[quote=FlyerInHi]The use of services doesn’t correlate to taxes. Arguing it’s a subsidy makes little sense. I don’t have kids so am I subsidizing other people’s kids’ public education?
If we are going to tie taxes to services, then why not do away with taxes and charge fee for service so nobody is “subsidized”.
Why do you make a distinction for “need based”? And why draw a distinction between senior or not senior? Under your definition anyone who uses a service and not paying the full cost is getting a subsidy.
Young 20 somethings hardly use any services. Why should they “subsidize” seniors?[/quote]
Of course, Flyer, we all know that everyone uses different services and some residents might not use any but I think the ones who “don’t use any services” would be rare due to the plethora of “invisible govm’t services” we don’t realize we are using frequently. It is likely that more renters use public and social services than homeowners and they don’t (directly) pay property taxes. How do you think all these school construction bonds get passed? Do you think the majority of property-owner voters in a given school district are always in favor of taxing themselves?
The Prop 13 initiative was brought forward due to perceived “need” for it by senior citizens complaining to their representatives that their taxes were getting too high to remain in their homes until they died or became incapacitated. Many had worked hard all their lives and paid off their homes only to have their taxes spike due being assessed annually on swiftly rising values. The initiative was marketed to voters as such. But the text of the law was broadly written to include ALL landowners and did NOT require occupancy.
The (fraudulent) marketing of Prop 13 before CA voters had the same outcome as the (fraudulent) marketing of Prop B did in 2012 before SD voters. However, Prop 13 survived its subsequent legal challenges and Prop B will not.
Most voters don’t read the fine print. They vote for or against an initiative based upon what the ads are telling them or based upon whether they perceive they themselves might benefit from its enactment.
