Originally Posted by
fcoolaiddrinker
High House prices leading to the high property tax initially are the problem in ca right now imo. It’s frustrating.
Like other places there’s been a lack of building since the Great Recession. Builders didn’t want to take risks for several years after. Couple that with Covid building shutdowns and were in an unbalanced supply/demand market. All the state legislators can do is remove red tape lowering risk and cost for builders. Maybe throw in sub 1% property tax for first time and veterans. IMO that should be the focus. Not advocating property tax increases.
Yea, property taxes existed to tax the rich back when property was used to generate cash flow, and poor people didn’t own anything to pay a tax on.
In the south it was used to pay for the civil war, in the 1800s it was too hard to try and tax the cotton revenue so just tax the dirt that produces it and exempt the home.
Since property doesn’t necessarily produce cash flow anymore and we aren’t in the 1,800s anymore there are much fairer ways to have a progressive tax for local services.