Property Tax

[JohnMOhio]

Hey Red! If your insurance premium increased by $300 a month due to that ticket I would think you need a new insurance company and a new agent. I don't know of any company that would increase the premium over that type of violation. Is there more to the story? What was your record at that time?

[dryheat]

Haven't had to use one, but hear that it is cheaper to hire a traffic ticket lawyer to get your speeding ticket reduced to no points than pay jacked up auto insurance forever. There are firms that specialize in traffic tickets. Paying the ticket for your foul deed is just the beginning.

I saw a smart guy bring his lawyer. The lawyer said something in code and the judge responded. It was well done.

[Vern Humphrey]

I agree that taxes should be paid in the form of sales tax. That way everyone pays.

As I mentioned before, I inherited a portion of land in Texas that had one producing oil well on it. For several reasons all of us who received the land sold it to avoid liability but retained the mineral rights. We paid property taxes before. Now we are charged about the same amount for the minerals under the property and pay taxes on any oil that is pumped. So, we're paying taxes for those minerals twice plus the new owners are paying property taxes on the land.

The problem with a sales tax is that it is regressive. Imagine a man who makes $40K a year. He has to spend it all to keep alive. At 30% (the usually suggested "national sales tax") he would be paying $12K a year -- a full 30% of his income.

Now imagine a man who makes $400k year -- he can't spend all that. He might spend $200k a year, and pay $60k a year in taxes, only 15% of his income. A sales tax is regressive and favors the rich.

I personally think we should pay the Fair Tax. Everyone pays exactly what I pay, to the penny.

Now some will say, "not everyone can pay that much."

And I reply, "they should be whipped until they do."

[Johnny P]

While sales tax might appear regressive, it is a tax that everyone has to pay. People that don't own any property get to vote on raising your property tax, which is then applied to only those that own property.

[Vern Humphrey]

Pretty much like it is today -- slugs who don't work vote to raise YOUR taxes,

[RED]

Hey Red! If your insurance premium increased by $300 a month due to that ticket I would think you need a new insurance company and a new agent. I don't know of any company that would increase the premium over that type of violation. Is there more to the story? What was your record at that time?

Bull!!! Read what I said!' My insurance increased $300 every 6 months not every month! I have never fought a ticket when I was guilty. When a town with 230 population tickets, all out of state cars. They are highway robbers not cops. My cost is over $15,000 in 30 years to these highway robbers pisses me off.

Oh BTW, I drove over 50,000 miles every year driving Chevy Malibus and Ford Crown Vics. My company car was licensed and leased in Illinois, or Iowa. I was working in MO, AR, KY, TN, KS, and MS. I never had a ticket in Iowa or Illinois!

[JohnMOhio]

Red, hate to say this but I just looked and you did write that it increased by "$300 every month." That is why I questioned that amount of increase and questioned the possibility of something else on your record. I meant no disrespect. Just trying to help after being in the business 40 plus years.

[Johnny P]

Years ago my dad went to an out of state gun show. On the way down he got a speeding ticket in a small town in the other state. On the way back he was careful to keep his speed just below the posted speed limit in the same town, but got another ticket for speeding. It's all about the revenue.

[JohnMOhio]

JP, your right when it comes to some places of our country. They don't have enough, I would estimate, tax revenue to support the small town or village. That is their mode to supplement it. It is not right but it happens. I don't know how we would be able to get around it. The only way I think it can be combated it two cameras. One on the road ahead and one recording your speed, both showing date and time. But, who is running the traffic court. A real judge or the Mayor of the town? Just some thought at this moment.

[S.A. Boggs]

After all this new addition my property taxes went up $30.00 and I am not complaining. In our state, for those under a certain financial level, we can claim a homestead exemption on our home, and this is what I did when I turned 65. If I told what I pay, someone would disagree as it is not possible. As for a speeding ticket, I can't peddle that fast anymore.
Sam