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1. The property tax rates in fifty states may not be all that helpful. I live in Pinal County which is in central rural Arizona and plan to move to Cochise County in Southeast rural Arizona. Land, homes and water is cheaper there as there is little industry or jobs. Not only are the property tax rates higher, but the assessors are much less understanding as they are desperate for revenue because their tax base is imploding.

2. That chart provides little meaningful information. For example, the property tax rate is applied to the appraised value of the property. But not all states appraise the property at the true market value. Additionally, the chart implies a set rate that is uniform across a given state. That’s typically not the case. Instead, most states allow local towns, counties, school and hospital districts to impose additional property taxes.

   To illustrate the point, based on the chart, it would appear that Texas and Pennsylvania have pretty close property tax rates. In fact, that is not the case. Texas’s actual rates in real life are probably 3x higher than PA.

   Just some food for thought.

3. I live in West Texas. Our taxes went up a few hundred dollars last year. I called and asked why, to which I was told that forcloaures affect the tax base. I honestly think it is all a bunch of bologna. When the powers that be determine they need more revenue, the tax payers are always taken to task for it. I’m really tired of it to be honest.

   1. So why didn’t Texas vote for Debra Medina in 2010? Would have eliminated property taxes in favor of an 8.25% sales tax. Texas property taxes have been very high for a very long time. Voters don’t think.

      1. Why? Because she got bushwhacked during her campaign by a republican troll. That gave perry his next term.

4. Though the Democratic-controlled legislature of California is struggling to make it easier to raise property taxes, Proposition 13 in 1977 really helped stave off sudden rises in property tax. Since then, you pay a percentage of the purchase price of your home, whether you bought it in 1955 or 2015. You know what you’ll be paying, and can plan – or buy a cheaper home. Yes, they can raise your property taxes every year, but only by 1%. Of course, those who bought as the prices kept climbing, (dipped and recovered quickly) pay more than earlier purchasers. It seems unfair to those later purchasers, but not nearly as unfair as New Jersey, who assess your property based on current market value (and never down! despite Sandy). So many older folks have lost their homes because a McMansion was built on either side of them, thus driving up property value (and taxes), through no action on their part. School bonds often drove taxes up, too, and administrative jobs proliferated.

5. http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2017/04/07/hooded-handcuffed-and-violated-south-dakotas-use-forced-catheterization/100000158/

   It wasn’t just the toddler, and because it is the accusation of the war on drugs (I smell marijuana – the dog (didn’t or did) wag its tail, we have probable cause to stick a catheter up…).

   The 4th amendment is now like the cheshire cat where the emanations and penumbras protect abortion but you can be raped by the police. And in jail, multiple times a day in a body cavity search. Security, protect the officers, etc.

6. This is similar to a case where they gave some poor guy an enema and X rays against his will because they suspected him of transporting ingested drugs. Unconstitutional, and against all fundamentals of medical privacy. The test results were negative…of course.

7. As noted above the property tax chart should be used as a rule of thumb. In Minnesota the state offers a homestead tax credit for people’s permanent residence and also a special tax credit refund for certain increases from year to year. These programs can reduce the tax you pay by up to 50%.

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