Reply #44: without property tax, no public schools in most areas

[amazona]

We would need to see massive reform such that the federal government would support good public schools in all areas. Not gonna happen. Look at schools where there is no property tax base -- poor people live there -- and the little money there is spent on metal detectors and trying to keep too many kids and teachers from getting shot at.

Unless you are going to agitate for a much increased federal funding to our schools, then you would be killing the good public schools that remain by getting rid of property tax. I'm not sure that it would be popular with the voters. The best public schools in Louisiana are in such areas as Mandeville where there is a property tax, and it has not stopped people from moving to Mandeville, even though it is a homestead state and there are lots of other places people could move instead. People know, you pay a reasonable property tax or you pay a ridiculously higher expense for private schools, which are often academically questionable.

If there was another federal New Deal, and our schools were to be supported, then, yes, I certainly agree that property tax can be very harmful because it drives older people out of their communities.

On Edit: In my parish, you register with the assessor when you turn 65 so that your assessment cannot be increased. Why isn't this done in other states? Is it because Louisiana is a homestead state?