Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: A voice that won't be silenced.
- JK Rowling had a lot more to lose by standing up for women in sports than Malcom Gladwell ever did.
- The occult guide to the good life. More common sense than anything but good advice.
- So you want to abolish property taxes. Have no problem with property taxes but they have to be limited by law else politicians will spend the money.
The problem with property taxes is that the assessors value is typically way out of the realm of reality. This year my property was valued at $120,000. I protested it and it was knocked down to $67,000 by the appraisal review board. Here's the rub: I spent well over 100 hours preparing for that hearing. That's time I'll never get back. And you've got to protest it EVERY year or the assessors will take you to the cleaners. I live in Texas, which does try to restrain the predatory tax assessors. The cold hard reality of life is this: taxes are the only thing known to defy the law of gravity. Once the tax man gets his fingers in your wallet, it takes an act of the legislature to pry them out.
ReplyDeleteI agree and I feel for you. There's no way you get back those precious 100 hours back. While I feel property taxes are probably necessary to may for municipal functions (roads, schools, etc.) that governmental power must be limited. Perhaps the best way would be to set the assessment at whatever was paid for the property. Know that there will be loopholes of people selling houses for a $1 to friends but that's still better than public incompetence or greed.
ReplyDeleteWow would I really edit and spell check that response. Need some coffee.
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