Reader comments
Avoid harmful tax fixes

They are not assessing properly when they do do it. They use neighborhood averages and never look at the property. Increases that needed voter approval just like a bond would create a good system of checks and balance.To say voters do not need to be involved because not enough vote is plain silly.

Fix why I have to pay property taxes and the land that is behind my property pays NOTHING and it is twice as big as mine and with alot more waste water from their parking lots in the sewer. I pay my share why can not they?

Spot on! The unintended consequences of most of these "fixes" would be catastrophic.

Their may or may not be a need for property tax reform, but your editorial makes no points worth considering. First, lack of response to increased taxes does not mean a lack of interest or concern. Why can't busy bodies who spend their lives talking and writing on public issues ever come to understand that the diverse body of citizens have interests other than government even when that government is burdening them with creeping tax increases. Most citizens don't know the procedure for challenging and if it's just a few more dollars this year, why bother. Second, what is it with you people that you think that all elderly on fixed incomes should be reduced to penury before they get consideration.

I would be all for a tax system that gives a fair assessment then holds increases to 1% a year after that. Retired elderly should not be subject to increases at all. All property tax increases are a money grab by state, county and city governments

I am retired, but I don't expect a discount on everything. There is really no such thing as "fixed income" even social security has a COLA. There is however such a thing as "low income" whether you are retired and elderly or not.

I agree with this article. When changing the tax laws the first rule should be, "Do no harm," and the next is beware of unintended consequences, like California's Prop 13.

There are two types of taxes, good taxes and bad taxes. Good taxes are those that I benefit from, but don't pay. Bad taxes are all of the rest of them.

Your editorial is wrong. Most of what govrnment does is wasteful, harmful or stupid. The idea of limiting taxing power is wonderful. The problem is not truth in taxation it is way too much taxation. If going to the ballot box everytime property taxes are raised more than the inflation rate will stop local government in its tracks that would be wonderful. Witness the latest travesty about commuter rail. The mayors of these cities should be recalled immediately and the legislature should stop UTA dead in its traxs on this. Commuter rail will never ever pay for itself just as trax has never done. If the legislature had the courage they would stop this fraud now and pass a prop 13 type of measure to totally handcuff local officials from doing anything more than the core functions of government.

is the sheer amount of money taken by taxes. When they boost taxes, I have no choice but to give up something, because I have to live within my means. THEY need to learn to do without things once in a while, instead of the steal-and-spend way they do things now. It's like having the Sopranos up there.

Thanks, Deseret News, for being a keen observer of so many proposals. Yes, we need reasonable solutions to prevent sudden spikes in taxes, but we also need the critical services that are provided by property taxes. Keep an eye on the proposals and keep your readers informed. The Legislature needs supervision.