[Michael.SF.]

One thing that should be done, is not just limiting the increases in assessed value, but limiting the *tax rate* increases

All good points.

I have mulled around, in my mind, another possible alternative, that being this:

You buy a house and pay, through the life of the mortgage, a fixed tax based on the value of the house. After a mortgage is paid off, the owner's tax is then locked in at the amount he paid in the last year (or average of last five). This then locks in the tax at, what should be, an affordable rate for the balance of his life.

if the owner chooses to sell, well, the game starts over, by his choice.

[ChildOfThe60s]

That idea has some merit. I think we agree that no matter how they are being determined, property taxes are way too much of the revenue pie the government is feasting upon.

One of the pluses of consumption taxes is that, in theory, money is being collected from those that can most afford it. And, again in theory, I have the option of consuming less in order to pay fewer taxes. The libs think that is a great idea for gasoline, right? Raise the price so I consume less? Well, why shouldn’t I be able to lower my taxes by consuming less?