OT: why are Starkville property taxes higher than a giraffe’s ***?

sandwolf.sixpack

Active member
Feb 19, 2013
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Bottom line is Starkville property taxes (city+county+schools) are just a little above average for Mississippi, but not much.
This is surprising to hear. I have heard people talk about how high Starkville property taxes are for a long time and I guess I just took their word for it.
 

johnson86-1

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2012
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This is surprising to hear. I have heard people talk about how high Starkville property taxes are for a long time and I guess I just took their word for it.
The millage rate may be slightly above average, the taxes are well above average.
 

ZombieKissinger

Well-known member
May 29, 2013
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I’m having trouble finding the rate. Is it 0.65%? Surely that’s just county and not combined with city, right? Because that’s not very high. Wondering what the combined rate is
 

patdog

Well-known member
May 28, 2007
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The millage rate may be slightly above average, the taxes are well above average.
That's because the property values are above average for Mississippi. If you can afford to buy a $300,000 second condo, I don't have much sympathy for you paying twice the property taxes as the guy with a $150,000 house.
 

Beretta.sixpack

Active member
Oct 29, 2009
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Dang near impossible for a young couple to ever get into a house unless they are wealthy to begin with. American dream is practically over.
not to turn this into a political thread....but i heard a self proclaimed communist talk show host warn his fellow democrats that Biden is losing the young crowd due to high costs of purchasing a home and cost of getting a higher education, etc, etc....

edited to add: I live in Oxford and yes, property taxes are outrageous....and just went up for the second consecutive year by a lot.
 
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Shmuley

Well-known member
Mar 6, 2008
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That's because the property values are above average for Mississippi. If you can afford to buy a $300,000 second condo, I don't have much sympathy for you paying twice the property taxes as the guy with a $150,000 house.
One must also factor in that the owner of a "second condo" already has a domicile somewhere else and cannot qualify for homestead exemption in Oktibbeha, which necessarily translates into a much larger annual ad valorem tax obligation in Starkville. Enjoy your over-inflated market value, MFers. As long as the real estate market in Stark is artificially inflated by ridiculous demand and under-supply, the Oktibbeha tax assessor is happy to increase assessed values accordingly. Politicians are happy to watch the ad valorem revenue increase substantially without ever having to touch the millage rates.
 

thatsbaseball

Well-known member
May 29, 2007
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It's always been my observation that high property taxes are always levied when there is a revenue shortfall in some other taxes.
 

johnson86-1

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2012
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That's because the property values are above average for Mississippi. If you can afford to buy a $300,000 second condo, I don't have much sympathy for you paying twice the property taxes as the guy with a $150,000 house.
Just the few houses/condos I looked at back when I was in the market, don’t think that’s the only difference. I don’t know if they just do a better job of keeping assessed values at market rates, but they were high even taking into account the lack of homestead and property values.
 

Raiderdawg

Member
Sep 28, 2022
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I’m having trouble finding the rate. Is it 0.65%? Surely that’s just county and not combined with city, right? Because that’s not very high. Wondering what the combined rate is

Looks like total millage rate in Oktibbeha County was between 124 and 167.5 last year depending where you live in the county. People are taxed on 10% of the assessed value minus any exemptions.
 
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mcdawg22

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Sep 18, 2004
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That's because the property values are above average for Mississippi. If you can afford to buy a $300,000 second condo, I don't have much sympathy for you paying twice the property taxes as the guy with a $150,000 house.
Muh taxes are outrageous!!! How can I afford an annual tax of $3800 on my second property that I rent out for $1000 a night on game weekends!!!!
 
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Jul 10, 2009
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Judging only by the county roads just east of campus (Old Mayhew Rd. and connecting roads), you'd think the county had no tax base at all.

Roughest roads i've ridden in this state, that purport to be paved.
 
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NWADawg

Active member
May 4, 2016
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I know someone in the city of Madison that pays $3,300 for a 3,800 square foot house with a poil.

they pay $5,300 for. 1,300 square foot house in Starkville.

and Starkville still has the same crappy streets and stop lights that they have had for 30 years. Where does this tax payer money go in Starkville?
Not sure it works they same in MS as it does in NWA but property taxes here are totally separate from other tax revenue. My city gets $0 directly from property taxes. That money goes to school district and ??. The streets and lights ( as longs as they are not listed as a state highway) are funded by sales taxes and such. Any road that is also listed as a state hwy is all but off limits for the city. Kinda like union work, if the city does any work, then they took work from a state employee...... For us, we can't even mow the ditches. The city can make written requests to the state for changes/improvements but that's it.

As for why Starkville so much more than other areas, can't tell you. Just saying it may not have

near the relevance to city business as many think.

ETA: Our city millage is 4.6. We are building schools properties like they are free. The city is also prosperous (not from property tax) and has more than a years operating expenses in reserve. Just for comparison purposes.
 
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leeinator

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2014
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Joe Biden Shock GIF by GIPHY News
Those hemorrhoids still giving you fits?
 
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Podgy

Well-known member
Oct 1, 2022
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At least the university owns a ton of land that it pays no property taxes on.
 

DesotoCountyDawg

Well-known member
Nov 16, 2005
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Democrat mayor, bam

Can I ask? I see the comments about welcome to the Democrat mayor, but I have been going to Starkville since 1987. In school from 94-TBD. Lived there from 94-06. It seems like the city is so much better than what I experienced on my recent visits. I’m sure SEC money has a little to do with that but, in 98 the city and university seemed to be at odds with each other and now it seems like Starkville leadership embraces State.
Starkville is a weak mayor set up so she’s basically another alderman so screaming Dem Mayor!!!!1!!1!!11!!!1!1! doesn’t really work.
 
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