Any Opinions About Kicker Checks?

[backdrifter]

[quote=Bluesmama;19330785]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

On one hand, the property taxes don't seem to bad in Oregon. . . .)


I don't know about that, man. I pay higher property taxes for my little 1000-sq ft house than my either of my brothers in California do for their 40-acre farms.



I'll vote for sales taxes only if it means getting rid of something else ~ state tax, preferrably. Oregon tax-payers are gouged enough on their property taxes, and there are certainly enough lottery participants. Unless something has changed in recent years, a portion of the lottery was supposed to be allocated to the schools.

Perhaps I'll be changing my tune if/when I buy property in Oregon, but looking at the tax rates for homes I've been interested in possibly purchasing and also knowing what family pays, the rates don't seem terribly unreasonable to me. I suppose they may be high, but not unreasonable, as far as I see it at least.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Bluesmama

I don't know about that, man. I pay higher property taxes for my little 1000-sq ft house than my either of my brothers in California do for their 40-acre farms.

That doesn't mean anything really. I pay more taxes on my house then my Grandparents do on their 20 acre farm, and my father in law does on his ten acres combined and would still have enough left over to pay my brother's house taxes too. All are in Oregon.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

My property taxes (Multnomah County) are almost four thousand dollars a year.
My brother's taxes (Lane County) a little over one thousand dollars a year.
I should move and take a luxurious all expense paid cruise every year.
Or buy a new toy.

Our houses are very comparable as far as construction and lot size.
The kicker should go away, it causes more problems than it's worth.
Instead of the state taking more tax dollars up front then giving excess back, they should do the math right the first time.

[Smiled]

Get rid of the kicker and put the money into Treasury bills. Don't allow those to be used unless unemployment is over 10% or some other dire measure. If it piles up beyond $X, we'll have a discussion about what to do with it.

[Smiled]

Sales taxes are regressive, but - they do allow retailers to charge more (shop in Washington some time) and they do let tourists etc. off untaxed (though we do have our share of occupancy taxes).

Taxes in Oregon are generally very low. Our state university system gets only 13% of its funding from the State.

[SyraBrian]

Other than being regressive, the main problem with the sales tax is that there are always people who will want to raise it by a quarter or half-percent. And the proponents of such increases inevitably compare the increase to a scenario in which the average taxpayer will not be able to purchase one extra mocha latte or other fancy coffee product per month.

Must drive the coffee industry bonkers!