Taxes are not a right, they are not a guaranteed income. They are a shared responsibility. Anyone who “wants” to pays taxes (or more in taxes) is an Imbecile and deserves the lost of money. The point is, taxation should always be a fight. That is what our founding fathers setup in our constitution. When government has an easy time of raising more more more, it does. Every argument levied against Prop 13 has been about ease of money. So we don’t have property taxes, now we have huge every other tax, and bond measures like Melroose. Those are supposed to support schools, highways, police, fire, etc. So why all the bitching? Free easy money on a people that are too stupid to defend themselves against it.

Prop 13 is a statement that says “We won’t pay more just because it was an easy way to get it. Do your jobs better, and cut your spending on frivolous things (say like retired police officers getting 200+ k a year illegally? look up that string of news stories and many others like it). While the necessary side of people keeping their homes drove the emotional side that put this over the top, I am tired of hearing how “God given” taxes are. We revolted from England for much less. Has no one learned from the story of Robinhood? While it may be an interesting story, it bears telling the moral of the story. Wealthy will seek to gain more, faster. The politicians seek to keep their favor (money), and stay part of the ruling class. When the government stops fighting, and starts working together for the good of government, we’re all in trouble. We rule them, not the other way around.

WHY HAVE WE ALL FORGOTTEN THAT?

Where is Donkey?

New moderation censoring got to him?

“I fear no fish” is correct in how we feel about Prop. 13, as it pertains to commercial property. The loop-hole needs to be corrected–when the ownership changes, the property should be reassessed for taxes–just like they with the individual residences.

One of the issues that *is* central to that fight is another fact that’s never mentioned. Namely, that many commercial properties end up being exempt from having their taxes raised to market levels even when the properties are sold. That’s because many are owned by corporations, and if the corporation changes ownership there’s no change in the property tax rate. The owners simply sell the corporations, not the properties themselves.

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and you libertarians rejoice.

Of course it is not central. It is a ploy to divert attention from the fundamental issue of whether we should have a split roll for Prop. 13. Making businesses pay their fair share will not affect the homeowners being protected from housing bubbles.