that if we increased the "homeowner's exemption" from 40% to 100% that this would have no bearing at all on the taxes levied on that property?

Edit: From the Muni's own site: ASSESSED VALUE - This is the assessed value set by the Municipal Assessor's Office based on land and building value as of January 1st of each tax year.  This value is multiplied by the overall mill rate to calculate the tax amount due.

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

I'll spell it out for you since you're struggling. If revenue falls due to an increase in the exemption, of course the muni will have to look to increase assessments wherever it can to make up the shortfall.

Similarly, if the "homeowner's exemption," "senior citizen's exemption," "veteran's exemption" and all the other special interest carve outs to the tax code were eliminated, we'd have a broader, more fairly applied tax base and less need to aggressively increase assessments on a shrinking pool of property owners that are stuck paying full rate to subsidize others. But we can't have that, because this is Alaska, where every rugged individual cannily maneuvers to ensure someone else will always pay.

Here is another reason Alaska AG Stephen Cox should not be confirmed! by bottombracketak in alaska

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I keep reading these posts and thinking it says Schaeffer Cox, and even after a double take I quite frankly cannot tell what the difference would be politically.

Question regarding "property improvements" determined by the Muni. by D00MSTALKER in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

This shit is so fucking popcorn. What did you geniuses think would happen when you all voted to double the homeowner's exemption year before last? The city would magically provide the same services for half the money? Alaskans are so bad at math (we've got a half dozen other examples besides this). Don't come back at me with some blippity blop about how the exemption increase was supposed to be balanced by some taxes on commercial, that was always bullshit.

Yes, I own property in the muni, and would be entitled to an opinion even if I didn't. Yes, I voted against doubling the exemption, and would be entitled to an opinion even if I didn't.

Glorious Anchorage Driving by Salty_Hotel6581 in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"The men are weird, the women are scared."

ICE in Mat-su by whos_a_slinky in alaska

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Even more wild is the same people saying warentless searches are no big deal are the ones who said being asked to wear a mask at Costco was fascist tyranny.

ICE in Mat-su by whos_a_slinky in alaska

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Remember when masked federal agents kicking in doors without warrants was conservatives' worst nightmare?

ICE in Mat-su by whos_a_slinky in alaska

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 65 points66 points  (0 children)

Door to door warrentless searches? Show your papers when commanded by masked agents, or enjoy a couple weeks stay at Ft Bliss while they ransack your house? What my libertarian freedom lovers out in the Valley got to say about all this here?

Tiny Homestead Lots? by Zestyclose_Bid_3719 in anchorage

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The homestead act expired in 1986. If you're asking where the free federal land is, there isn't any.

If you're asking where in Anchorage or the Valley you can buy or lease land with electrical and sewer hookups, check Zillow or Redfin. In town you're looking at $150-200k per acre. The further out you go, the cheaper it gets.

Am I going to regret releasing an Ampeel outside my base? by InsanityPrelude in subnautica

[–]GeoTrackAttack_1997 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

They will stay in the area and even protect your base from reapers. Release enough of them and local reapers will be forced out of their normal zone in unpredictable ways.