Posted on 06/21/2008 12:51:38 PM PDT by anymouse
Every year county appraisal districts mail notices of appraised value changes to millions of property owners across the State which prompts protests by unhappy taxpayers. Even with fewer values than usual increasing in Galveston County this year, hundreds of property owners attended classes to learn how to be effective in the protest process. I know because I taught those classes and attendees confirmed what seems to me to be obvious -- the system needs to be changed.
In 2006, the Governor’s Task Force on Appraisal Reform traveled the state collecting information on problems associated with our current property tax system. Today, interim committees in both the Senate and House are studying the same issues. Why? Because many property owners are still mad (even after enormous reductions in school district tax rates) because their values increased and it became apparent that savings would be temporary at best. Sadly, few are willing to take a leadership position in order to establish a permanent remedy—it is easier to study and debate the issue than it is to correct it. What a waste of time and money—their time, our money.
The solution is simple—adopt a property tax system based on acquisition rather than market value. Starting with current values as a base, values would change when sold to the sale price. To provide for inflation (or recession), values could increase (or decrease) annually based on the rate of inflation (or recession) or 2%, whichever is less. The limit should not apply in certain circumstances such as when additions are made to properties or in the event of catastrophic losses. Seniors and the disabled must be allowed to retain their current tax benefits and, in the interest of maintaining community stability, families should be allowed to transfer their homestead property to heirs without a change in base value (as long as it remains a homestead).
The result? Taxpayers are no longer angry each spring because appraisal notices will not be arriving in the mail. Legislators stop hearing complaints from constituents and can finally get on with important State policy decisions. Fiscally, in excess of $300M paid by local governments to fund appraisal districts will no longer be needed. The Comptroller’s Property Value Division would no longer be conducting ratio studies and school districts would cease spending thousands of dollars defending failed ratio studies. The result? Less government and lower taxes.
Is an acquisition value system fair, uniform, and Constitutional? Yes. It provides predictability for property owners, increases community stability, and everyone is treated equally (after the initial assessment at the time the law takes effect). The United States Supreme Court in Nordlinger v. Hahn, 505 U.S. 1 (1992) presents compelling arguments to support the constitutionality of an acquisition value tax system.
Statewide, voters overwhelmingly support changing our current system and the time has come for permanent and sustainable change. Let’s solve the problem instead of placing yet another temporary Band-Aid on a gapping wound. We deserve a better system than the one we have today. We have been taxed into awareness and we want solutions…now.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Just more theft by the Organized Crime syndicates....Federal, State, County and Local ‘syndicates’
ripping off more of our hard earned $$. Consider it extortion without the threat of violence. Man do we need a tax revolt BIGTIME in this nation.
I'm with you!
We, who are the earners in this nation, have our pockets picked and we get mugged by experts.
It's almost laughable when politicians and MSM types talk about taxpayer dollars. Those aren't taxpayer dollars because we got beat up by state and federal muggers and that money was taken from us.
It's extortion alright, but the threat of violence is there through the federales taking our houses, our money and our freedom if we're not giving them every nickel they think they have coming.
With the government goons it's a pleasant game, but to us it's our lives.
Is an acquisition value system fair, uniform,
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No! It is **NOT** fair.
Property tax makes the government the **real** owner of the property. Fail to pay the property tax ( government “rent”) and the government landlord will soon evict the property dweller from the house or business.
But...The underlying problem here are the voracious, communist-model, **government schools**! Get rid of them!
First, give all parents and citizens tax credits for funding a child’s education.
Then gradually expect parents to pay for their own child’s education in the same way they pay for food and clothing.
Finally reserve government vouchers for use in private schools only for the poorest of the poor or hopelessly handicapped. ( Just as we do for housing and food now.)
Cheryl would establish a multi-tier tax system where the annual property tax bill between two adjacent identical properties would differ by reason of which sold more recently.
Such an acquisition system would discourage willingness to move for job, health, etc., because doing so would incur a larger tax burden.
Property taxes are used to fund education, fire and police protection. To fund these community services could be done in a number of ways.
It’s best to be rid of the property tax system altogether and replace it with a portion taken from a state FairTax system.
Correct me if I am wrong but the “fairtax” has nothing to do with property taxes, which are levied by counties.
There is the national FairTax movement and there are several state movements as well. They are all crafted in like fashion.
Georgia, Missouri, Michigan, South Carolina and Texas have significant state FairTax movements with majority support now surfacing in Michigan. Many other states are following suit.
For example,in Wisconsin the state FairTax plan will nearly eliminate all property taxes.
While I like the FAIR tax, if one must have property taxes this is a great way to go. Looks like California’s Prop 13. The beauty is that you will always know what your property taxes will be. Take my home for example, purchased in 1984 for $180,000. Some 20 years later I pay around $2,300 a year. If I lived in another state where they might tax it at 3% of appraised value, that bill might be up to $25-30,000 a year. Now how the hell could I stay there?
Actually, when I was recruited to work in Texas they talked of the lack of income tax. I calculated that with income and property tax I was paying less in California than I would in Texas.
I thought it said, "Tazed."
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