Profoundly Changing Your State with Property Taxes
Topic: A Tax to Grind, Property Tax Administration
Thursday, 27 October 2011 by David H. LeVan
Loading ...I really like to travel! It provides a great opportunity to change my physical state and even my mental state. Over the past 20 years I’ve been able to visit almost all 50 states. “Almost” being the operative word. I’ve actually been to 49 states but that 50th state has eluded me for over a decade. The state….. North Dakota.
North Dakota may be a difficult place to get to but they must be doing something right up there. Earlier in the year they were talking about $400 million in tax cuts, now they have a constitutional amendment on the ballot to abolish property taxes all together! In June of next year the whole state (population 670,000 strong) will vote on the measure. A positive vote will make North Dakota the only state in the US to abolish property taxes. I might have to get up there to see this.
Punishing the South with Property Taxes – Amendment
Topic: A Tax to Grind, Property Tax Administration
Monday, 24 October 2011 by David H. LeVan
Loading ...As a clarification to my blog on Friday, I don’t believe the South succeeded in seceding. Thanks to those who noticed and pointed out the miswording : )
Punishing the South with Property Taxes
Topic: A Tax to Grind
Thursday, 20 October 2011 by David H. LeVan
Loading ...At the end of the Civil War, a group of extremist polititians controlled Washington. They wanted to finish the South off once and for all, and the weapon to accomplish this…….. Property Taxes! The Direct Land Tax of 1861 was set up before the war, to force revenue from the states that had succeeded (or were thinking about succeeding). Property taxes on land were accrued for the duration of the war. When the war was over, penalties of 50% were added to the delinquent taxes. Special federal commissioners were sent to the South, empowered to collect the taxes or sell the land from anyone who couldn’t pay the tax. The extremists found a way to punish the already devastated South. Imagine that…. politicians using taxes as a weapon!