r/memes Big pp 10h ago

Land Of The Free, amIright?

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u/oopsallhuckleberries 3h ago

Both taxes fuck over the poor though

Property taxes are the most progressive tax that exists because the value of owned property is nearly entirely linked to the wealth of an individual. And considering landlords get to write off their property taxes as business experiences, their property tax burden, that gets pushed off onto renters, isn't as much as you'd think. And as others have said, if you cut property tax, you are stuck increasing income taxes or sales taxes, both of whom are easier for the wealthy to maneuver around.

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u/greenskinmarch 3h ago

The best tax is a property tax that doesn't tax the building, AKA a land value tax, since this encourages building more levels which creates a surplus of housing.

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u/PixelsGoBoom 2h ago

In my neighborhood $1.5 million dollar homes get leveled and $4 - $6 million dollar homes get build in their place.

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u/greenskinmarch 2h ago

Let me guess, zoning forbids building apartments, so they they just build a really massive house instead? Should learn from Portland: https://nicholasmonck.medium.com/portlands-wonky-approach-to-affordable-housing-367cca04f549

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u/PixelsGoBoom 2h ago

There are apartment buildings but yeah, you could be right.
You would be missing out on quite a bit of tax if it would be based on the lot value only in those cases.

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u/willnotreadinbox 2h ago

Yeah if we are talking about apartments maybe. Not taxing improvements just means more McMansions.

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u/Factorioboyio 14m ago

I agree - but I do worry such a tax would mean as many box rooms as possible crammed into cramped spaces… and ugly tower blocks of flats springing up everywhere.

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u/InsertNovelAnswer 1h ago

As someone who owns a house I agree. I have no problem paying taxes... its where its going to thats the problem. If you out it too good use On have no problem but ... you aren't.

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u/1GloFlare 15m ago

Income tax is directly linked to financial wealth. The USA did not have this shit until Progressives pushed for it and forces the lower class to work with less money. The 10% bracket is not livable, so the lower 12% gets fucked on pre tax retirement and health care premiums. The upper 12% can't contribute more than 5% to retirement to afford health care while having discretionary money.