Old barn Tin roof

Heyseed · Apr 23, 2016

For over two decades I have been watching this old guy slowly fall apart from neglect. First photo is on film from 1996, the new one is digital taken Thursday. Wish they would save it. I'm sure it would probably cost more than to just build a new one and nobody on that property farms anymore.

showcrop · Apr 23, 2016

I notice this a lot with both barns and houses. I have recently noticed two abandoned houses, and one taken down. People age and don't have the money to hire someone to do the major work and then not even the minor things. After twenty years of it the place can be pretty bad. The barn you picture is at least still plumb but no doubt has some structural decay, but probably still worth saving.

farmerjohn · Apr 23, 2016

I am surprised that it is still that good of shape with large holes in the roof. Let a roof go and it doesn't take long to end up on the ground.

SweetFeet · Apr 23, 2016

Great old barn. Thanks for posting.

Bill VA · Apr 23, 2016

We've got an old barn that's coming down. It's painful to watch, over 100 years old, built by my great grandfather. Thought many times about trying to restore - but in the end, it is a barn designed for loose hay and horses from back in the day. The part that really burns me is - we spend more to fix this old barn than we could erecting a nice pole ban, and the county comes along with a tax reassessment and permanently penalizes us for making a better place. Only in America.

ss55 · Apr 23, 2016

Bill,
I understand your resentment of America's system of local property taxes, but those local taxes support the local roads, schools, sheriff departments, fire departments and ambulance services and keeps them under local control. Everyone uses and benefits from those services, but they cost money to operate. Many expect someone else to pay for them. What are the alternatives, a VAT (Value Added Tax), higher sales taxes, extend sales taxes to all businesses, higher income taxes? If those services are financed by the state or federal government, they would also be run at the state level or federal level. Sometimes retaining local control of local services is still the best option, or maybe the lesser evil.

Bill VA · Apr 23, 2016

I recognize the need for revenue via taxes. My beef is waste, inefficiency and tax money going to special interests. One would think, even on something as simple as a barn or home improvement, that the person doing the work/spending the money is already paying taxes on the vehicles they drive, items they purchase, the fuel and electricity they burn - and with a functional barn in place, the ability to generate more income with it is enhanced and with that comes more income taxes, employment of others (who also pay taxes), etc. It all kind of grows (organic tax revenue) if the person is encouraged with a just tax system vs the current ripoff we have in place. And by the way, I love and respect all law enforcement, rescue/EMT and firefighters - but in our county, if an ambulance or fire/rescue apparatus comes to your home, no matter how how high your taxes are - soft billing occurs and the insurance company has to pick up the bill, our auto/homeowners premiums go up to pay this indirect tax - which I seriously doubt that money is getting back to the front line personnel that need it the most.

I doubt anyone can look as our tax system, what the average Joe gets in return and seriously call it just/fair and argue with a straight face that more taxes are necessary.

Bill

showcrop · Apr 23, 2016

(quoted from post at 08:32:14 04/23/16) I recognize the need for revenue via taxes. My beef is waste, inefficiency and tax money going to special interests. One would think, even on something as simple as a barn or home improvement, that the person doing the work/spending the money is already paying taxes on the vehicles they drive, items they purchase, the fuel and electricity they burn - and with a functional barn in place, the ability to generate more income with it is enhanced and with that comes more income taxes, employment of others (who also pay taxes), etc. It all kind of grows (organic tax revenue) if the person is encouraged with a just tax system vs the current ripoff we have in place. And by the way, I love and respect all law enforcement, rescue/EMT and firefighters - but in our county, if an ambulance or fire/rescue apparatus comes to your home, no matter how how high your taxes are - soft billing occurs and the insurance company has to pick up the bill, our auto/homeowners premiums go up to pay this indirect tax - which I seriously doubt that money is getting back to the front line personnel that need it the most.

I doubt anyone can look as our tax system, what the average Joe gets in return and seriously call it just/fair and argue with a straight face that more taxes are necessary.

Bill

It has always been difficult here as well, to explain why someone gets billed for ambulance use when they are already paying through taxes. We always explained that the tax money pays to have the whole thing ready for when you call, but the actual service is on top of that. Municipalities count on a fair amount of ambulance billings for revenue when figuring the tax rate, and usually they are aggressive in trying to collect from non-residents. Hopefully the money taken in goes into the general fund and not directly to the ambulance service dept. as that is not good accounting. The greatest drag on municipal taxes now is funding the retirements that were negotiated many years ago by spineless city councilors who looked at it as too far in the future to worry about. Did you realize that for every on duty person in the fire station that you are paying six?

jimg.allentown · Apr 23, 2016

Just to point out how misunderstood our real estate taxes are.
Much of the property tax collected is designated to support schools. Even if a land owner does not have children of school age. This was designed by our forefathers when our education system was originated to allow free mandatory schooling for ALL children - regardless of their parents' income or ability to pay. This is a system that we all support, and we SHOULD support it.

My gripe is when they spend money wastefully to build Taj Mahal school buildings to replace perfectly good and serviceable buildings already in existence.

One sad fact about property taxes is that when you improve a property, you increase its value. That results in higher assessment which leads to a higher tax. NOBODY but the land owner benefits from the improvements. Therefore, it IS just to raise your assessment and taxes. It is unjust to expect to be rewarded for fixing up your own property.

Andy Martin · Apr 23, 2016

What burns me is hearing some public servant describe an old building as "it's just too expensive to keep it up" when what they really want is something new which will have to be replaced in twenty years while the fifty or seventy five year old building they tore down was solid and just needed upgrading. Our local town tore down a building from the thirties about twenty years ago and now the replacement is needing replacement. Hoo-boy.

casenut1 · Apr 23, 2016

The part that I dislike here in Ohio is all the tax money that goes to the online schools and the for profit schools. E-cot and the Charter Schools all get public money and they are in business to make a profit. I have nothing against them making a profit but it should not be at the expense of the public school system. The state gives the public schools less and it goes to the for profit schools. It is one screwed up system.

Old barn Tin roof

Heyseed

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showcrop

Well-known Member

farmerjohn

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SweetFeet

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Bill VA

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ss55

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Bill VA

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showcrop

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jimg.allentown

Well-known Member

Andy Martin

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casenut1

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