Property tax
Property tax is a tax levied on land and buildings (real estate) and on personal property. In the U.S. it is typically the main source of revenue for local government. High property taxes have the effect of depressing property values and ironically lowering tax revenues. There are two effects of this tax since the tax is levied both on the land value and the building value. The effect of the tax on land has the effect of lowering land cost, since it discourages land speculation, thus benefiting buyers and thereby making housing more affordable. The effect of the tax on the buildings has the effect of increasing costs and discouraging construction and job creation.
States with lowest property taxes (per capita, annually)
- Alabama $210
- New Mexico $283
- Kentucky $286
- Arkansas $321
- Louisiana $324
Rates vary across the states, between about 0.2% and 4% of the home value.[3]
States with highest property taxes (per capita, annually)
Not surprisingly these high property tax states are part of the welfare state-nanny state-police state mentality of leftism:
- New Jersey $1,591
- New Hampshire $1,555
- Connecticut $1,500
- New York $1,329
- Rhode Island $1,233
Source: The Tax Foundation, based on Commerce Department and Census statistics.
Note: Sales and income taxes can be reduced by effective planning and clever behavior. (Either lawfully or not advised, unlawfully.) But property taxes are different. As The Sopranos mobster said: "Them you gotta pay."[4]
See Also
- List of taxes
- Income tax
- Sales tax
- Capital gains tax
- Death tax
- Big Government-Police State-Nanny State-Welfare State-Statist
