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I'm surprised no one has brought up paying taxes for schools when you don't have any kids attending those schools.
OTOH, why do I pay taxes to pay for a senior center and veteran's services when I don't use them?
Paying taxes for those services is the cost of living in a society. Those schools, senior centers, veteran's departments, et al are all part of what makes your property have value. In my town, people pay high home prices because of the good schools and services provided.
I can tell you right now that Maryland's is wrong. While the number is "correct" as far as it goes they're ignoring the County Income Tax (which the State collects and then disburses) which is on average 1/2 the State rate (each County has a different rate).
Property taxes are anti-American. Sales tax/VAT or higher income tax should replace it. People have to pay taxes to the government on a property they have fully paid, for eternity. Its like renting from the government. It also doesnt take into account ability to pay like sales and income taxes as it changes with property valuation. Property taxes are awful.
It's the other way around. Property taxes are totally American--the original tax base in America. Second after property taxes were vice taxes, then sales taxes. Income tax is a late comer, not even a hundred years old, and required a constitutional amendment. Property tax concept is built into the constitution.
I'm surprised no one has brought up paying taxes for schools when you don't have any kids attending those schools.
You do get benefit from school taxes. The kids are corralled all day in school instead of aimlessly wandering around committing vandalism. Also, many business won't come to areas with an uneducated population, so good schools can bring jobs to the area.
I can tell you right now that Maryland's is wrong. While the number is "correct" as far as it goes they're ignoring the County Income Tax (which the State collects and then disburses) which is on average 1/2 the State rate (each County has a different rate).
I must have misread an article, maybe it was about income tax, certain states do not have them.
Property taxes are tricky. Many states do not assess or levy a state property tax. That's how local jurisdictions fund fire departments, schools, local government, etc. get their money, but the state has no part of it. That's how Oregon works. There is no state property tax, but every local jurisdiction in the state has one. People in Portland pay 3x the property tax rate that I do in rural Southern Oregon. Couple that with the fact that urban property is more expensive than remote rural property, and their property tax bills get pretty large. I only pay $1500/year for a 1700 sf. completely remodeled ranch style on 90 acres of trees and meadow with a creek in the back yard, deck and patio, gazebo overlooking the creek, barn, and a paved county road all the way to my house. Property taxes on comparable property in the Portland area would be over $20,000/year.
I pay property taxes to the county, school district, fire department, and forest protective association. There will be a measure on the ballot to form a county library taxing district in November, and I support that. The state collects an income tax, but there is no sales tax in Oregon.
Property taxes are anti-American. Sales tax/VAT or higher income tax should replace it. People have to pay taxes to the government on a property they have fully paid, for eternity. Its like renting from the government. It also doesnt take into account ability to pay like sales and income taxes as it changes with property valuation. Property taxes are awful.
Property Tax is invidious because it is the tax that never quits.
A sales tax is one time and you can budget for it.
Income tax requires income.
Getting a tax bill for 80% more than the year before is robbery... it happened to me in Washington State.
The Assessor said I should be pleased my property nearly doubled in less than two years... I said pay me the new assessed value and it is yours!
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