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"That's (supposedly) why we elect representatives to account for those intangibles in political decisions involving taxation."

So elect city and county politicians that pledge to keep the property tax rate at 1%.

I believe that one of the reasons why Republicans are doing so poorly in California is that Prop 13 is a free ride for liberals who also hypocritically support low taxes. In some liberal states like New York and Massachusetts Republicans occasionally win lots of seats because the liberals wake up and realize they need to put a brake on taxing and spending. With Prop 13 these liberals were able to keep their taxes lower and get gay sex taught in the schools and funnel money to all their buddies in government employ.

This is the first I've heard that property tax is socialist. Taxes may be bad in general, but property taxes if collected and spent at the local level, allow for more local control than state income or sales taxes.

Prop 13 has been a major factor in moving control away from localities towards state government. Cities had no way to increase their local revenues and cried to the state to reimburse them. Now their hands are tied because of all the state support they get. I loved it when they all cried boo hoo because mean Gov. Brown took their redevelopment funds away from them, i.e. crony paybacks.

Also, I see the downside of Prop 13 with regard to less than optimal use of property. There are really crappy properties all around Los Angeles most likely because the owners can afford to allow them to rot in place because of the low taxes they are paying. If they had to pay higher taxes then they would have to put the properties to better use which would almost certainly result in the creation of jobs in fixing up the places, and jobs at the new businesses occupying the improved space.

So elect city and county politicians that pledge to keep the property tax rate at 1%.

All so that you can have a property tax? No. I live in Santa Cruz County, CA. The largest industry in this County is disability.

I believe that one of the reasons why Republicans are doing so poorly in California is that Prop 13 is a free ride for liberals who also hypocritically support low taxes.

While I agree that the initiative process, as installed by "progressive" Republican (RINO) Hiram Johnson, absolves the legislature of accountability and has protected it from being pitched, that does not mean that the hordes of shiftless mouths we feed today won't put a gun to our heads. There is no end to the amount of money they "need." As it is, Prop 13 keeps them from dipping into that bucket, and if they are told that it is to their advantage, they will, even if they are also told it will raise their rent.

This is the first I've heard that property tax is socialist.

Well then you have not been listening well during your long foray at FreeRepublic. A property tax is effectively a share in ownership, a payment to the State that will take your property should you fail to do so. Guess what that means as to who has the final say about your property?

I suggest you do a little reading. Henry George was an archetype of progressivism.

Taxes may be bad in general, but property taxes if collected and spent at the local level, allow for more local control than state income or sales taxes.

There are local sales and income taxes too you know.

One stop shopping for those who buy influence. OTOH, who is supposed to guarantee and protect your rights? The Feds?

You bitch about the corruption in redevelopment in one sentence and demand it in the next. Unbelievable. You like forcing people to live the way you want eh? What a control freak.