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Oregon's tax structure is the best because it is non BS: you pay a high income tax (9%) to the states and a high property tax to county (2% of assessed value) but that's it. I love my home state of Virginia but you get nicked and dimed to death
Oregon's property taxes are lower than many states. Probably a little higher than average but below the top tax states. But the 9% rate kicks in very early - a full time minimum wage worker hits the 9% marginal tax rate.
Same as here in NH, but of course it's not a 1 to 1 deduction--the property taxes reduce your taxable income, rather than the actual amount of taxes due.
We'll be "Going Galt" soon and keeping a homestead here in NH, but in a town with much lower property taxes than Exeter. That will allow us to avoid income tax on the state level, even if our "winter residence" is in a state with high income tax rates. Hopefully we can set up the winter residence in a place with low property tax, and we'll have minimized our tax burden as much as possible.
Most Southern states have "homestead exemptions" that afford homeowners a preferential property tax level on their primary residence (i.e. lower than the tax would be on a second home or rental property.
I believe NH does not have a similar property tax system, i.e. your prop tax is the same whether your home is primary, second home, or rental.
So if your "winter residence" is in a state with a "split roll" property tax and homestead exemptions, live in your winter residence at least 183 days each year and claim the homestead exemption.
Definitely not. Half the people in Alaska live in and around Anchorage, whereas here it's more spread out, and we have close to 13 million living here. More are coming back due to the booming Marcellus Shale Formation and Pittsburgh is seeing a resurgence in technology based industries. Plus, jobs pay well here. Texas and other no income tax states (except WA and probably AK) are basically sweat shop states that pay bottom dollar. So, as previous posters have said, Texas's no income tax is just a fluff piece. Texas's property taxes are also distributed around to all the counties in the state, talk about spreading the wealth around! Sounds like an income tax to me but it's not called one
"Rich" school districts are required to send some of their property tax revenue to poorer districts. This affects few districts. City taxes, county taxes, and special district taxes are not distributed throughout the state like you claim.
Roll in the low unemployment, growing economy, low cost of living, property tax deductions, and no state income tax, and Texas is a good choice economically for a lot of people.
Add Texas weather in August and there is no way I would ever want to spend any time, let alone, move there. Here in NH my property tax is between 2 and 3% of assessed value less my veteran's deductable. Taxes on my cars as both property and road users is an additional $300 per year. Many people pay more because my cars are effectively rolling junk. NH also taxes hotel rooms, restaurant and pre cooked meals, tobacco and owns the liquor stores. It still cannot afford to fix the roads or maintain the state parks.
Our politics is a mixture of RWNJ’s and a few Democrats. This is not surprising as being a Legislator is a volunteer unpaid position. This biases the applicants to lawyers looking for more work, independent businessmen and unemployed retirees with time on their hands. Some of us simply refer to the 435 member House as the place where the ship of fools ran aground.
Add Texas weather in August and there is no way I would ever want to spend any time, let alone, move there. Here in NH my property tax is between 2 and 3% of assessed value less my veteran's deductable. Taxes on my cars as both property and road users is an additional $300 per year. Many people pay more because my cars are effectively rolling junk. NH also taxes hotel rooms, restaurant and pre cooked meals, tobacco and owns the liquor stores. It still cannot afford to fix the roads or maintain the state parks.
Our politics is a mixture of RWNJ’s and a few Democrats. This is not surprising as being a Legislator is a volunteer unpaid position. This biases the applicants to lawyers looking for more work, independent businessmen and unemployed retirees with time on their hands. Some of us simply refer to the 435 member House as the place where the ship of fools ran aground.
To each his own. Sounds like you just want to bash Texas.
I have done actually REAL comparisons and in states with PROPERTY tax and INCOME tax... the total together is more often higher than a state with no INCOME tax and only property tax...
I've looked at states that have no income tax, more specifically Texas since it's touted as the economic success story of the decade by Fox News and gang. They say it's about the no income tax that makes everything cheaper. Well, if that was the case, why does Texas have some of the highest property taxes in the country? I think that would be balanced out anyways. Texas property taxes, in the counties that actually have a sizeable amount of people in them, are almost as high as south-central and southeast Pennsylvania's! In the $4000 range. That's not cheap. That's trading one big expense for another and masking it. Texas is in the top 5 most expensive property tax states, along with mine. Texas has a median mill rate of 18.17 per $1000 of value, Pennsylvania has 14.69, California has 4.77 (though I believe that is only for long-term homeowners?).
So are no state income taxes just a talking point? Taking that into account, I can't see how not having a state income tax is value for money, especially more so if you live in a major employment center in said state.
I'm rural and have low property taxes and no state income tax.
High property tax is localized and that's the way it should be.
Mass transit, recycling, lots of schools and added services.
If that's what people want then they pay for it locally through their property tax.
My mil rate is $12/$1000 or thereabouts.
Plus it keeps homes from becoming too overvalued. Remember Texas didn't get caught up in the housing boom/bust like other states did.
I'm pretty happy with the setup.
If Austin, Houston, Dallas and the other big cities want lots of services then those residents can pay for them in their property taxes and it won't effect me.
Add Texas weather in August and there is no way I would ever want to spend any time, let alone, move there.
That's fine - don't move here. As for me, I was born and bred in the southern states and Texas weather doesn't bother me any more than any other region - in fact, I prefer it over many regions of the world and the US.
To each his own.
By the way - we do have air conditioning here - and lots of lakes, rivers, pools, etc.
Come on in - the water's fine! Life in Texas can be terrific.
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Politics of low or no state income tax
Sounds like an income tax to me but it's not called one 
