Posted on 06/11/2024 6:49:09 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
A senior from Montana has delivered a viral speech about the sorry state of property taxes in the Treasure State.
“I’m on Social Security, I’m 68-years-old and working just to pay my taxes,” says Kurt, in a clip shared on TikTok by Ryan Busse, who is running to be the next governor of Montana.
Kurt claims that over the last couple of years, his annual property taxes have soared from $895 to almost $8,000 — an increase of around 790% — which he says is like paying almost “$700 a month rent to the state to live in our own house.” The state has an Elderly Homeowner/Renter Tax Credit, and the maximum credit is $1,150.
“There needs to be a moratorium on what we have to pay,” he says, adding that he’s had to continue working into what should be his retirement golden years to cover his mounting property costs. “I’m stubborn enough [that] I don’t want to dig into my bank account to pay them.”
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
If taxes are for government services, how does value play a part? This is one fella living in a house who is using fewer government services than a family of 5 living in a double wide.
Property and inheritance taxes are the most unjust taxes known to man.
My first question is how much land is this house sitting on?
Forgot to mention that Ryan Busse is a (D). Trust Busse if you must.
Get an actual real estate appraisal and see what they price it at. If it’s lower then you can appeal the assessment.
Speaking as a senior, I haven’t changed me political philosophy, I have always been opposed to high taxes. The fact that my tax bill isn’t very high has not turned me into a tax and spend democrat. You are being quite unfair to us.
“With no property taxes, “
Here in Michigan we have:
Sales Tax
State income Tax
Sometimes City income tax
Personal property tax (vehicle, boat, etc)
Gas tax
Electric tax
and so on.
This is probably what we need here in NH.
We fund our entire government from property taxes and vehicle registrations.
NH has NO INCOME TAX
NH HAS NO SALES TAX (except 8% rooms and meals tax). If you eat out or buy prepared food there is an 8% tax.
I just received my semi annual town tax bill $4700. I have a typical house. It is not a McMansion and I do not live on lake or ocean front. All the houses abutting me have higher tax bills.
All that being said there are many seniors/retirees who can not afford to pay almost(or more) a $10000 annual property tax bill. So, we probably need to means test the income of seniors and potentially cap the rate they pay. What this will mean is that people under a certain age WILL PAY MORE.
The problem with this is that SENIORS have on average the highest amount of wealth. Their houses are typically paid off. No mortgage. Their kids no longer live with them. So, less mouths to feed. Their kids are no longer going to college. They no longer drive to work. So, their cars last longer. They pay cash for their cars many times. They also pay less in fuel tax because they do not drive as many miles and buy as much gas/diesel. They tend to eat out more because they have more disposable income. You can’t take it with you.
SO, every time I here about one of these SOB stories that so and so can not pay his property taxes because HIS HOUSE is now worth a MILLION dollars. Then sell it to a developer. Move to some place cheaper.
Bkmk
Indeed. In many States, they exist for the sole purpose of supporting the Government School system. Which should be abolished.
In Alabama we have homestead exemption for retired people. The state and counties eliminate the tax for retirees. You only have to pay what ever city property tax there is. If you live in the country rural areas or unincorporated land, there is no property tax.
Indeed. That's how the Founders set it up.
Our taxes are $12,200 a year. That’s $2000 a month for taxes and mortgage. We were thinking of selling but you can’t rent a good apartment for that amount.
With no property taxes, who do you call when a fire breaks out in your kitchen?
Do property owners buy personal firetrucks?
I would call the fire department who shows up in their brand new trucks, with police in their brand new SUV’s, and the police and fire department supervisors in their brand new vehicles. All of their vehicles, with 15,000 - 30,000 dollars worth of emergency light kits on them, can then be seen from space.
It is too bad we do not privatize services such as fire and police. It would be far less expensive.
“Speaking as a senior,”
I am also a senior and pensioner (stole that expat term) that grew up in the democrat wasteland of Detroit. Too many times I have seen people vote for so called targeted taxes (kids will starve in school if we don’t get this millage).
I will never vote for any tax increase regardless of the excuse.
Once again we see the problem is too much government. Why does government need all this money? While government is necessary for a few things, it’s completely out of control at all levels. Governments are insatiable in their thirst for money from the productive private sector and will eventually strangle that private sector. The result is then totalitarianism, which is one reason government attracts so many sociopaths.
I suspect this guys property is near Flathead Lake.
Lakefront and lake view property have gone up exponentially to regular properties. Whether those properties are in MY, ID or here in NH.
The rich people from California/NYC have bid up properties all across country. Especially IF that buyer has the ability to work from home.
IF you are running a hedge fund making a seven figure income you no longer have to work on Wall Street or San Fran or LA. Meaning, you do not need to commute from Westchester County, NY or Greenwich, CT or the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
I have one question for you regarding your stone wall. Why didn’t you just bury it? Do you not have the space on your property to do that?
This is hat I did when I rebuilt an old swimming pool years ago. I had a guy with a back hoe dig a couple holes and bury the concrete from the old pool on my property.
Pretty certain that the FOUNDERS of this Country would be appalled at the idea that the government could force you to PAY forever for the land that YOU supposedly own...
There should be no property taxes period.
Bozeman is SO expensive that people are living in RVs because they can not afford an apartment. Same story in Jackson Hole. Coeur D’Alene is also very expensive now. Sun Valley is crazy.
This guy in Kalispell is just experiencing what many others out west have already seen.
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