Kevin P. Nelson

Minot

It is interesting to follow the proposals on cutting, reimbursing or eliminating property tax. There seems to be a continuous movement for higher levels of government to take over the funding, and then the control, of what has been a lower level’s responsibility. A prime example is how, over time, the Department of Education has supplied funding and taken control of what should be the responsibility of the teachers, administrators, school boards and parents. I also notice in the paper, almost daily, that several “grants” have been issued by the federal government for a variety of projects. They collect, (or borrow) money and then give out to a variety of projects, thereby controlling what is funded locally.

Property tax has been collected for decades by counties, cities and municipalities, and except for sales tax may be their only source of revenue. Now the state wants to reimburse or eliminate that tax. How much longer will it be before they dictate what the monies must be used for?

But why property tax, and then only for homeowners. Is it to make home ownership more affordable? If so, why not help those who may need it most, new homeowners? Eliminating property tax entirely for new owners for a period of say, 10 years, would help many to make that step. Many, if not most, persons who have owned homes for years, can more easily afford to pay. If the state really wants to help them, why not raise the amount of income on which no income tax is paid, so prospective new homeowners can build the equity required. If you are trying to help establish new businesses, why not include them in the property tax rebates? Of course, changing the income tax code to benefit them could also do that.

Of course, I am sure a very high percentage of persons in the state government own their own homes and so should remember how difficult it was to buy your first home compared to now paying the tax.

The bottom line of all this is: Keep the taxation and control of spending to the lowest possible level of government.