Pittsburgh - Growth & Taxes? (Lebanon, Washington: houses, look for a job, school districts)

[South Range Family]

I lived in Beaver County. That's how it worked there.

Originally Posted by smuckerd

It seems that if Pittsburgh wants to attract industry and professionals like myself, then the city should really look at reducing the property, wage, school, tax. Am I missing any other taxes? Thank you for your advice.

Don't forget the "Per Capita" tax. That's a tax on just being alive. And my favorite, the occupational privilege tax. Another tax on being employeed.

[Katarina Witt]

South Range: where do you live now? In Colorado we vote on all taxes, too. However, our legislators, in their wisdom, have figured a way around some of that by calling some former taxes "fees", which do not require a vote. Not school taxes, though. We had to vote on a new jail recently, because inmates were being housed in tents on the jail grounds! LOL!

Back to Pittsburgh, I am really shocked at the level of prop. taxes there. My nephew was looking at some $500K houses and said taxes would be $30K/yr. At first, I didn't beleive him. After I joined this forum, I did. We have a house worth that much, property taxes are $2100! So what does this money pay for? I mean, PA has a sales tax, and an income tax, so I don't get it.

Also, where in Beaver Co did you live? I am from the Beaver Falls area.

[guylocke]

Pittnurse was your nephew looking into Allegheny County? Good lord that is a lot of money. My parents live in Westmoreland County and their property tax is worlds lower. It must be even worse around the DC area. I have relatives coming back to Pittsburgh because they are so fed up with "luxery tax" every year in Alexandria.

How would you like to pay a ton of money extra on cars every year you have them and on every car (among other things) you own because they are considered luxery? yikes.

[South Range Family]

I spent 10 years living on top of a hill overlooking Pine Run Rd. New Sewickley Twp. I also spent a year in Hopewell. Plus 2 years in West Mifflin while going to the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics.

My salmon genes kicked in, and I swam back home to Ohio where I grew up. I still work at the airport.

[Katarina Witt]

boylocke: he was looking in Shadyside. They want to be "urban homesteaders" or maybe "urban cowboys" because they are from Colorado!

Thanks for the info South Range. I just have an equiring mind!

[smuckerd]

I'm originally from the DC area (northern Virginia) and moved to Charlottesville for a better quality of life - less commute time, lower house prices etc. Circumstances are making us look at Pittsburgh and I am trying to see it as a better quality of life, but with all the taxes adding up, even a lower price on a house doesn't seem to help make that happen. DC and Charlottesville don't have all of this nickel & dimeing - Property taxes seem to be 3x more. PLEASE SOMEONE SELL ME ON THIS CITY. I would hate to not come based on taxes, but that is real extra money coming out of my pocket!

[guylocke]

Well Pittsburgh is less than a half-hour drive from about 5 other counties...... look into one of those??

I'm honestly not sure..... i'm not terribly familiar with Allegheny County taxes. Although I do have family coming back from DC and they are going to Fox Chapel and seemed quite pleased with everything so far.

[smuckerd]

Thank you. The trick is we want to be located in the top public school districts, and so that may limit us a bit: If I can get into the city from Cranberry (Someone mentioned), or Hampton or Fox chapel in around 1/2 hour that would be good, but on the map some of those look far away. I'll look into it with a realtor.

[guylocke]

Is that during morning and evening commute you want a half-hour? Cranberry would be impossible to make in a half hour during those times. It's at a minimum about a 35 minute drive without traffic. Fox Chapel would easily be less than a half hour but taxes are still high. Look into Westmoreland County. There are many places in Westmoreland County that are less than a half hour from Pittsburgh including where I grew up. I can try to do a little head work to find some of the best school districts. I would also recommend Butler county but I have a feeling their school districts lack.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by smuckerd

Thank you. The trick is we want to be located in the top public school districts, and so that may limit us a bit: If I can get into the city from Cranberry (Someone mentioned), or Hampton or Fox chapel in around 1/2 hour that would be good, but on the map some of those look far away. I'll look into it with a realtor.

Did you miss my post in this thread? I posted a link providing a list of the top area school rankings in the state. Peter's Township is where you want to go for good schools and low taxes. The school district is among the top three in the area when you consider state wide ranking. Since it's in Washington Township, the taxes will be lower. The commute would be more like 40 minutes---maybe 30 if you get near the Allegheny County border and leave the house at the perfect time. As for things looking far away on the map, keep in mind that Pittsburgh doesn't have any traffic compared to the area you're coming from. We travel through rush hour fairly quickly here in Pittsburgh---except when there is an accident.