It would have allowed the county to borrow as much as $65 million and to raise a mortgage recording tax to cover the debt.

If an additional sum over and above the original amount is being borrowed, the mortgage recording tax would be due only on the excess.

It calls for increasing the mortgage tax, to 2 percent, from 1 percent, to raise $42 million.

Since there is no guarantee the assignment will be done, however, the lender also includes the estimate for the mortgage recording tax.

The mortgage recording tax finally approved should work, but at a palpable cost to housing finance.

But what could be worse than paying a mortgage tax on money you borrow?

Sales and mortgage taxes have also gone up.

I paid the mortgage tax three years ago.

Currently, the higher a person's income and tax bracket, the bigger the mortgage tax break.

Is there any way to offset or eliminate the mortgage tax?