Home Sale Fee...

On my way to work, I'm listening to 95.7 and I hear this ad from the Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance. (I didn't even know there was such a group.) Apparently in the new budget, they want to raise the home sale transfer fee -- something else I didn't know existed.

Currently, the home sale transfer fee is 3%. That comes to 3.00 for every $1,000. Governor Doyle wants to double it to 6% or $6.00 for every $1,000.

What's the big deal?

First, only 7% of homes sell in Wisconsin every year (According to the JSOnline.) So, we're discussing something that only affects 7% of the people and I don't think the home sale transfer fee is stopping anyone from selling their home.

Second, the home sale transfer fee hasn't been raised since 1982. Raising it now, when the money will be used for things like police officers is not a bad thing.

Third, has anyone noticed that our state is in financial trouble? (Along with almost every other state in the union.) The Republicans (according to the JSOnline article) are against this. Really? They had control of both the senate and the assembly for years, I didn't see them come up with any great ideas to help fund the state. (But, they did bring us the anti-gay amendment and concealed carry, so let's all applaud their efforts.)

Finally, the average person is not going to even notice this. The homeowners alliance group's ad on the radio sounds like we're all doomed if this passes. But, in reality, on a home that sells for $95,000, the fee is only $570.00. Since the last time I checked my house was valued at $95,000, I don't think I'll even notice the $570.00 fee. We're not talking about a huge amount of money. I pay half of that every year in state taxes on the gas I buy.

I read one blog entry that liken this rise in a state fee to the same tax raise that caused the Boston Tea Party. Things were a lot different 200 years ago. We didn't need as many police officers and fire fighters. We didn't have teachers. (Women couldn't vote.) I don't like paying taxes anymore than the next guy, but I like knowing that underprivileged children have access to Badger Care. I like knowing that we don't have to cut state funding to police offices and fire fighters. If that means I have to pay a little more when I sell my home, well that's just the way it goes.

God Bless