Quote:
Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin
... because a state doesn't want to evolve ...
and pay significantly less property Tax....
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This is where I cannot agree. Instituting Sales and Income taxes to reduce property taxes is a DEVOLUTION. Most states have gone this route and it has solved NOTHING. It just shifts the tax burden around, often onto those who can least afford it.
Consider this, in NH if I want to avoid high taxes, I simply do not buy an expensive piece of property.
If I inherit one, I sell it and pocket a couple million dollars. At 5% earnings (NOT taxed by NH unless dividends and interest and even that is being phased out) on the $2 million you can take an annual $100,000 vacation anywhere in the world for the rest of your life.
Try avoiding a sales tax. It's built into much of what is bought in many states.
If you are not retired, income tax unavoidably gobbles up a chunk of your pay. In some states, high wage earners are "progressively" taxed at a higher rate.
And what do you get for your "evolved" tax structure? Usually, out of control spending because once politicians have a money pot to access they think of MANY ways to expand spending for "evolved" causes. Check in with Vermont, California, New York, ... where they are taxed through the roof, INCLUDING heavy property taxes, and they are STILL GOING BROKE. Further, since most of these "evolved" taxes are instituted at the state level, they are out of the range of local control. If you think it's tough to control local spending, controlling state spending of sales and income taxes is impossible. The federal government, where we are $33 TRILLION in debt, is FAR worse.
As others have pointed out, NH has one of the lowest overall tax burdens and, for the most part, it is funded by people who CHOOSE to buy/keep expensive property and CAN afford it and businesses who are making a profit.
If paying taxes like Vermont is "evolved", I would rather remain a property tax paying, devolved, monkey and keep more of my hard earned money. Please don't step on my tail.