Property tax needs to be repealed / abolished NOW! (Morgan Co info here)

[Cameramonkey]

You should at least be exempt from property taxes on your primary residence once you reach retirement age. And at least up to a certain amount. I mean, somebody like Jim Irsay in his $8m estate shouldnt be exempt, But Some elderly couple in a $200k or less house shouldnt pay. Provided they've paid at least X years of property taxes. Some old person that decides to move here and buy a house to retire in shouldnt necessarily be exempt. It should be something that folks that have paid for years get to "age out" and stop after a while.

 

[WebSnyper]

You should at least be exempt from property taxes on your primary residence once you reach retirement age. And at least up to a certain amount. I mean, somebody like Jim Irsay in his $8m estate shouldnt be exempt, But Some elderly couple in a $200k or less house shouldnt pay. Provided they've paid at least X years of property taxes. Some old person that decides to move here and buy a house to retire in shouldnt necessarily be exempt. It should be something that folks that have paid for years get to "age out" and stop after a while.

Or how about just locking in the value that's being taxed on when you buy the house since they are basically taxing unrealized gains?

That said, I'd rather it not be taxed at all on an "owned" asset.

But I'm also not too much in favor of taxing some but not others on the same type of asset, etc.

 

[edporch]

We should not have to pay property tax on our primary residence.
Or at the very least when you reach 65 years old.

So many people work their whole lives to get the home they like and pay it off.
THEN when they can finally retire and enjoy it, they get taxed out of it and have to move to a "cracker box" place they hate for the rest of their life.

 

[indykid]

Want a property tax revolt, one that would be meaningful? Just make it illegal to escrow property tax. Make people pay May and November when due. When it hits, it might make a few stand up and say "NO". When escrowed, people don't realize how much of their "mortgage" payment is to taxes. $300 per month or more can seem ok, but when told that it is $3600 plus they might not be so quiet.

When I moved to Westfield, it was a little town north of Carmel. Then modern era hit, and we became a city, and to maintain that, taxes went up. Then Westfield started getting noticed and people started moving here, so schools had to be built. Unfortunately for the Thieves of Government a Governor put a one percent cap on property tax, so Hamilton county took advantage of that and started to slowly raise home values, instant tax increase.

Last year my home went up $50,000, so my property rent...uh... tax went up $500. I have neighbors who had larger increases. I happened to have lunch with the mayor right after getting one "value" increase notice and at first he said I should be happy that my home is worth more. I responded by saying, only if I sell the house, but then I couldn't afford to replace it with something either as nice or better. I would have to move out of Westfield, which really is a nice place to live. His response was that blank stare knowing that I was speaking the truth. He had no response because he knew I had him. Amazingly lunch went nicely after that.

My wife and I designed and built this house just over 30 years ago, expecting to live our lives out here. Unfortunately my wife didn't live to see it, but I am still here enjoying this one of a kind home that if I moved could never be replaced. So I rent my home from the county paying just over 2 months worth of Social Security to rent it from the county.

DEAR INDIANA, WILL YOU MIND LETTING ME OWN MY OWN HOME!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[snorko]

I met a "county" appraiser several years ago, after a short conversation I understood why things were so messed up.

The sad thing is I know the County Assessor and he is a good guy and dedicated to doing the right thing. But mass appraisal valuation is a complex process and significant errors occur when blanket assumptions are applied across the board. With the advances in computers, or just the fact they now exist, a change of 115% in total assessment in 2 years (also mine) should throw up a red flag and warrant a second look by a human. I am not worried. I have appealed my RE assessment 3-4 times in the last 10 years and been successful each time.

 

[dieselrealtor]

Something else I have been thinking about for a while, may do another post to get ideas.

The City & State gets a LOT of free labor from homeowners & renters.

How?

By us mowing the right of way (ROW). This is different than an easement, ROW is owned by .gov but we mow it because it goes to the street from our lawn, most people don't know the difference.

Years ago I was " close to leaving that strip unmowed as a protest, ultimately I didn't because it would have negatively reflected on my business located there.

Thinking about it again, I mow a LOT of the ROW on a state road.

 

[firecadet613]

Want a property tax revolt, one that would be meaningful? Just make it illegal to escrow property tax. Make people pay May and November when due. When it hits, it might make a few stand up and say "NO". When escrowed, people don't realize how much of their "mortgage" payment is to taxes. $300 per month or more can seem ok, but when told that it is $3600 plus they might not be so quiet.

That would help, but it'll never happen, just like if they did the same with payroll taxes.

I was at the Treasurers office this morning paying mine, and even text the wife that I was the youngest guy there doing so, everyone else was surely retired and 25+ years older than me.

Something else I have been thinking about for a while, may do another post to get ideas.

The City & State gets a LOT of free labor from homeowners & renters.

How?

By us mowing the right of way (ROW). This is different than an easement, ROW is owned by .gov but we mow it because it goes to the street from our lawn, most people don't know the difference.

Years ago I was " close to leaving that strip unmowed as a protest, ultimately I didn't because it would have negatively reflected on my business located there.

Thinking about it again, I mow a LOT of the ROW on a state road.

Move out of the city. There's just a little bit of grass to be mowed on my ROW and the county had a tractor going down our road mowing it before I mowed the lawn for the first time this year.

 

[dieselrealtor]

That would help, but it'll never happen, just like if they did the same with payroll taxes.

I was at the Treasurers office this morning paying mine, and even text the wife that I was the youngest guy there doing so, everyone else was surely retired and 25+ years older than me.


Move out of the city. There's just a little bit of grass to be mowed on my ROW and the county had a tractor going down our road mowing it before I mowed the lawn for the first time this year.

Lord willing, my next move will be far enough in the country that it will not be annexed in my lifetime.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Or how about just locking in the value that's being taxed on when you buy the house since they are basically taxing unrealized gains?

That said, I'd rather it not be taxed at all on an "owned" asset.

But I'm also not too much in favor of taxing some but not others on the same type of asset, etc.

That is why I specified a tax history and having skin in the game. Just like you can retire and stop working after working for years, the same should apply to property taxes. AFTER and ONLY after you have paid for a decade or more (im not averse to 20 or 30 years total cumulative* to make it fair) that you should have vested interest in a tax holiday until you die. Not on your vacation cottage. Not on your rentals. And since its residence only, we dont have to worry about grandpa assuming his offsprings' homes as a shelter too.

I am DEFINITELY against banking/deferring the taxes against the sale of the property in probate. I've seen proposals to defer the taxes until after their death. Thats outright bull . "Your parents left their bungalow to you. Sorry not sorry that you now owe more in taxes than the house is worth because of 15 years of property taxes deferred. "


*since elderly renting and then at the end buying a house isnt a thing, its not asking too much to specify x number of years required before they are allowed to "age out"

 

[Ingomike]

 

[Timjoebillybob]

14 years ago my property tax was roughly $400. It is now close to $1800. A referendum added $200 per year but still would be $1600 now with that increase removed.

2020 taxes were $750ish, 2024 $1900. No referendum, they tried for one last year and they're trying again this year.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

That is why I specified a tax history and having skin in the game. Just like you can retire and stop working after working for years, the same should apply to property taxes. AFTER and ONLY after you have paid for a decade or more (im not averse to 20 or 30 years total cumulative* to make it fair) that you should have vested interest in a tax holiday until you die. Not on your vacation cottage. Not on your rentals. And since its residence only, we dont have to worry about grandpa assuming his offsprings' homes as a shelter too.

I am DEFINITELY against banking/deferring the taxes against the sale of the property in probate. I've seen proposals to defer the taxes until after their death. Thats outright bull . "Your parents left their bungalow to you. Sorry not sorry that you now owe more in taxes than the house is worth because of 15 years of property taxes deferred. "


*since elderly renting and then at the end buying a house isnt a thing, its not asking too much to specify x number of years required before they are allowed to "age out"

Does it all have to be at the same property? Does it still apply if they move to a more expensive property?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Does it all have to be at the same property? Does it still apply if they move to a more expensive property?

Does that happen often? Is somebody going to spend a decade+ in a slum to save on taxes in retirement ? This feels like a solution looking for a problem.

 

[NyleRN]

I also believe that most property tax is used to fund local education. If that is the case, how about making home schoolers exempt from property tax?

Absolutely not. I want the government to completely stay out of home schooling. The minute they start giving tax breaks is the minute they will say they have a vested interest in regulating us

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Skipped to the bottom of the thread here...

Someone's going to have to remind me the difference between the average republican politician and the average democrat.

Neither will cut spending. They both will rearrange the chairs on the Titantic to play games with whom they want to stick the check with but neither will do anything about the other side of the equation.

 

[rbhargan]

Someone's going to have to remind me the difference between the average republican politician and the average democrat.

Neither will cut spending. They both will rearrange the chairs on the Titantic to play games with whom they want to stick the check with but neither will do anything about the other side of the equation.

That is because "cutting spending" will not get you re-elected. People will happily agree to spending cuts that don't effect *them*, but suggest cutting spending that benefits them and you will be met with a resounding NO!

People like their bennies, and God help the politician that suggests they should be reduced or eliminated.

 

[Ingomike]

Someone's going to have to remind me the difference between the average republican politician and the average democrat.

Neither will cut spending. They both will rearrange the chairs on the Titantic to play games with whom they want to stick the check with but neither will do anything about the other side of the equation.

Happy to help you, look at the financial situation of the blue states…

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

That is because "cutting spending" will not get you re-elected. People will happily agree to spending cuts that don't effect *them*, but suggest cutting spending that benefits them and you will be met with a resounding NO!

People like their bennies, and God help the politician that suggests they should be reduced or eliminated.

Yep. Every dollar government spends has a constituency that will scream like lunch whistles if anyone proposes cutting it.

Stick the check with that guy over there! Leave my bike path alone.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Happy to help you, look at the financial situation of the blue states…

Hold on. Show me the programs and projects any Indiana republican has cut or even proposed to cut prior to raising taxes.

 

[Ingomike]

That is because "cutting spending" will not get you re-elected.

100%. It is a the people problem. Outside of INGO I don’t know more than a few folks that EVER mention “cutting spending”…