Are Property Taxes Unethical?

Topic

  • Yes

    Votes: 96 92.3%

  • No

    Votes: 8 7.7%
  • Total voters
    104
Warrior_of_Freedom

Warrior_of_Freedom

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
8,454
It always bothered me homeowners have to pay property tax. What bothers me more is if you don't pay the property tax the government reserves the right to take your home. This downright makes it rent. Does the state/county have the right to possess your property because you won't pay a tax on it, even if you are unemployed and have no income to be taxed?
 
It is beyond ethics , it is immoral, one of the greatest mistakes of all time. Education could be taken care of in a multitude of ways and the worst one was selected.
 
Yes. Even though all taxes are arguably unethical, the property tax is one of the most absurd. As far as I know, land is the only asset that's taxed just because you own it. You don't pay taxes just for owning a car, a computer or stock that doesn't change in value, but you do for land in most places.

It's a small reason why I don't bother buying a house. Why should I pour all my money into a mortgage downpayment, assume all the risk, pay interest, and still pay the taxes?
 
Definitely!
There are elderly folks who are kicked out of their homes because they can't pay property taxes. They work their entire lives, pay off the house, only to find they can't pay the taxes.
 
EBounding said:
Yes. Even though all taxes are arguably unethical, the property tax is one of the most absurd. As far as I know, land is the only asset that's taxed just because you own it. You don't pay taxes just for owning a car, a computer or stock that doesn't change in value, but you do for land in most places.

It's a small reason why I don't bother buying a house. Why should I pour all my money into a mortgage downpayment, assume all the risk, pay interest, and still pay the taxes?
Click to expand...

But if I am your Landlord, you are paying my property tax, it will be factored into the rent .There, really is little avoidance ....
 
BAllen said:
Definitely!
There are elderly folks who are kicked out of their homes because they can't pay property taxes. They work their entire lives, pay off the house, only to find they can't pay the taxes.
Click to expand...

Correct , you own squat , you rent from Govt , as long as you can pay the property tax , you can keep it , otherwise within a few months , years it will go on the auction block .Despicable .
 
This was actually the first issue of political awareness that crept up on my radar...1985~ish? Something like 12 years old?

My mom went to the County to pay property tax (in NC they DO assess property tax on cars and boats by the way) and I was confused so she explained what was going on to the best of her ability. I was quiet for a bit and thought about it, and then I asked, wait, doesn't that amount to just 'rent?' as in 'nobody owns any property at all???'

She didn't really have an answer except "I think you may be right."

I may be off on my age. As a particularly precocious kid, it may have been even earlier. My mom would know better, she's on RPF's by the way as "freedom mom"

In any case, this one has been a MAJOR pet peeve of mine since early childhood.

Yes, property taxes are more than unethical and immoral, they are a basic violation of pretty much everything America is supposed to stand for, full stop. Until relatively recently, it was (IMHO) one of the most blatant and egregious violation of Constitutional principle that America had. Now, of course, there is a whole cornucopia of horrific violations so it's kinda hard to rank them.
 
The property tax is one of the most egregious forms of taxation in existence. The implication is that one can never truly own property. It is only slightly less egregious than being taxed for not having health insurance.
 
EBounding said:
Yes. Even though all taxes are arguably unethical, the property tax is one of the most absurd. As far as I know, land is the only asset that's taxed just because you own it. You don't pay taxes just for owning a car, a computer or stock that doesn't change in value, but you do for land in most places.

It's a small reason why I don't bother buying a house. Why should I pour all my money into a mortgage downpayment, assume all the risk, pay interest, and still pay the taxes?
Click to expand...

It's about as absurd as the income tax. It's the same principle. Tax land just because you own it and tax your money just because you make it.

On the other hand, renting doesn't really help you avoid that. There's a reason rent rates are as high as they are. Part of that is property taxes. Renting is way more expensive no matter how you look at it, and it gives you no security, whereas owning a home provides you with stability, more rights, and it's also just cheaper in most cases. Renting is for those who can't afford to buy and prefer to be slaves all their lives just to pay for a place to live. They could lose it at a moment's notice (relatively) but at least they have a roof over their head... for now.
 
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So far the vote is unanimous. I hope it stays that way. That's progress.
 
I think property taxes are unethical, but not worse than other taxes.
 
In the way they are currently used, definitely. There are some benefits to them though. If it weren't for property taxes wealthy people could acquire huge areas of land and just never use it, but at the same time prevent other people from using it. And the local government has to be funded somehow.

I could probably support a Georgist property tax that is based only on the value of the unimproved land - and not on what you build on the land. This also minimizes the completely impossible problem of assessing property value for tax purposes. A community could just have a flat rate like $1,000 an acre or whatever is reasonable for the area.
 
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brandon said:
In the way they are currently used, definitely. There are some benefits to them though. If it weren't for property taxes wealthy people could acquire huge areas of land and just never use it, but at the same time prevent other people from using it. And the local government has to be funded somehow.

I could probably support a Georgist property tax that is based only on the value of the unimproved land - and not on what you build on the land. This also minimizes the completely impossible problem of assessing property value for tax purposes. A community could just have a flat rate like $1,000 an acre or whatever is reasonable for the area.
Click to expand...

+1

I would also include some kind of voucher or homestead exemption so that people could have enough land to live on without paying taxes on it.
 
i would say the government raising the property taxes on Hurricane Sandy victim's property is a complete disgrace too...these people just had their homes leveled for chrissake.
 
I don't really view it as any more or less unethical than any other tax. The government is going to steal some of your freedoms away if you don't pay your taxes, no matter what type of taxes they are.
 
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