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ConcernedGrammy's avatar

We already get taxed on unrealized gains with property taxes. My home is paid off and I have no plans to EVER sell it. This year, our "market appraisal" rose over 200%. I guarantee you my home did not gain 200% more "market value" from last and I'd never be able to sell it for this ridiculous price. The entire county is up in arms. Pleading to our state legislators falls on deaf ears. The grapevine says the feds are looking hard at a 3% property tax in the near future. Not sure how that would work, but it's just another way to tax people out of home ownership.

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Kate's avatar

I have been saying this for years as Texas property taxes are onerous. Many of the neighbors in our little neighborhood bought their houses for very little many moons ago and have slowly been squeezed out due to increased valuations as it is an area near the Dallas metroplex. Sadly many have to move on e they reach retirement as they cannot afford the increased property taxes on the unrealized gain. It is outrageous. Instead of being able to stay where they have lived for so long with little expense, they must uproot. Even commifornia thanks to Prop 13 allows seniors or anyone really to stay in their homes as long as they want as you cannot be taxed on unrealized property gain - no matter how much your neighbors get if and when they sell.

And let us be clear - there is no private property if the government is allowed to tax our homes and our land. They always own part of it through fiat. It is wrong for so many reasons. Property taxes should be abolished - they are simply more government overreach and an excuse for them to continue their frivolous spending.

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Harry's avatar

CA fixed that with Prop 13. Maybe TX should consider that not all things CA are bad.

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David's avatar

No offense but property taxes are the bedrock of government. There have been taxes on real estate since the Greeks. If there are no property taxes there are no private property. I agree that we should abolish the USG, but I’m sorry my friend there will never be a time when your property isn’t taxed, only under complete anarchy and/or nuclear apocalypse.

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SD's avatar
Aug 22Edited

No property taxes, no private property. You're forgetting something, the government do not own the land the people do. The government are elected to work for the people. It's only because of flawed thinking and blind acceptance of rules like 'property taxes' on something you have worked your backside off for ten years to obtain that allows them to tax the hell out of it after you paid taxes on the money you earned and spent on buying the property. That is called double dipping.

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the long warred's avatar

Well David / Then let’s try anarchy and see if that works. Along the way we’ll grab some nukes in case it doesn’t.

No property taxes meaning no private property is a non-sequitur by the way…

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ConcernedGrammy's avatar

Wrong. In Texas, property taxes on homes TO FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS (where the most egregious abuses come from) wasn't started until 1979 with SB 621.

They always use "for the children" as an excuse to rip away more money or rights.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/hw6Vr6nprzFozt98/?mibextid=oFDknk

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Aug 21
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ConcernedGrammy's avatar

I live in a very small, very rural town in West Texas. Our town has NO industry whatsoever. The biggest employer in the county is in healthcare (several "home healthcare" companies that thrive on Social Security and Medicare payments), followed by restaurant workers. Median income for the town is $27k, mostly poor elderly because when the kids graduate HS, they leave for higher education or a good paying job and never return. You have to drive an hour away to have a real career and make any money.

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