https://donhuffines.com/property-taxes/
I hate property taxes bc it never ends. It’s like rent for life.
This candidate wants to end it and do a sales tax but no income tax which could work.
What do y’all think
1 Like
Sales tax increase is a burden on the unfortunate. As a retiree, I would love to see state income tax to offset my property tax increases. Ain’t gonna happen…Too many talking points would disappear.
They would prob exempt food and clothing which he mentioned on another web page. However rents would go down and poorer people might be able to buy and keep homes so it could trickle down to help the poor in some ways. The main thing is you have control on what you spend vs auto property taxes. They would prob exempt necessities.
I noticed he didn’t say how much the sales tax would be. My guess is it would be really ugly. He’s right that Texas has some of the highest property taxes in the country. It also has some of the highest sales taxes.
https://donhuffines.com/issues/
He’s thinking 16% or so
So more than double (assuming that’s just the state piece). That would be by far the highest in the country.
And I’m not sure 16% would be enough but would have to see the numbers. The money to fund things has to come from somewhere. I’m guessing he’s expecting to cut a lot of waste that would never actually happen either. The Governor doesn’t get to just do whatever he wants.
In the end, it’s a pick your poison kind of deal. Texas is locked into a sales and property tax model instead of income taxes.
My 2 cents is a 16% sales tax even if only on non food items will never fly.
Question: Is there any state, or country for that matter,
that has went all in on sales tax as primary source of revenue ?
Property tax
sales tax
income tax
VAT
I’m voting for cuomo
One of my biggest pet peeves is candidates pandering for votes with wild and impossible promises such as Medicare For All or the elimination of property taxes. Financially impossible.
The state currently funds most of a 250 billion biannual budget with a 6.25% sales tax while most of the heavy governmental lifting is left to local government- cities, counties, school districts, MUDs and special districts. These entities generate funds mostly through property taxes and provide law enforcement, fire, EMS, hospitals, roads, bridges, ports, water, sewer, public schools, libraries etc.
I’ve read studies that to replicate all of that it would be at-least quadruple the current combined sales tax of 8.25%.
Two other major considerations: 1. Sales tax can wildly fluctuate placing extreme budgeting strain for the local governments tasked with providing those local basic services. 2. Some areas (think rural Texas) have little to no sales tax so a Robin Hood system would have to be created which is root of a lot of community animosity (ie “why is my tax money going to Nowhere, Texas? It should stay local”)
I don’t love taxes but I appreciate and want good local government. What I don’t want are more pandering political candidates.
2 Likes
There are some communities that are small enough but have a large retail presence like an outlet mall and have eliminated property taxes. Not very common
LOL, you think landlords are going to let that profit go back to the consumer…
Medicare for all, without subrogation, would eliminate massive costs associated with insurance premiums and the huge profits carved out by corporate insurance companies.
If Republicans understood the tort reform potential for
Medicare for all, they would be “all in.”
1 Like
Exactly and if you eliminate private ins , we’d save a lot there bc these are publicly help companies on the stock exchange beholden to share holders. Canadians won’t give up what they have for our messed up healthcare system. We could still have the best system allowing innovation where the gov buys the best from various free the free market. I liked the plan for Medicare for 55 and older which would reduce costs for private company ins.
High sales taxes would hurt the poorest the most, it’s really that simple.
Sales tax is a user tax…not sure your definition of poor but the poor doesn’t buy much…a lot it free
Abbott is not going to lose to Huffines or Beto.
2 Likes
Hope your right…we need turnover of judges DA’s and Prosecutors in this country…mostly Texas
As much as I am not a big Abbott fan. The guys going up against him are much worse.
2 Likes
Sales and excise taxes are considered regressive taxes. The rich pay a lower percentage of their income on sales taxes than the middle class or poor. The rich will likely pay more (as they buy more stuff) but it’s generally a much lower percentage of their total income.
Some think that’s ok and I’m not saying that to start that debate. But they do hit the poor the hardest as a percentage of their income.
1 Like
I think they will exempt a lot of necessities and make it fair for the poor. So what to we do, just keep raising property taxes? It keeps Home ownership low for the poor and then they have to rent for life. It would be a boom for home ownership for the poor with no property taxes building their own equity.
1 Like