Property Taxes

[goeduck]

I really hate re property tax. Are we really supposed to believe that someone in a $500k house uses 5 times the government services as someone in a $100k house? Truth be known, I suspect the opposite is true - the $100k owner uses more, more likely to involve the PD and FD, likely live in an area of heavier traffic/road use. Probably more people live in the house on average, meaning more garbage etc.

Consumption tax is the way to go.

Agree. And in our state, as in most, the apartment dwellers (no property tax) in the liberal leaning big city get to vote on the taxes rural property owners pay. :confused3:

 

[spitter]

It's really hard for retired people in nj . My mother is 84 she lives In Bergen cty her taxes are $18,000.00 a year for a tiny cape on 1/3 of an acre .:shocked: That's why I moved to the most rural part I could find with in a hour drive from work . When I first bought my house taxes where 2500.00 a year in 1998 . The local hydro plant was paying a big chunk but not no more.:thumbdown: But I still pay a lot less 5'800.00 .You couldn't give me a house where my mom lives. Oh yea yea could but then I would sell it build me a nice big barn shop.:cool2::drink:

 

[goeduck]

It's really hard for retired people in nj . My mother is 84 she lives In Bergen cty her taxes are $18,000.00 a year for a tiny cape on 1/3 of an acre .:shocked:

YIKES !!

 

[3Ts]

As for retired people, there ought to be a mechanism that property taxes cannot be raised more than % income rises.

I believe both California and Florida have this. In California it is/was called Prop 19, but I think they may have recinded it because they needed more money. In Florida, we lived in our house about 30 years and property taxes increases were limited, so by the time we left, our taxes were 1/3 of what our new neighbors were. These were put in place because retirees were being forced out of houses they'd lived in their entire lives because the property tax increases far exceeded their income increases.

 

[Oaktree]

I agree that property tax is unfair and a poor way of taxing.

Consumption tax, yes.
Income tax, no.

Our current income tax system needs to be replaced by a consumption tax.

No it doesn't. I hate sales taxes!! Hate 'em! Hate 'em! Hate em!!!
Oh, did I mention that I really dislike sales taxes? I fail to see the logic as to why they're so much more "fair" than other methods of taxation. For one thing it's (relatively) nickel and dime so you don't notice how much you actually pay, and it adds up. I know some want an imbedded salex tax (so-called "value added" tax) like they have in Europe. I dislike that even more...waay too easy to sneak in rate increases, then the retailers/manufacturers take the heat. At least with an income or property tax you see what you pay over the course of a year and in theory can put pressure on politicians to keep spending under control. In theory.

I reluctantly lean towards an income tax as the lesser of 2 evils. You earn more, you pay more.

Disclaimer: I live in a state that has neither.

My son is employed by a company in Boston but tele-commutes from his home in Atlanta. As his wife is a big Mucky Muck with a major name brand there in the big A.
He's turned down several major promotions within his firm which would necessitate a move back to Boston.
His own words: "Even if they made him COB, he wouldn't move back."
There are far too many taxes and COL is far too high to live in Mass. compared to living in the south.
Income and property taxes are but a few of the issues he has with life alongside Fenway & weather isn't even in the top 10 reasons.
Even though the weather really sucks up there.
I had my fill of the unionized north some 20 yrs ago.

Taxes here?
Homestead Exemption & Ag/Equine Exemption
I only pay for the 2 acres the house sits on.
Life is good

Personally, you couldn't pay me enough to live in the south, but that's a whole 'nother issue. Give me New England weather over the heat and humidity of the south any day of the week. Not all of the north is unionized.
What is a "homestead exemption", and why are horses exempt?

In Florida, we lived in our house about 30 years and property taxes increases were limited, so by the time we left, our taxes were 1/3 of what our new neighbors were. These were put in place because retirees were being forced out of houses they'd lived in their entire lives because the property tax increases far exceeded their income increases.

From what I understand, Florida bases it's assessment for property tax purposes on what the house sold for initially. Good for you if you bought your house for $24k in 1971, not so much for new homebuyers. How is this fair? Yeah, it keeps the old geezers' taxes low, but at the expense of younger/newer residents. Don't most states re-appraise property every 5-10 years to keep the tax burden consistent?

 

[PILOON]

If U think taxation as we know it presently is bad just wait.

Bicycles don't pay any taxes but use the roads we drive on.
Electric cars don't pay fuel taxes but also use the roads.

Now who will pay for the road maintenance?

OK, bikes and electric cars don't pollute as such but the most of the power plants* that produce that electricity sure do.
I often wonder if we aren't simply moving the problems 'next door' so to speak.

*wood and coal sure pollute with nuclear being another story.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

politicians are haggling in Texas about this. Not sure what they came up with yet.

I'm betting they put a coat of camouflage paint on a turd.

 

[cqaigy2]

Taxes, aren't hard to figure out. Everybody will be unhappy, regardless of how it's done. Property tax, will upset people that have large amount because of property, cause i us the same services as everybody else, but pay more then everybody else. Consumption tax, i pay just as much on litre of pop, as a high income person does, so a greater share of my income goes to services. Income based, i probably us the same amount of resources, but pay for others share of them.

 

[NorTracNY]

If U think taxation as we know it presently is bad just wait.

Bicycles don't pay any taxes but use the roads we drive on.
Electric cars don't pay fuel taxes but also use the roads.

Now who will pay for the road maintenance?

OK, bikes and electric cars don't pollute as such but the most of the power plants* that produce that electricity sure do.
I often wonder if we aren't simply moving the problems 'next door' so to speak.

*wood and coal sure pollute with nuclear being another story.

I think you're trying to apply logic to where there really is none. Let's keep in mind that bicycles don't damage the roads. Electric cars pay the taxes from the electricity they are supplied from the power company (if they don't have solar panels tax payers have put on their roofs.) Also, why is it fair for the richer people who buy the electric cars getting free electricity at many stations. You are assuming the "excuse" politicians use to tax is real. The money is collected and spent wherever they want. "School" taxes are not all the monies going to the schools. My county taxes go towards state mandates. In NY, the Thruway is a toll road that was tolls just until 1996 (I think) until is was paid for. It's after 1996 and tolls are not only still there but still rise. The taxes are used to keep maintain the Erie Canal!

The problem is not the taxation as much as the spending. NY is one of the worst states, with over 1M people leaving since the current dictator took power. Home values in most of the state are stagnant. Spending continues to increase and people continue to leave (except those heavily on the gov't teet). Anyone see a vicious cycle in process?

 

[Motorboatin]

If U think taxation as we know it presently is bad just wait.

Bicycles don't pay any taxes but use the roads we drive on.
Electric cars don't pay fuel taxes but also use the roads.

Now who will pay for the road maintenance?

OK, bikes and electric cars don't pollute as such but the most of the power plants* that produce that electricity sure do.
I often wonder if we aren't simply moving the problems 'next door' so to speak.

*wood and coal sure pollute with nuclear being another story.

Illinois might start charging $1,000 per year to own an electric vehicle

Illinois might start charging $1, per year to own an electric vehicle: 'It's outrageous' - Chicago Tribune

 

[kenmac]

don't know how it is in other states, but in my state is you get a disability check, you pay zero property taxes

 

[LouNY]

I believe that we should have a flat rate income tax on any and all income above a set amount,
either a year worth on minimum wage or something similar.
And a sales tax on all purchases except food.
Property taxes are an excessive burden on anyone with a fixed income,
many farmers and older residents of many areas get taxed out of their homes and farms that they have lived and worked on all their lives.
And as others have pointed out many people don't pay property taxes directly yet they have a say in how much tax money is spent.

 

[CADplans]

No it doesn't. I hate sales taxes!! Hate 'em! Hate 'em! Hate em!!!
Oh, did I mention that I really dislike sales taxes? I fail to see the logic as to why they're so much more "fair" than other methods of taxation.

Actually, in my humble opinion,, the sales tax is the ONLY fair tax,,,

I do not know about where you live,, but, where I live, there is a LARGE percentage of money earned "under the table"
House cleaning
lawn service
flea market type sales,,
any transaction in cash,, yard sales,, etc,, anything,,
THEN ,,, THE BIGGIE,,
DRUG sales,,

All of the untaxed money is then used to buy whatever the person wants,, bypassing EVERY form of tax,,

Heck, in some states,, you can live real good on $20K income,, IF you are paying no taxes,,,

So,, if you do not have a sales tax, how would YOU capture the illegal income tax-wise??

 

[buckeyefarmer]

It's really hard for retired people in nj . My mother is 84 she lives In Bergen cty her taxes are $18,000.00 a year for a tiny cape on 1/3 of an acre .:shocked: That's why I moved to the most rural part I could find with in a hour drive from work . When I first bought my house taxes where 2500.00 a year in 1998 . The local hydro plant was paying a big chunk but not no more. But I still pay a lot less 5'800.00 .You couldn't give me a house where my mom lives. Oh yea yea could but then I would sell it build me a nice big barn shop.:cool2::drink:

Double Yikes.....

 

[gsganzer]

Illinois might start charging $1,000 per year to own an electric vehicle

New Zealand has a neat way of doing automobile taxes. If I remember correctly, each vehicle is put in a certain class based on size/weight and you pay a tax per miles driven each year. The bigger vehicles pay more per mile for the greater wear they cause.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I believe that we should have a flat rate income tax on any and all income above a set amount,
either a year worth on minimum wage or something similar.
And a sales tax on all purchases except food.
Property taxes are an excessive burden on anyone with a fixed income,
many farmers and older residents of many areas get taxed out of their homes and farms that they have lived and worked on all their lives.
And as others have pointed out many people don't pay property taxes directly yet they have a say in how much tax money is spent.

I agree.

How do we tax the money the illegals make and send home? Tortilla and bean tax?

 

[MossRoad]

Agree. And in our state, as in most, the apartment dwellers (no property tax) in the liberal leaning big city get to vote on the taxes rural property owners pay. :confused3:

Apartment dwellers fund property taxes through their landlords by way of the rent they pay. It's all figured into the rent by the landlord.

 

[NorTracNY]

New Zealand has a neat way of doing automobile taxes. If I remember correctly, each vehicle is put in a certain class based on size/weight and you pay a tax per miles driven each year. The bigger vehicles pay more per mile for the greater wear they cause.

That would make WAY too much sense for it to be used here. At the state level here a lot of politicians travel many miles in big SUVs to the state capital. That would hurt their pockets. Politicians are just about giving free money to their local areas. They don't care how the tax is done or what excuse is made for bringing in the money. They just want the money. Why should we be paying state taxes that the local school districts have to beg to get. They all get some, so couldn't that be removed from the state's collection? NO, because the state controls the local governments with this. The same is done on the state/federal level.

 

[Deerherd]

For the love of god, Americans ALREADY pay a sliding scale on how much you drive by the tax on gasoline. There’s a federal tax of 18 cents on gas and a 24 cents on on diesel PLUS your state tax. The more gas you buy the more taxes you pay. Don’t give politicians any more ideas....

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I really hate re property tax. Are we really supposed to believe that someone in a $500k house uses 5 times the government services as someone in a $100k house? Truth be known, I suspect the opposite is true - the $100k owner uses more, more likely to involve the PD and FD, likely live in an area of heavier traffic/road use. Probably more people live in the house on average, meaning more garbage etc. I know in my own case, I知 the highest paying resident on our street of 20 plus houses, but I don稚 get anymore government services than any of the other, likely less. As for retired people, there ought to be a mechanism that property taxes cannot be raised more than % income rises.

Consumption tax is the way to go.

Those who have more pay more... Don't ask me why.