Originally Posted by
Profane Kahuna
Everyone should pay the same tax rate
The problem with that (and the reason for prop 13) was that working class and/or retired people bought a modest house decades ago for a modest price. Insane real estate appreciation sends their paper value through the roof, and their tax follows along with it... there were older people who had paid off their homes who were literally forced out because their annul tax bill was 5-10 times what their original mortgage payment was.
Gov was happy to seize their home and sell it, leaving them with the remaining proceeds to rent a double-wide in Bakersfield or Little Rock. Got to get those damn old people the hell out of up-and-coming neighborhoods to make room for trendy DINK yuppies... it's all about the tax base! Income, property, sales, school, road, gas, etc, etc