Abolish Property Taxes?

[Boges]

Maybe this is just a Twitter rabbit hole I've fallen down, but there seems to be a social media movement in the US to abolish Property Taxes. 

https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1957220344621679045

The idea is that once you own your home you it's like a rent you have to continue to pay. Unlike Cable, Internet, Water, Hydro, Gas, Condo Fees (if applicable)? 🫤

Property taxes are some of the most useful taxes a citizen in the West can pay. They pay for snow removal, police, fire, EMS, libraries. AND Schools! Americans have really lost the plot on this. Is a country that spends a billion dollars on defense quibbling about paying taxes to fund a functioning community. 

I don't see a movement like this in Canada. We must have more sense . . . right? 

Edited August 19, 2025 by Boges

[eyeball]

5 minutes ago, Boges said:

We must have more sense . . . right? 

No, we have more left sense...

[herbie]

OMG that $100 a year they ding me will turn my life around! [/sarc]

Like that's just an extension to the brainwashed hatred of taxes ingrained in every American. They'd all prefer a 'choice' of roadworkers, firemen, schools garbage collectors who'd charge them twice as much or more.
The why should my Hotel have to pay more property tax than that clapboard shitshack down the block attitude.

Edited August 19, 2025 by herbie

[paxamericana]

34 minutes ago, herbie said:

brainwashed hatred of taxes ingrained in every American.

We literally fought the Brits over this and founded a World Super Power on the principle of no taxation without representation. You didn't, you hid in the snow...

[Shady]

It does seem kind of weird that you can “buy” your house, pay tens of thousands of dollars of tax on that, and then essentially still rent it from the government for several thousand dollars a year.  And if you don’t pay it, they can take the house that you supposedly ”own”.

[LinkSoul60]

33 minutes ago, Shady said:

It does seem kind of weird that you can “buy” your house, pay tens of thousands of dollars of tax on that, and then essentially still rent it from the government for several thousand dollars a year.  And if you don’t pay it, they can take the house that you supposedly ”own”.

It's not weird at all.  It's how we pay for police, fire, emergency services, schools, parks, recreation and culture, water, garbage removal, etc...   You (or the bank) owns the home, but pay for these services.  Not sure what happens if you refuse to pay property taxes but doubt they would 'take' your home but rather put a lien on it or have you apply to defer your taxes with interest until you can pay them, or the home is sold. 

[herbie]

4 hours ago, paxamericana said:

We literally fought the Brits over this and founded a World Super Power on the principle of no taxation without representation. You didn't, you hid in the snow...

We weren't dumb enough to be convinced taxes didn't benefit us in the long run. You still believe the King makes the laws and taxes go in his pocket.
Enjoy your freedom to pay more so you can make billionaires and dream that you'll get to be one.

[TreeBeard]

6 hours ago, Shady said:

It does seem kind of weird that you can “buy” your house, pay tens of thousands of dollars of tax on that, and then essentially still rent it from the government for several thousand dollars a year.  And if you don’t pay it, they can take the house that you supposedly ”own”.

How do you suggest paying for police, fire, ambulance, disaster relief, swimming pools, hockey rinks, roads, garbage pickup, drinking water, the place your $hit goes, etc, etc, etc if not by taxes?

[eyeball]

24 minutes ago, TreeBeard said:

How do you suggest paying for police, fire, ambulance, disaster relief, swimming pools, hockey rinks, roads, garbage pickup, drinking water, the place your $hit goes, etc, etc, etc if not by taxes?

I got the gun Pa left for defense, a couple fire extinguishers, a first aid kit and the Patriot Survival Kit Pa also left us, we can always take the old cow trail to town and we use the crik out back for all the rest.

Thanks anyhow but we don't need no taxes

[herbie]

40 minutes ago, TreeBeard said:

How do you suggest paying for

Put a 100% tariff on imported goods and pretend it's not a tax?

[Legato]

11 hours ago, TreeBeard said:

How do you suggest paying for police, fire, ambulance, disaster relief, swimming pools, hockey rinks, roads, garbage pickup, drinking water, the place your $hit goes, etc, etc, etc if not by taxes?

I agree property taxes are necessary. Yet they are not applied uniformly.

Where we live the more desirable areas have higher property taxes than less desirable area's and receive the exact same services.

 

[TreeBeard]

45 minutes ago, Legato said:

I agree property taxes are necessary. Yet they are not applied uniformly.

Where we live the more desirable areas have higher property taxes than less desirable area's and receive the exact same services.

 

Different municipalities have different tax rates.  Less desirable areas will have lower property values and lower taxes.   If this is an issue for you, buy where taxes are less.  Sounds like a win for your pocketbook. 

Edited August 20, 2025 by TreeBeard

[Legato]

56 minutes ago, TreeBeard said:

Different municipalities have different tax rates.  Less desirable areas will have lower property values and lower taxes.   If this is an issue for you, buy where taxes are less.  Sounds like a win for your pocketbook. 

I'm talking about the same municipality and the same area. All based on how far back you are from any waterfront.

Properties that are further back from the water pay less taxes and yet all these properties receive the same services.

None of them are actual waterfront.

[LinkSoul60]

Property taxes are not meant to be applied uniformly. They're calculated on the assessed value of your property which is not uniformed within a community or area of.  It's all relative....a property with a higher assessed value pays more in property taxes while a property with lesser assessed value pays less for the same services.

[Legato]

6 minutes ago, LinkSoul60 said:

Property taxes are not meant to be applied uniformly. They're calculated on the assessed value of your property which is not uniformed within a community or area of.  It's all relative....a property with a higher assessed value pays more in property taxes while a property with lesser assessed value pays less for the same services.

That's correct however in one part of my neighbourhood the assessments are way off.

As an example, a 2900 sq ft house on 1 acre near us pays $840 less tax than a 1680 sq ft house on 1/2 acre.

The higher assessed property is about 50 yds closer to a lake, both these properties are not waterfront and are in excellent condition, they are both serviced by the same road. 

It's a common problem in my area.

[herbie]

3 hours ago, LinkSoul60 said:

They're calculated on the assessed value of your property

Unfair! Flat tax! FLat tax! My Nestles bottling plant should pay the same water tax as your house!

3 hours ago, Legato said:

part of my neighbourhood the assessments are way off.

And sometimes that can be an advantage. A shitshack on your block can keep your taxes down but only lower the actual sales value a little. Same as a monster house can raise your assessed value. You CAN appeal if you want.

Where I live they took water, sewer and garbage collection off that tax roll and assessed flat rates for homes, businesses and commecial properties, then the "see you on thursdays" reduced the 50% seniors discount from 50% to 50% to 30% to 25 year after year because they were 'losing' so much as the population aged.

[eyeball]

4 hours ago, Legato said:

I agree property taxes are necessary. Yet they are not applied uniformly.

Where we live the more desirable areas have higher property taxes than less desirable area's and receive the exact same services.

Taxes are applied according to a percentage of their value.

From each according to their ability to each according to their need. 

[Moonlight Graham]

On 8/19/2025 at 3:16 PM, Boges said:

Maybe this is just a Twitter rabbit hole I've fallen down, but there seems to be a social media movement in the US to abolish Property Taxes. 

https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1957220344621679045

The idea is that once you own your home you it's like a rent you have to continue to pay. Unlike Cable, Internet, Water, Hydro, Gas, Condo Fees (if applicable)? 🫤

Property taxes are some of the most useful taxes a citizen in the West can pay. They pay for snow removal, police, fire, EMS, libraries. AND Schools! Americans have really lost the plot on this. Is a country that spends a billion dollars on defense quibbling about paying taxes to fund a functioning community. 

I don't see a movement like this in Canada. We must have more sense . . . right? 

Well to be fair, the US taxpayer (and its debt responsibilities) pays for a lot of the defence of the western world, and its allies (including parts of Asia).  Trump has a right to have a beef on that.  At least he's not in the pockets of the military industrial complex, which is essentially corporate welfare for US defence companies and has been since WWII.

I guess it doesn't matter where the taxes come from, they need to be charged by government somewhere.  I guess the debate is from where and from who?

[herbie]

But, but, if they end Property Tax doesn't that cost just go away?
Those are the daily stupid things that pop up on everyone's FB feed. Like the ones saying end foreign aid because there are starving veterans living on the streets.
Or hell, like when I was a kid, wasting money on going to the Moon when there was a war to be fought and commies to kill.

[LinkSoul60]

10 hours ago, Legato said:

That's correct however in one part of my neighbourhood the assessments are way off.

As an example, a 2900 sq ft house on 1 acre near us pays $840 less tax than a 1680 sq ft house on 1/2 acre.

The higher assessed property is about 50 yds closer to a lake, both these properties are not waterfront and are in excellent condition, they are both serviced by the same road. 

It's a common problem in my area.

The assessed value includes both the land and the building so could the building on that 1/2 acre be newer or maybe a more desirable lot?  I don't know what the criteria is for the final assessed value but assuming age and location within the area are going to be a big part of it. 

[August1991]

On 8/19/2025 at 3:16 PM, Boges said:

Maybe this is just a Twitter rabbit hole I've fallen down, but there seems to be a social media movement in the US to abolish Property Taxes. 

https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1957220344621679045

The idea is that once you own your home you it's like a rent you have to continue to pay. Unlike Cable, Internet, Water, Hydro, Gas, Condo Fees (if applicable)? 🫤

Property taxes are some of the most useful taxes a citizen in the West can pay. They pay for snow removal, police, fire, EMS, libraries. AND Schools! Americans have really lost the plot on this. Is a country that spends a billion dollars on defense quibbling about paying taxes to fund a functioning community. 

I don't see a movement like this in Canada. We must have more sense . . . right? 

Boges,

Rabbit hole?  Search wikipedia for a Lindahl equlilibrium.

[August1991]

IMHO, a property tax is like a monthly HOA fee.

You know, the cost of getting into Disney World.

[CdnFox]

On 8/19/2025 at 12:16 PM, Boges said:

Maybe this is just a Twitter rabbit hole I've fallen down, but there seems to be a social media movement in the US to abolish Property Taxes. 

https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1957220344621679045

The idea is that once you own your home you it's like a rent you have to continue to pay. Unlike Cable, Internet, Water, Hydro, Gas, Condo Fees (if applicable)? 🫤

Property taxes are some of the most useful taxes a citizen in the West can pay. They pay for snow removal, police, fire, EMS, libraries. AND Schools! Americans have really lost the plot on this. Is a country that spends a billion dollars on defense quibbling about paying taxes to fund a functioning community. 

I don't see a movement like this in Canada. We must have more sense . . . right? 

There was a movement not long ago to abolish all taxes EXCEPT property taxes. 

Honestly, i don't know how these fads start. 

[LinkSoul60]

8 hours ago, August1991 said:

IMHO, a property tax is like a monthly HOA fee.

You know, the cost of getting into Disney World.

That's one way to look at it, except nobody is going to be doing your property's ground maintenance or snow removal as part of your property taxes.  

[CdnFox]

1 hour ago, LinkSoul60 said:

That's one way to look at it, except nobody is going to be doing your property's ground maintenance or snow removal as part of your property taxes.  

Well proponents would argue that the property tax will be going to maintain the roads leading to your property, the sewer lines running to your property, The emergency services that protect your property etc etc.