The other day I read an article on-line about how we as citizens made choices when we voted, yet we now are complaining either about them or the lawmakers who are trying to enforce the laws we voted on.

Further, on CNN recently, former President Clinton stated the same thing more or less.  He said we as Americans need to understand the issues before us and read the proposals before we vote on them.

PORTLAND REAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY TAXES

It got me thinking about our Portland real estate property taxes. We voted to limit and control the property taxes when our Portland real estate market was increasing at a rapid pace.  We didn’t want to continue to pay higher and higher property taxes as real estate values kept increasing during the peak of our real estate housing boom.

Voters passed Measure 50. It was a good idea at the time when prices were going up at a record rate as it was an attempt to control future growth. However, now that prices have been, and are still decreasing, Measure 50 isn’t as good of an idea as we thought it would be. As property values continued to soar during the peak of our housing market, values grew by 20 percent a year in some cases, but our assessed values only increased 3 to 5 percent a year. Now, with prices decreasing, the only way falling home values could lower taxes is if market value falls below the assessed value.

No one thought the market would drop so dramatically.  But what we voted in place, didn’t make room or provisions if the real estate market declined, thereby reducing property taxes accordingly. That’s why Portland homeowners kept paying higher real estate property taxes while they were watching their equities and values drop.  All along, everyone kept complaining about it but what the Portland homeowners failed to recognize or realize was that’s what they voted into law.

LAKE OSWEGO CITY COUNCIL PROPOSALS

Many in Lake Oswego are now in an uproar about some of the issues the City of Lake Oswego is considering. Therefore, I’ve decided, when I notice the announcements, to post what is going on in Council chambers.

LAKE OSWEGO CALENDAR OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

In its role as the Lake Oswego Redevelopment Agency (LORA), Council will meet on Monday, September 26, at 6 p.m. LORA will:

• Consider Relocation Policies and Procedures (Res. 11-09)
• Consider approving a minor amendment to the East End Redevelopment Plan
• Receive an update on the North Anchor Project
• Receive the Downtown Parking Study Implementation Work Plan
• Discuss Project Schedule Review and Project Updates

At a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27, Council will receive a Lake Grove Overview and hear recommendations for the Boones Ferry Road Refinement Plan.

At their regular meeting at 6 p.m., Tuesday, October 4, Council will receive an update on the Lake Oswego – Tigard Water Partnership. In addition, Council will:

• Deliberate and make a decision on Community Development Code Amendments (continued from July 19 and September 19)
• Consider amending Lake Oswego Public Contract Rule 101-0140 to Increase the Authority of the Public Contracting Officer to Award Contract Amendments for the Lake Oswego-Tigard Water Partnership Project up to a maximum of $150,000 for Personal Services Contracts and up to a maximum of $500,000 for Public Improvement Contracts (Res. 11-53)
• Consider a Public Improvement Contract for the Foothills Elevated Pipeline Seismic Upgrade Project, Work Order #020

Detailed information on the above items is included in the Council Packet.

Can’t make it to the Council Meeting? 

Watch it live wherever you are via live streaming video! Type mms/www.ci.oswego.or.us/live into your browser during the Council meeting to watch Council live.

Regular City Council meetings and study sessions are shown live on Channel 23, 28 or 30 at 6 p.m. Visit TVCTV.org for up-to-date playback times and channels.

ALL ABOUT…..Lake Oswego Real Estate. © Copyright 2008-2011. Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.