Maybe we spoke to soon on the whole quote of the day thing. Speaker Tom Craddick was quoted in the San Antonio Express-News calling on the governor to call a special commission to lower property appraisal caps. Maybe what members are screaming about instead is the fact that property tax cuts really don't help them at all. Oh no! You mean the most comprehensive 'tax-cut' in Texas history isn't good for all Texans? Oh. My. God.
Wait, there's more. Here's a beautiful paragraph from the story. Read it and just let it soak in. I loved it.
Increases in the taxable value of homesteads are capped at 10 percent per year. However, this applies only to homesteads, not commercial property or second homes. Craddick noted that the value of commercial property he owns increased 371 percent last year, while his vacation home at Lake LBJ near Horseshoe Bay went up 66 percent.Sounds like instead of 'members screaming' it's Craddick that's screaming, whining, and kicking the dirt like a spoiled little rich kid. No fair! My taxes are going up really high on my lake house, y'all. Waahhh, Waaahhh. STFU.
At the Pinkdome compound here in Clarksville I can tell you that it's been great to see the riff-raff have to move out because property taxes were so high. Instead of 'working people' in the neighborhood it's full of sexy young rich people that like to jog a lot. Mmmm, the glistening sweat on the bodies of these young nubiles outside my window are...I'm sorry what were we talking about?
I love this. The idea of property appraisal caps just makes me crazy.
Let's say that Speaker Craddick lives in a home worth $500K, in an area where most other homes are in the same value range. Now, those people, having paid $500K for their houses, expect their money's worth of city/county/school services. Fair enough. They paid to live in a good area, they get good services.
Problem is, if you cap appraisals at, say, $100K, then you have people paying for $500K worth of house, and getting $100K (or less) worth of street service, police and fire coverage, school quality, etc. They don't like that very much. All of a sudden, they're complaining because it takes the fire department 25 minutes to respond to calls, and there are huge potholes in the streets.
As Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."
Since no one is even remotely considering anything close to that, it should be a non-issue. The cap is on the year-to-year increase.
It's not what they're talking about right now, but it's come up, and I wouldn't put it past them. In any case, the same issues apply.
Plus, it really has done a huge number on the states that have instituted it, or something like it.
Do I smell ANOTHER special session on appraisal creep/caps?? Another opportunity for ANOTHER Pink party????