City’s Grand List Of Taxable Property Increases Slightly

It’s not the windfall desired, but the city’s grand list of taxable property expanded slightly allowing city bean counters to tap another $1 million or so for the election-year budget Mayor Joe Ganim will submit to the City Council in early April.

The mayor will at least hold taxes steady with an eye toward cutting them a bit.

Key also is the amount of money anticipated from the state, a leap of faith because city budget deliberations advance before the state budget is finalized.

The city mil rate 43.45 (the number for every $1,000 of assessed value) is lower than municipalities such as Hartford, Naugatuck, New Britain and Waterbury. See FY-22-23-ADM MillRates-882022.

City car taxes, however, are capped at 32.46 courtesy of the state reimbursing the difference.

From Brian Lockhart, CT Post:

The city’s grand list, the total value of all taxable real estate, commercial equipment and motor vehicles, ticked up slightly last year from $8.11 billion to $8.16 billion.

“In a really good year we’d obviously love to see an increase that would be above one percent,” Finance Director Kenneth Flatto said. “(But) we’re pleased this is positive growth. It helps the budget a little for next fiscal year.”

For taxpayers, Flatto said it means Mayor Joe Ganim and City Council have maybe at least an additional $1 million in taxes to help balance the 2023/24 draft municipal budget that the mayor will propose to the legislative body in early April.

Given this is an election year, Ganim–who already has three opponents lined up against him–and council members, all Democrats like the mayor, are not expected to raise taxes. Whether they will pursue a cut to the tax rate remains to be seen. In 2021, Bridgeport’s tax rate was reduced from 53.99 mills to 43.45 mills and remained steady at the conclusion of last year’s spring budget season.

Full story here.

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11 comments

  1. Bridgeport’s Grand list is increasing because of new residents.
    Remember all those New York license plates?
    They disappeared because they became permanent residents.
    It’s an untold story.

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  2. Ganim2’s Grand List 2023 competitive finale shows autos by a nose increasing some $500 Million overall. I find that totally disappointing because the folks on the City payroll charged with serving auto owners and drivers within the City are absent from recognition; while the folks in OPED and Housing and Community Development seem absent of accomplishment in terms of taxable Economic Development although “affordable housing” and State actions are announced in the City and videos multiply. Who is doing what?

    Patience is required, I know, but Bridgeport municipal plans, such as they have been historically turn to dreams too often, as basic aspects turn out to be false, impossible, or untimely, at best. And even when a dream from on high is finally achieved where we traded in balls (baseballs that is) for music that bounces and caused us to invest $7 million additional of taxpayer funds, where do taxpayers see revenue to recover the funds expended and interest cost annually?

    The CT Post wrote about another regional community and their Grand List, Shelton, where 30 years of slow and steady development show a private investor topping their $6 Billion Grand List with hundred of millions in values! Bob Scinto, an experienced and ultimately successful member of the regional community, turned from Bridgeport because of governance issues not supportive of his dreams, efforts, and resources. Has Bridgeport of today not changed? Why are those in charge, still in charge?

    When will OPED complete their overdue State required report on AFFORDABLE HOUSING? When will the public get to comment, question, and get responses on the subject? Where does Park City Communities with responsibilities for providing residences or vouchers for over 5,000 units in the City report their activity, financial, and communications with HUD? Time will tell.

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  3. Error spotted with personal apology.
    2023 $8,160,000,000 current vs. 2022 $8,110,000,000 Grand List totals is a difference of ONLY $50,000,000 and not $500,000,000 as reported above. My point is that all of our increase came from the property itself , automobile ownership, without any added service from the City. Or do we include Public Safety- Traffic? Not sure. What say you? Time will tell.

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  4. Here’s what matters:
    Many items on the Grand List disappeared last year.
    Without those losses the increase would’ve been higher.
    This new blood brings their own jobs, money and meeting places.

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  5. “Many items on the Grand List disappeared last year.” means exactly what, Local Eyes.
    Homes that had fires and were total loss? Commercial buildings razed and only vacant land today?
    Of course values may have been argued over and depending on market forces some values may rise or fall.

    But to what action do you reference a “disappearing” act for an item? Can you clarify? Is it like the disappearance of a clean shaven look by a Mayor facing election in the fall complete so often in photo ops with dark glasses that is only temporary? Or is it either official or unofficial disappearances of “many items” as you have suggested? What disappears when new blood replaces old blood? Time will tell.

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    1. Every Grand List is in a constant state of flux.
      As properties are demolished, tax revs disappear.
      As cars get junked revs vanish.
      As businesses fold, their computers can no longer be taxed.
      Fires, floods and blight have tax consequences too.
      Don’t forget, Trump-era laws are still concealing items from the Grand List.

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  6. Local,
    I challenged your use of the words “many items disappeared” as if you were aware of something from “Trump-era laws” were responsible for the measly net gain in the Grand List.
    Financial reports show the numbers in every category as of a certain date to eliminate confusion which may occur from comparing data from different months, years, or partial periods. What laws of 45 are assisting concealment of data dollars in your opinion?
    You do oversight on a regular basis, it seems to me. When taxpayers fund OPED enterprises and another department doing Community Development what are employees up to? What productivity standards are they expected to maintain? How and why do “brownfield issues” still interrupt City plans at Bridgeport Landing or Bridgeport Airport when they are so common as to be addressed early, at depth, and finally where consideration is directed to redevelopment plans by the City? Isn’t that a lesson we learned over the past half century?? Time will tell.

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    1. I do retroactive oversight on a continual basis — there’s no competition and high demand. ChatGBT is a newfound ally.
      Every real estate developer is here to take advantage of Trump-era laws still in affect. Enterprise zones relate to zip codes, tax breaks and poverty rates. Every zip code in Bridgeport qualifies!
      Brownfield issues surface because contaminants remain below ground. Brownfield issues are convenient ways to steer the conversation and get more dough.
      No, lessons haven’t been learned. Instead, solutions have been postponed.
      Am I done answering your questions?

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  7. Local Eyes,
    You responded to my questions, but perhaps missed the point, and thus failed. If “brownfield issues” are so omnipresent in Bridgeport and with Bridgeport owned property, is it a surprise when they return to delay or frustrate current land usage plans?
    So, are you saying that in addition to being late, the plans referenced were never prepared for the subject of remediation or its likely major expense to enter the public story until THE END of that story was due? Story plot line frustrated by story tellers in the ANNEX and environs? Time will tell.

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  8. LE,
    Do you feel like a failure? Or can you comprehend that by asking another question I am pursuing a conversation with you?
    I have a one page commentary that I share called: “Live The Question.” It may be why at times the questions asked seem frustrating, but think of them more as shovels to move more soil from one place to another and reflect whether things look more clear or not. If not, possibly, it is time for another shovel full, or find another place to dig, possibly. Time will tell.

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