TexasCHLforum.com

get rid of property tax and you get a huge increase in sales tax (with expansion into the goods/services that are taxable), possible a new VAT, or, God forbid, a state income tax. I agree there's just something wrong with property tax, but even "renters" pay property tax through their rent fees... the landlord sure isn't going to pay it (nor should he) out of his back pocket, as it's part of the cost of doing business. I am in a position (treasurer of our county Emergency Services District) that requires me to actually adopt a tax rate for the citizens of my county that helps fund our fire departments and first responders. Most of the tax paying citizens have no idea that nearly 60% of our tax revenues for all county services are from "minerals" (oil and gas, mainly). With the decline in volume of production, reduction of oil prices, and restrictive government policies, our local revenues will most likely be greatly reduces in the future. Couple that with a dramatic decrease in volunteerism (particularly volunteer fire departments) in the last 20 or so years, and we have the makings for a real problem. Not every part of Texas is a dependant on oil and gas as we are, so the mineral values aren't a big factor statewide. My thinkinig is to leave a lot of the solution to the local areas as to how best to manage their needs. There just isn't a "one size fits all" tax scheme that will benefit every locale.

I hope I didn't ramble too much. I've been needing to vent about my personal responsibilities regarding the tax base problem for a while. Sometimes I wish they would quit re-appoiniting me to the ESD board (by the way...our ESD board is comprised of non paid volunteers)


surv

p.s. It's just my opinion, but I have always believed that charity, beginning at home and the immdiate comunity level, would go a really long way to reducing the dependence on state and federal governments, but I'm afraid that we have reached the point in societal evolution of no return. Get ready for the mother of all mother sows to be born.