[annerk]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

How would rewarding full time residents who pay taxes every day in the state fix everything?

You don't think that parity would be a good start? Why should one person be paying $5K a year when the guy down the street who has been there for 30 years in an identical house be paying $600.

By eliminating a large portion of property taxes and raising sales tax you get revenue from all that live and visit the state and offset the loss from property taxes. Big ticket items would still be purchased here and I have given my reasoning earlier in the thread, you have given invalid reasons why it would not work.

Other than cars, you're nuts if you think I'd buy big ticket items here! I'll buy my next Rolex in a 3.5% enterprise zone store in NJ, thanks. Somehow I doubt I'd be the only one. And other places would start to look mighty appealing for tourists and convention planners.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by boxus

You put an "either or" scenario, as in a person through no fault of theirs should be forced to move or risk having the government seize their property. How about remove the "seize" laws and take the power to seize property from the government, thus restoring full property rights to the people?

Because then no one would pay their property taxes, because they wouldn't lose anything ?

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

For a car to have an increased sales tax of $4000 the car would have to cost about $130,000. If you can afford a $130,000 car you can afford an extra $4000 in taxes.

I'm going to have to argue with you about that one, Mike.. several years ago, I bought a $20,000 truck and the taxes were roughly $1,900.

so, I'd assume that a $40,000 truck would be roughly $4,000 based off of my own personal experiences.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

How would rewarding full time residents who pay taxes every day in the state fix everything?
By eliminating a large portion of property taxes and raising sales tax you get revenue from all that live and visit the state and offset the loss from property taxes. Big ticket items would still be purchased here and I have given my reasoning earlier in the thread, you have given invalid reasons why it would not work.
Your statements are similar to those of politicians who say something would work but offer no reasoning to back it up.

The only problem with eliminating property taxes and relying on an increased sales tax is when the economy slumps (live it's doing) there will be a huge drop in sales and the state will suffer. Property taxes will never slump because the state will either get their money, or get a property that's worth much more.

When the state doesn't make the money that it needs to run, they start cutting programs like welfare, police, firefighters, schools, ect, ect.. that'll lead to people that can't eat stealing for what they need, crime goes up and there are less police to deal with the situation.

Dropping property taxes and increasing sales taxes sounds like something Florida would do though.

[beachmouse]

We bought our house because we liked the house and we liked the area. We never used it as an ATM like so many others have, so we've gotten no real benefit to the appreciation we've seen. Yeah, we're up on paper, but that's just it- on paper. Because we refuse to use our house as an ATM, the only time we see an actual gain is when we sell it, and who knows what the market will be like at that point. Could be they're closing Eglin AFB by that point, and our house would only be worth 30% of what it is right now.

In the mean time, why should we have to pay more taxes solely because other people have decided we like our neighborhood when we really haven't gotten anything real from the appreciation we've seen?

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

We bought our house because we liked the house and we liked the area. We never used it as an ATM like so many others have, so we've gotten no real benefit to the appreciation we've seen. Yeah, we're up on paper, but that's just it- on paper. Because we refuse to use our house as an ATM, the only time we see an actual gain is when we sell it, and who knows what the market will be like at that point. Could be they're closing Eglin AFB by that point, and our house would only be worth 30% of what it is right now.

In the mean time, why should we have to pay more taxes solely because other people have decided we like our neighborhood when we really haven't gotten anything real from the appreciation we've seen?

It's just how it is.

Florida is a place that a lot of people want to be, when a place is desired, prices go up. The same property that was out in the stick 15 years ago and virtually worthless, is now THE place to be, so prices go up. This is one of many reasons why a lot of natives leave places like Florida and California, they get priced out.

Look at Louisiana, there was a time when you could buy a palace for cheap, then, Hurricane Katrina rolled through and everything was rebuilt and made nicer, celebs started moving down there and Hollywood started filming more in New Orleans. Now, Louisiana (as far as housing costs) is right on par with Florida.

That's why they have property appraisers.

I will say that I think it's messed up that the government will tax you based on what you've done to improve your property, they should tax you only for what the land itself is worth, IMHO, not have the land re-appraised each year when you add a pool house or a deck.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by annerk

Other than cars, you're nuts if you think I'd buy big ticket items here! I'll buy my next Rolex in a 3.5% enterprise zone store in NJ, thanks.

Better yet, I'm sure you could find it online and avoid that altogether Blue Nile is awesome for jewelry in that regard

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by TXRyan23

Because then no one would pay their property taxes, because they wouldn't lose anything ?

They would lose something--taxes plus applicable penalties and interest--if you follow the hurricaneman plan. Go after income and financial assets, but leave "pursuit of life, liberty, and property" intact.

[hurricaneMan1992]

Ending "Save Our Homes" won't fix everything, but consider this.

The cost of running local and state government does not go down just because full time residents stay put in their homes. What you have paid for the last 10 or 20 years is irrelevant as far as the cost of running the government THIS year. The more you push the burden to new residents, the fewer and fewer new residents you will get, so you have no choice but to raise rates or raise sales tax. Then owning property in Florida gets less and less attractive, and it becomes a viscous cycle.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by hurricaneMan1992

They would lose something--taxes plus applicable penalties and interest--if you follow the hurricaneman plan. Go after income and financial assets, but leave "pursuit of life, liberty, and property" intact.

What if there are no assets to seize? Certain things aren't touchable in this state--why do you think OJ moved here.