The following is a meme from Facebook. Such posts disturb me greatly and they represent a widespread- too widespread – perspective.
If you want to pay less, somebody else pays more. If you favor certain jobs to be paid more, costs and prices go up.
If you think seniors deserve more, younger people foot the bill. If you think government should fund child care and college, which generation pays?
There is no magic wand, no golden goose. Sooner or later one way or the other the bill comes due.
Why is that so hard for many people to understand?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
I WAS already funding college through property taxes, now I’m funding it through tuition forgiveness… I’m done. Yes, reduce property tax for those over 65.
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How does funding college with property taxes work?
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In our state the public colleges request levies at election time. If they pass, then they get added to property taxes.
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In the last 4 elections that have had education bond increases for schools, the voters have not approved any of them. I think we are getting wise to the never ending increases in property taxes.
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I think MOST seniors should pay, but not all. I live in a city with extremely high property tax. (It’s a progressive paradise with about 40,000 student voters. )
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that people who have lived in modest homes here for decades are now being squeezed out of their homes as the assessments are rapidly rising and consequently their property taxes are also escalating. If the owners are living primarily on Social Security, the death of the first partner will make the survivor’s situation even more dire. Selling the house would free up equity, but if present housing is small, there really isn’t a downsizing option. I think people in such circumstances shouldn’t be driven from their homes by property tax.
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How does me paying less in property taxes going to cause someone else to pay more? Maybe the politicians should use tax dollars better and limit what employees get in compensation to lower everyone’s property tax bill. My sister who is 72 saves $600 per year in property tax in TX. Big deal since, she now has that income to help our 91 year old mother. I see no problem with giving someone with $35,000 per year in retirement income a little help, since at her income level she qualifies for zero aid programs.
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If a town needs x amount in revenue – even assuming it is efficient – and divides the taxes need among 5,000 residents each pays a certain amount. If they then divide it among only 4,000 because seniors get a break, the 4,000 must pay more to generate the needed revenue.
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They need to adjust the budget, like we all do, but that is not how it works, government just keeps raising the TAKE! Since I retired from the USAF in 1995 the DoD budget has increased 47% above inflation, there is no end, to the out of control spending of local, state and federal governments. Since the government has several revenue streams at the state level, I do not believe lower property taxes for people over 65 causes many problems, it is not like they are paying zero property tax.
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You probably are right, but who wants to tell the citizens who will lose the services they demand.
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What services are you talking about???
Except for emergency services, if it will lower taxes, I am all for a part time government. When government offices are closed, my life is just great, lol
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Water, sewers, schools, recreation facilities are all paid for with my property taxes with schools being 60% of the total.
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A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. —
George Bernard Shaw
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Sorry, our Constitution provides for a federal government of “limited, enumerated powers”. So every new entitlement provided by the federal government (whether a new benefit and/or relief from taxation) should be evaluated against that goal. Property taxes are almost always a function of state and local government. Our constitution only allows for apportionment of taxes based on headcount, excise taxes, and income taxes – not taxes based on wealth or property.
So, I am all for New Jersey (or choose your state) putting a referendum (or an amendment to the state constitution) that would eliminate property taxes on older residents who own a principal residence, while raising property taxes on younger residents who also own a principal residence or those who own residences for rent. Put that to a vote statewide and see what happens.
However, I think I know which way the vote would go, assuming all the implications are explained to younger principal residence owners, and those who rent. You’ll likely hear them say, this is a good idea, however, don’t raise MY taxes, instead:
Don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax that guy behind the tree.” (e.g., higher income individuals, corporations, someone else …)
or
The best tax is the one I owe and you pay!
Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving.
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When I was in high school and I first started working I was well aware of Benjamin Franklin quote that “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”.
Did something change? Do seniors really expect to cheat both death and taxes? I lived these past 40 years since high school believing that I will always have to pay taxes until I die. Why would I think differently?
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I think most people have genuinely good intentions when advocating helping the poor or seniors or whomever. What is sorely lacking is good economic knowledge. The good intentioned don’t really know or even think about consequences.
Sadly, this ignorance of economics allows politicians and advocate groups to thrive.
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I think for the most part you are right. The same is true for those who simply believe they are entitled to more-as is the case for many of us seniors, students, etc. One way or another we are all connected economically.
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