Russian Wisdom

[Simmer]

I don't know about the rest of you, but here in Washington State, it is not only the time to pay federal taxes and also property taxes. Federal taxes are due on the 15th and property taxes are due on the 30th. Anyway, I had a Russian lady in my studio a few years back and the subject on property ownership came up. She said that we in this country are no better off than Russia when it comes to property ownership. Well, I disagreed with her, but then she said "don't pay your property taxes and then you will find out who really owns your property.

Dave

 

[DaveM]

And very fast at that as well

 

[The Seeker]

But of course you can SELL a portion or all of your property and get paid what it's worth......then someone else has to pay the taxes on it.

You do also get some benefit in return for those taxes you pay.....such as the roads, bridges, police, and firemen.

I personally think the government should get out of the education business though. Presently, you pay school taxes even if you don't have children. Or if you rent and do have children, you pay no school taxes at all.

If the government got out of the education business, no public schools, you would only have to pay to educate your kids if you had any and everyone with kids would pay regardless of if they own property or not. The money you save in paying taxes could go towards their tuition at a for-profit school. For-profit schools would spring up everywhere and compete for your business....keeping the prices low. Teachers would be able to be fired if they sucked and would ultimately probably be paid more if they are good. Parents would take a more active part in their child's education and make sure they go to school if they were paying for it directly.

 

[CarlS]

AJ, I agree with you on all counts.

 

[otherwise]

I personally think the government should get out of the education business though. Presently, you pay school taxes even if you don't have children. Or if you rent and do have children, you pay no school taxes at all.

It’s funny how two similar countries can have different approaches to education and it’s funding. In Australia we don’t have school taxes as I understand you have from your post. Our income tax goes directly the Federal Reserve. Sales taxes on things like real estate and automobiles purchases goes to our States. Our States run the hospitals, police and schools from the sales taxes. Each year they get additional funding from the Federal Reserve. The State funds all schools both public and private, but the private schools charge additional fees for the so called superior system being offered. I’ve never heard of an argument in Australia for the user pays system other than many think the private schools shouldn’t get the tax money and should be funded exclusively from the parents because most private schools are attached to a religious group. The State Governments can’t implement this argument because of the numbers that would leave private schools entering the public system would be too many for the system to handle.

 

[CarlS]

Actually, the system in the USA is very similar to your system. The states run their own own school systems using tax monies from various sources - the sources depend on the state. Schools receive federal aid from the government - which gives the federal government power to set the rules and enforce federal guidelines. Private schools do not receive federal aid nor tax money - except for those states that use vouchers.

In Florida tax money for schools comes from property taxes. The local school districts asses a tax based on the value of property. Also license tag revenues go to the school districts. As in Australia, most private schools are religious based.

 

[The Seeker]

My idea would treat primary school education which is presently now either public or private just the same as higher education such as a college or university.

Colleges and universities are all operated that way so I am proposing we do the same for basic education. The only difference would be that you'd pay no taxes for public schools and that savings would be used to educate your kids, if you have any.

 

[dazco]

It's absolutely true....you cannot ever own your home here in the U.S. Property taxes are so high that even once you have the deed you are paying "rent" to the govt for life. How is that owning your home? You can't ! One of my top 10 peeves about the "good ol' " USA.:y14:

The word "tax" is nothing more than another way of saying rent. It's all syntax. Doesn't matter what you call it, but because of it you will pay rent till you die whether you buy a house or live in a apt. A monthly fee to remain in your dwelling of choice. Who cares where it goes or what you call it? I call it BS. I say if they are going to charge a property tax, have it apply only during your mortgage. Soon as the deed is in your hand you should no longer have to pay.

 

[Dilligaf]

90% of taxes collected in the USA are un-constitutional.

 

[otherwise]

The reality is we all want to drive on good roads and have police to catch the bad bloke. We want to go to the library and when we fall off our bikes have an ambulance to take us to a quality hospital. I like my "nanny state". I payed income tax before I retired and still pay sales tax on the money that I spend. My grand kids go to school, my kids went to university and I go to the doctor etc for free, all that I have to do is keep spending and pay my land rates. I sure bitch about public money being wasted but that happens in every society be it Socialist or Capitalist. Back to the point of the thread, if I fail to pay land rates what happens in Australia is the authority keeps a running total of how far behind I get and when I die they sell my property, take the back rates (plus interest) then give the balance back to my estate. To give a example of land tax in Australia I pay about $1,700 PA on one of my properties and about $1,500 PA on the other, it's calculated on the unimproved value of the land, in other words you pay the same for a vacant block of land as the same block with a mansion on it. So do I really own my property?

 

[DaveM]

Kevin sound like you guys have a good system going your side

 

[otherwise]

Kevin sound like you guys have a good system going your side

Thanks Dave, I think we are doing very well in these times. Both our government and opposition are middle of the road (can hardly tell them apart) so it's steady as she goes. Our $ is sky high and we have record employment. It's because we are lining up with India and China the new world power houses, we supply raw material and they not only purchase but continue to invest. When it comes to social programs outsiders say we are soft on out underclasses, we say it's better to pay them to sit and watch TV than have them breaking into our houses. That's enough flag waving for now.

 

[DaveM]

Well it does look like you guys are doing thing right more than I can say for us

 

[dazco]

And/or unmoral. But then how else could they afford to pay unskilled govt workers (many fresh off the boat in the case of USPS) twice what they'd get in the private sector?

It's absolutely true....you cannot ever own your home here in the U.S. Property taxes are so high that even once you have the deed you are paying "rent" to the govt for life. How is that owning your home? You can't ! One of my top 10 peeves about the "good ol' " USA.:y14:

The word "tax" is nothing more than another way of saying rent. It's all syntax. Doesn't matter what you call it, but because of it you will pay rent till you die whether you buy a house or live in a apt. A monthly fee to remain in your dwelling of choice. Who cares where it goes or what you call it? I call it BS. I say if they are going to charge a property tax, have it apply only during your mortgage. Soon as the deed is in your hand you should no longer have to pay.