Column: What’s Up with that – Somewhat confused by Roger Baker

BY: Somewhat Confused
Pen name Roger Baker
Here I go again. Someone please help me understand property taxes. Am I out in left field with my thinking or just thinking irrationally? Most taxes are one and done, but not property taxes. They go on forever. Kind of like punishment. You know the feelings of being asked the same question a million times by the same person. My Mom used to ask me if I met anyone interesting each day. I think she was just trying to get me off her couch. Enough about me. Now about my property tax questions. Here we go.
Sales Tax is a one and done Tax. I buy something then I pay the government the penalty for my greed. Like I said one and done. Now property taxes are a perpetual Tax. Each year the government taxes me for living (in my house) or driving (my car). What’s Up With That? I once asked a man if he owned his home. He proudly said YES. My follow up question was, if you don’t pay your property taxes, Who owns your home? His proud smile disappeared quickly.
To make matters worse. If I want to improve on my home like add a porch or garage then I must buy a building permit. This is so someone can give me permission to do what I want to do with my property and tell me how to do. Not only that, they inform the county assessor that my property has become more valuable to me, therefore I must have extra money that they need to get their hands on. How dare I try to improve my property.
Why aren’t I just satisfied with the way things are? Don’t I know that it’s really their property. I’m just the fool who gets to support them by paying the penalty for building on their property.
My new property tax rate is a penalty or fine for trying to make things better for my family. What’s up with that? Not only does my property tax increase the next year, it becomes the new base for years to come. On the other hand, when I pay for and get a permit to tear down an old shed on my property, the county assessor never comes around and lowers my property taxes even though I cleaned up the city of an unsightly mess.
The same kind of logic applies to business personal property taxes. If one buys a new machine, he must pay the county a tax for the item year after year as long as he owns the business.
I call it Perpetual Property Taxes. The same thing happens when he adds on to his place of business as the homeowner who decided to improve his home. I guess the solution is to work from home, don’t tell anybody, don’t build a building or hire employees.
I think it’s better for me to stay right here on Mom’s couch. I can eat out of her refrigerator, let her do my laundry, drive her car and pay her own dang property taxes. What was I thinking? Of course Mom I haven’t met anyone interesting today. By the way, we need more satellite stations or at least a few new Switch games.
Now let us take the case of an individual that owns a field full of weeds or old junk rusted out cars, maybe a few dilapidated refrigerators. Let’s make it better, an old half burned out shed or an empty 80 year old leaning barn or building. They do nothing, to clean up their mess, maybe they live out of state in the state of out of sight out of mind. Their property taxes never increase. We just have to live with their unsightly scenery. What’s Up with That?
Here’s an idea. County Assessor don’t add to the property taxes of those that are trying to improve our cities and county, get your taxes from those that don’t take care of our cities or county. Talk about City and County Beautification Initiative.
I bet they will clean up their mess or sell their property to some who will care for it. Like I’ve said before, I can’t figure it out by myself. Please help me out by responding with your insights to the Progress in care of “Somewhat Confused”
Editor@ecprogress.com.
Thanks for the use of your ears.