On Tue, 3 Jan 2006 14:11:16 -0000, "Ivan"
wrote:


"Swingman" wrote in message
...
I don't understand why property taxes are ever based on anything besides
the value of your property.


If that doesn't answer the question, then give me a good, logical reason
why
a 1500 sf, _primary_ residence for a family of four in Waco, TX pays only
$900/year, while the same house on a comparable lot in a comparable
neighborhood in the Houston area pays $7000+/year for the EXACT same
amount
of government services/public school/streets/etc?

In short, under the current "appraised valuation" system for home owners
in
Texas, many pay more and get the same/fewer government services for their
money ... that's "inequity" by any definition.

It'll never happen because the local governments are now in the mode of
protecting their turf/benefits (and bent on increasing the "tax base" in
order to do so), but IMO, a homeowner should pay a state wide rate, based
on
square footage, for a _primary_ residence and NOT appraised value.

It's time to put the "appraisal districts" out of business and make our
elected representative accountable for the amount of taxes being paid by
the
home owner.

Speaking as a Brit all of this is a bit of an eye-opener for me, as call it
what you will, Property tax, Council tax, Rates, it appears to be a topic
which generates is much 'anger and argument' on your side of the pond as it
does on ours, in fact I wasn't even aware that Americans were cursed with a
similar (in many people's eyes, unfair) annual property tax as we have over
here.



AIUI some US states are even worse with families on hard times being
thrown onto the street and having their homes seized by the state for
taxes.

In this country I've always advocated a local income tax collected
through general taxation and distributed to LAs under a formula based
on voter numbers and area. Property taxation should only happen when
the property changes hands either at sale or inheritance.