Do you think Washington state taxes are burdensome?

[Heiwos]

Originally Posted by jinj

Property taxes should not be based on the value of the property. They should be based on what it costs to service the resident, fire/police/school etc.

A property having a nice view has nothing to do with these costs.

Taxing based on ability to pay provides a higher average standard of living for all, including the wealthy. A property having a nice view means that the owner has a greater ability to pay taxes, if only by selling the property.

[70Ford]

Originally Posted by Heiwos

Taxing based on ability to pay provides a higher average standard of living for all, including the wealthy. A property having a nice view means that the owner has a greater ability to pay taxes, if only by selling the property.

Ability to pay is not indexed to inflation. I'm looking at YOU ---> AMT. The definition of "wealthy" has changed, heh.
You make more than 70K and file jointly? You're FREAKING LOADED, you RICH person, you! Coincidently, if you make less than 45K in Seattle, you quaify for housing assistance. That's interesting, no?

Ah, property owners...... You're a revenue source, plain and simple. They just keep on redefining how much revenue that they can take. I feel for you guys.

******************
44K - Poverty level
45K Lower class
50K Lower middle class
55K Middle class
60K Upper middle class.
65K Lower High class
69K Middle High class
70K Filing joint Federal taxes - Call me, "Daddy Warbucks, or Scrooge McDuck" - Your choice, bucko. Yeah, that's right, I make 35K a year, and so does the wife. It's insane to have this much money, but we try to maintain. You know, we fly a guy in to service the Maserati a few times a year, take the private jet to drop the kids off at The Hamptons, and then we hit Vegas. They keep calling me a "whale" but I just laugh it off and scarf down more free canapes. Have you tried the shrimp ones? OMG! They are to die for!

[Ultrarunner]

I think soon the definition of wealthy will be anyone with anything left in the bank after paying the bills and taxes...

I'm amazed at how many people I know that no longer have Bank Accounts, Home phones or credit cards... they pay all their bills from the cash they get when they cash their payroll checks or postal money orders...

Scary when you think of it... pretty soon, the only ones left that can be tracked down are those that "Own" property...

[StealthRabbit]

now this is scary

Originally Posted by Heiwos

Taxing based on ability to pay provides a higher average standard of living for all, including the wealthy. A property having a nice view means that the owner has a greater ability to pay taxes, if only by selling the property.

As I think of all the farmers I've seen taxed off property they have poured their soul, sweat, and blood into for generations (homesteaded in the case of my family). Many work multiple jobs to try to keep their wife, kids, and parents on the farm but, the grim reaper cometh (tax man)

I can't think of any farmers that were forced off their farm due to taxes, gaining a higher std of living. Hanging out in a neighborhood of scream'n kids, lawnmowers, and rolling boom boxes just isn't quite the same as hanging out in your ole stinky barn, listening to the bawl of a calf. (to say nothing of losing those awesome views ) , So sad... poor cows really get burnt on this one!

More often than not, the property goes to a developer who gets a whole slew of 'credits' for running W & S and streets. The future homeowners get the bill, if the project survives..., which many don't. So all those lucrative tax $$ that everyone (Christine and her minions) is salivating over don't really materialize in many cases.

[lady_jet]

The way the housing market works is, and I quote, "location, location, location." The way housing is taxed is different, but it's based on how much your home is appraised for and does indeed including police, fire, etc. as well. If you live in a state that doesn't have state income tax, you will have a higher property tax. If you live in a state where you do have state income tax, hopefully, you do not have a higher property tax, but that may not always be true any more.

Our home went up about 135k from when we bought it and our property tax went up in proportion in Walla Walla County (we're rural though we live only one road away from the city limits). The housing prices in Walla Walla have not yet dropped, but I know they will the longer this depression goes on. Interest rates have dropped, so a lot of people are trying to get the lowest interest for their homes as possible. We aren't cuz we already have low interest rates.

So, it's all relative folks. Just do the best you can. This is not the first depression we've gone through and we always manage to make it up to the other side. I wish you all the best of luck and hope we still have the shirts on our backs when the depression is over.

Jet

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by lady_jet

The way the housing market works is, and I quote, "location, location, location." The way housing is taxed is different, but it's based on how much your home is appraised for and does indeed including police, fire, etc. as well. If you live in a state that doesn't have state income tax, you will have a higher property tax. If you live in a state where you do have state income tax, hopefully, you do not have a higher property tax, but that may not always be true any more.

Jet

New Buyers in CA are "Blessed" with high State Income Tax, High Sales Tax and Property Tax that approaches 1.5%

The only silver lining is property tax can't be increased more than 2% per year without voter approval...

One would think CA would have the finest services money can buy...

[Heiwos]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

As I think of all the farmers I've seen taxed off property they have poured their soul, sweat, and blood into for generations (homesteaded in the case of my family). Many work multiple jobs to try to keep their wife, kids, and parents on the farm but, the grim reaper cometh (tax man)

You mean the farmers that had bushels of kids? A typical farming couple from 1900 could easily have created 100 new people by now. Those 100 people will want to turn some farm into a subdivision.

[Heiwos]

Originally Posted by lady_jet

If you live in a state that doesn't have state income tax, you will have a higher property tax.

Except in WA, which has lower property taxes than some other states that have a state income tax (and even sales tax).

[lady_jet]

And some states, like Wisconsin, have a high sales tax, state income tax, and mediocre property tax... It varies from state to state, but we don't find WA's taxes to be burdensome.

Take care,
Jet in Walla WA