T.R.I.M. NOTICE

I just got my Property Appraiser TRIM notice that tells me how much tax I am going to pay on my residence in Sarasota.  TRIM refers to the effect this will have on your net worth.  Allegedly, if you disagree with their appraisal, you can contest it and they will give you 235 reasons why you are wrong.  And then you can appeal to the Value Adjustment Board and they have the "presumption of correctness." That means the number you got on your TRIM notice is how much you are going to pay, or they take your house away.

Now, I don't mind paying taxes for the chance to be protected by the Fire Department and the Police Department, or to ride on some nicely repaired roads and such.  I am OFFENDED by paying almost 2/3 of my real estate taxes for the School Board (SEE the blue part of the pie chart above)).  Talk about not getting your money's worth.  Our county cannot even produce students bright enough to attract technological industry.  The drop out rate is huge, and the literacy rate is abysmal judging by our FCAT assessment scores. The teachers Union objects to state wide testing of students.  Of course they would.  Now if we could somehow pull the plug on their tenure system and fire the worst teachers and hire more of the best, even paying them more, then I will gladly write the check to the Property Appraiser.  Until then, I do it under protest.