Taxation w/o representation!

[ITD]

Originally Posted by Mee-n-Mac

Without opening the Pandora's Box of "what is fair" I would imply say that taxation has little to do with any concept of fairness and more closely follows the "Sutton Principle" (as in Willie Sutton the bank robber). When asked why he robbed banks, he was reputed to have said " 'cuz that's where the money is stupid !". The corollary to this is the "Can't get blood from a stone" principle. People want the Gov't (town, state or federal) to "do things" for them but don't want (sometimes can't) pay the bill when it comes due. Therefore you must get the $$ for these things from those that have the $$. So called "progessive" taxes, like income tax or property tax, attempt to do this. There is little corollation between $$ paid and benefits accrued on a per person basis.

Great explanation.

Politicians are rarely held accountable for their actions. Just look at the pork in most government budgets. People now days want government to take care of them, unfortunately government is usually very inefficient. There is no better target for a politician than a 2nd property owner who usually can't vote them out.

But I've said it before and I'll say it again, 2nd property owners will find very little sympathy about paying high taxes from most people. 2nd property owners are rich compared to the general population. They may be "house poor" but that can usually be changed very quickly with a reverse mortgage or sale, an option most people (who are not rich) don't have.