47 Percent of Detroit Homeowners Have Quit Paying Property Taxes

[BarryDonegan]

Governments gain their legitimacy from the consent of the governed, and, when such institutions no longer provide any appreciable benefits to citizens, even mainstream folks with no political ideology will become tax resisters. Also, proponents of big government should take note that spending and taxation can reach such high levels that services collapse and tax revenues plunge. Detroit’s government has officially gotten so big and its services so ineffective that anarchy is breaking out in response.

More info:

http://silverunderground.com/2013/0...t-homeowners-have-quit-paying-property-taxes/

 

[paulbot24]

Didn't some MSNBC shill say Detroit is what happens when you don't have enough government......?

 

[ladyjade3]

Didn't some MSNBC shill say Detroit is what happens when you don't have enough government......?

Gross. Probably. Right after they complained that the free market wasn't working in medicine and that's why we need Obamacare.

 

[Acala]

Governments gain their legitimacy from the consent of the governed, and, when such institutions no longer provide any appreciable benefits to citizens, even mainstream folks with no political ideology will become tax resisters. Also, proponents of big government should take note that spending and taxation can reach such high levels that services collapse and tax revenues plunge. Detroit’s government has officially gotten so big and its services so ineffective that anarchy is breaking out in response.

More info:

http://silverunderground.com/2013/0...t-homeowners-have-quit-paying-property-taxes/

Interesting - secession through mass resistance to taxation.

 

[phill4paul]

Interesting - secession through mass resistance to taxation.

Winning.

 

[pcosmar]

Get a clue.

 

[kahless]

This is great news, now if only the remaining 53% would stop paying property taxes. There is then the possibility they could emerge as a Libertarian city with groups forming their own private services to replace government.

Didn't some MSNBC shill say Detroit is what happens when you don't have enough government......?

They are effectively the government's propaganda arm and are therefore the greatest obstacle to what I describe above. The protests need to be taken to their doors in order to expose them for the benefit of the average American not paying attention.

 

[DamianTV]

The burden of Govt debt does NOT rest on the Govt, but those that pay its way.

If Detroit had the power to "just print money" like the Federal Govt does (by way of the Federal Reserve Bank), gurarteed that it would have. It becomes glaringly obvious that Govts shift that burden of responsibility to the People to pay its bills. Either by direct taxation or inflation (printing the money), the people always pay for every irresponsible action every Govt does. Now if the opposite were true where the Federal Govt did not have the power to print money (again, loaned from the Federal Reserve Bank), it would try to raise everyones taxes to pay for what ever it wants. And the whole country would be in the same shape as Detroit. And no, Im not advocating the Federal Reserve, I believe they are they key problem as to why Govts are so addicted to spending your money. But it does put a leash, a contstraint, a measure of control on Govt. Crashing the economy is probably as unpopular as raising taxes. They'd figure out that if those "leaders" (i.e. puppets of the Too Big To Fail Banks) got voted out (without rigging elections), they'd have to do something responsible. Like figuring out that their jobs directly depend on them cutting their spending on programs like the War on Drugs / NSA / Dept of Education. End result would be not only would we have lower taxes without the Federal Reserve, we also wouldnt have a Govt that subsidises the creation of poverty or subsidises the enstupidation of your children, and would all be much better off for not having a Central Bank.

 

[Darguth]

Just as an FYI to anyone not familiar with the reality of Detroit, not all or even the majority of those "opting out" of paying property taxes are doing so for really ideological reasons.

The tax collection agency in Detroit is so inept, underfunded, and corrupt that people that literally asked to be taxed didn't get sent proper documentation. Other people were sent tax forms for property they didn't own anymore. Still others were sent incorrect tax information.

So, the statistics on not paying property taxes is indicative of the failures of government. However I do not think it is necessary indicative of a rising wave of tax-resistant attitudes. If the government in Detroit were semi-competent I'm sure the sheeple would be paying the thieves routinely.

 

[DamianTV]

Just as an FYI to anyone not familiar with the reality of Detroit, not all or even the majority of those "opting out" of paying property taxes are doing so for really ideological reasons.

The tax collection agency in Detroit is so inept, underfunded, and corrupt that people that literally asked to be taxed didn't get sent proper documentation. Other people were sent tax forms for property they didn't own anymore. Still others were sent incorrect tax information.

So, the statistics on not paying property taxes is indicative of the failures of government. However I do not think it is necessary indicative of a rising wave of tax-resistant attitudes. If the government in Detroit were semi-competent I'm sure the sheeple would be paying the thieves routinely.

What would one expect from a city with an illiteracy rate of 47%? This also should reveal that Govt Subsidization of anything only results in the opposite effect. Detroit was one of the first cities with a subsidized education system.

 

[69360]

First off, who would voluntarily live in Detroit? There is no point in paying taxes there, you get next to no services for your money and there are just about no repercussions to not paying them. What is the city going to do, take your house? Half of the city is vacant, nobody would want it. I don't think they even bother with tax sales anymore.

 

[KrokHead]

So, the statistics on not paying property taxes is indicative of the failures of government. However I do not think it is necessary indicative of a rising wave of tax-resistant attitudes.

I thought it was simply due to people not having enough money to pay the taxes.

 

[Schifference]

I recently read that the mill rate in Detroit was very high. That would be insignificant because from what I see property values are in the toilet. Can buy a property in Detroit for chump change so the mill rate is irrelevant.

 

[angelatc]

I thought it was simply due to people not having enough money to pay the taxes.

Thats part of it, but part of it is that people just abandoned their property when they left. Between 15% unemployment, being underwater on the mortgage and being in Detroit.....no reason to stick around.

 

[angelatc]

I recently read that the mill rate in Detroit was very high. That would be insignificant because from what I see property values are in the toilet. Can buy a property in Detroit for chump change so the mill rate is irrelevant.

I don't remember exactly what the problem was, but we toyed with the idea of buying a foreclosure in one of the nicer Detroit neighborhoods. We could have paid cash for it, but the property taxes were $30k per year. There's no value there.

 

[samforpaul]

but the property taxes were $30k per year.

Seriously, is 30k a typo? Surely, you jest.

 

[Snew]

Time to work on getting that to 100%!

 

[torchbearer]

Seriously, is 30k a typo? Surely, you jest.

30k?
wow, i'm about to start a war over $150.

 

[amy31416]

I don't remember exactly what the problem was, but we toyed with the idea of buying a foreclosure in one of the nicer Detroit neighborhoods. We could have paid cash for it, but the property taxes were $30k per year. There's no value there.

I'll have to parrot others here--30k? Did you mean 3k?

Even at 3k, there's no value, but 30k--that's higher than most residents annual salary I'd think.

 

[69360]

$30k is about right for a house assessed at $500k in Detroit.