The individuals sponsoring the Vacant Home Tax initiative are also proposing to increase the council size by 40%. Is this really necessary?
They also want to update the city charter and be able to appoint, not elect, those council members. Additionally, that person could not be recalled!
I recommend a NO Vote on measures 4-247 Vacancy Home Tax, 4-244, Council Size, 4-245 Mayor’s Appointments and 4-246 Update City Charter.
The Astoria Vacancy Tax is a ballot initiative which will affect residents who reside in Astoria less than 183 days each year. The proposed levy will cost homeowners who live in Astoria less than 50.1% of the time $3,000 for the first year and $6,000 each year thereafter.
My wife and I purchased a town house in Astoria in 2007 and sold it in 2018. We really missed Astoria and decided to come back. We purchased two small lots, then designed and built our second Astoria house between 2000 and 2022. The Astoria house we are in now is a second home, not a vacation home. We have our primary home in the Portland area. It is a door-to-door two-hour drive. We are in Astoria as often as our busy calendar and weather will allow. The winters can be tough because of the snow and ice through the passes which limit days in Astoria. Our two adult children and adult grandson also visit the home often during the year. I will soon turn 80 years old and my wife 79 years old. Our children love Astoria and are beneficiaries of our estate, thus they plan to keep and maintain this house.
We regularly maintain the house and yard. We have a landscape service that comes monthly, cleaning ladies that come monthly, and an individual that comes to the house monthly to ensure that all is well inside and outside of the house.
For years we have been members of the Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria Golf & Country Club, and attend St. Mary Star of the Sea Church. For all of these, we pay membership fees or contributions. Our Dentist is in Astoria, we frequent restaurants locally, we do jewelry repairs locally, we’ve purchased art from galleries, we attend plays and local events. Does this sound like we don’t support our community and are vacant from our Astoria home? We pay our property taxes each year. Why should we be forced to pay a second large tax on of the property taxes?
Arguments Opposing the Astoria Vacancy Tax:
–Our adult children and adult grandson use the house regularly, but their use of the house does NOT COUNT against the 183-day use age.
-Our primary residence is located in Clackamas County. This prohibits us from casting a vote on any of the Astroria measures. Thus “taxation without representation”.
-We will be forced to complete a form each year confirming the number of days that we spent in our Astoria home. This will create a PERSONAL SECURITY ISSUE as the collected forms become PUBLIC INFORMATION. Thus, alerting both burglars and squatters to know exactly what homes are least occupied.
-Neighbors living next door will be asked to keep track of the number of vacant dates and report it to the city. “Big brother is watching.”
-We pay our property taxes each year. Why should we be forced to pay a second LARGE tax on top of the property taxes?
Questions for you to ask:
-Ask the current city government if there are sufficient funds set aside to pay major legal fees should they be sued and go to court?
-If it does not, and it passes, Astoria may be forced to cut spending on other NECESSARY city projects. This could affect all Astoria residents.