GolfHos

from the loins of the greatest generation came the greediest generation
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-youngtax13may13,0,3711826.story?track=mostemailedlink

btw, i was being a bit* facetious with the title (and the above) and all, but being able to lock in a property tax value  8x lower than someone coming into the market isn't exactly justifiable or reasonable.

 

Move to California, you'll love Prop. 13.............

LOL. well, that isn't really the answer either... but... ummm ... hehehe

Property taxes of any kind are complete bull*feces*.  Bump up my consumption taxes and leave my house alone.

I realize the stories are anecdotal but how about those elderly homeowners who have to sell because they can't afford the taxes on the house they own free and clear?

so something like a kid going to school tax?   uh oh,  private vs. public.  sounds like a good solution to the vouchers issue.  :o ;D

usually the same asshats spouting off about personal responsibility, yada yada. "you should have thought about your actions and choices before making them"   [sm_devil]  j/k . sortof.    yeh though, that's kind of f'd up.  then again, so is having to pay into SS and medicare when you know it will be insolvent by the time you get to the 60's age bracket- all the while your own health ins etc  costs are a far greater % of gross income than it ever was for everyone you're supporting.    :-[

A school tax isn't viable obviously.  Every child absolutely should be provided a good education.  It's another discussion and I don't want to threadjack but I have strong opinions on that issue too.  We have a very confrontational voucher issue going on here right now.  Two bills have passed and the NEA/UEA have tried to nullify the first through a petition.  The second passed with too wide a margin for that.  Pro-choice  ;) rally at the state capital tomorrow.  Will go if work schedule allows.

There are definitely better solutions to education that give parents some choice.  All parents that is; not just we who can afford it.

Consumption taxes.  If I have a big house I use more gas, electricity, water than a poor elderly person.  I also probably have more vehicles and buy more gas.  I probably take more expensive vacations, buy more clothes, have fancy electronics.   And so on.  There are ways to get my money other than taxing me for sitting on my arse talking about the good old days.

It's not the whole answer but it's equitable and a great place to start.  If I don't want to pay as much in taxes I consume less and save more.  Maybe I buy fuel efficient cars and xeriscape my yard.

Problem is, it doesn't empower anyone except the silly prole who isn't worthy of the power.  Can't have that. 

While hitting 'post' saw your followup.  Social security is the exact same issue isn't it?  Propping up some at the expense of others.  It's failed policy and the left and the right both refuse to do anything sensible about it.  Even if one generation has to suffer it should be fixed permanently.  The school voucher thing going on in Utah right now does me no good at all.  I make too much and my kids already go to private school.  I get zip benefit but I'm still in favor of it because it's the right thing to do in the long run.

I thought the lottery was supposed to help edumacation.  Property taxes just make sure you never actually own your home regardless of whether or not it is paid for.  And I only wish my house was worth the county assessors value for which I pay property taxes.  It is total BS how much it rises each year despite a depressed real estate market. 

But once you own your home outright, you don't stop requiring the services of the local police/sheriff, fire department, etc. which property taxes help to pay for.

While I take your point let me extend it and throw it back at you.  The VAST MAJORITY of my property tax is tagged to support my public school district.  If I own my home outright and have no children in school (or no children period) would you reduce my property tax by the associated amount?

I don't have my itemized tax notice handy but I'm pretty sure next to nothing percentage-wise goes to support fire/police/medical response.

Fair tax. It really is that simple.

If the value of your home increased because of the quality of the school district, you should be paying to maintain the quality whether or not you have children in the schools.

If everyone had the choice to pay lower property taxes, then the schools would go into the *feces*ter, you'd have no police/fire services, your streets would have no street lights, there'd be potholes everywhere, AND the value of your home would never increase.

Freakin Boortz parrot.  I shall smite you (if it weren't sarcasm).

pittsburgh has 1x year $52  emergency and municipal tax  or something or another

Please note that I'm not suggesting property taxes go away and nothing fills the gap.  I've made my thoughts known in posts further up the thread.

Schools are already in the *feces*ter.  Throwing money at public schools does not help in many, many cases.  I'd say all cases but that's probably inaccurate.  Close enough though.

I don't pay for national defense or interstate highways or airports or national parks or any of a million things through my property tax.  Why is it the magic solution for schools and fire/police?

In defense of the "old effing people", they have low(er) comparative property tax assessments now, but they paid their dues for many, many years already. When they first bought their home, I'm sure their assessed tax rate was much higher than those who bought a home even before them. In this way, buying a home and paying property taxes is like buying into the stock market during the "old-school" investment days. "Buy and hold" was the best strategy. If you don't want your tax assessment to increase, buy a house now and actually live in it instead of *goshdarn* flipping it every two years for a profit.

No matter how crappy the schools are in your district, it could be even worse. You may not believe in the public school system, but many do, and they're the ones that are willing bid up homes in your area when they buy in. You will stand to benefit from that if and when you decide to sell your house.


That's only because the federal government has no jurisdiction over schools and local public services. If not for property taxes, you'd certainly be paying for schools, libraries, and public services through state income taxes.

And although income tax has its own inequities I should think this approach would be preferable to the property tax approach. 

You haven't offered an opinion on consumption/use taxes.  In one form or another they are easily the most progressive approach especially when "necessity" items are exempt.  I wonder why so many discount them out of hand?  Actually, I don't wonder.  [sm_devil]

gaddamn, look what I started here.  can't we get back to bashing greedy ass old folks.
 [sm_devil]

I have nothing against use taxes, but they should apply to things are truly consumed.