By Ray DiLorenzo
Americans persistently say that taxes are too high. In a 2024 Gallup poll, 59% of adults say that the tax burden in America is excessive. That 60% number has been constant for several years. The Trump federal tax cuts and trimming of government have been welcome and certainly going in the right direction, but state tax liability never seems to come down. It only gets worse.
Democrat states have a higher average tax liability, with many substantially higher. A feeling of being surrounded by too much government with their hands out is unsettling.
New Jersey residents have allowed their state to relieve them of $1.36 million during their 45-year working life. That is over $30,000 per year for a single filer. I doubt seriously if life in New Jersey is substantially better than anywhere else. As a side note, New Jersey is a heavy Democrat state.
If the economy and market raise your home’s value, something you have no control over, your property tax rises significantly. Often, the increase in property taxes exceeds what many people can afford to pay.
A couple buys a house, raises children, pays off the mortgage, and still has to pay the state government rent for a house they own. If the kids are still home, you are in a deeper hole. If you doubt that, try not paying it.
Florida is working to eliminate property tax altogether. Gov. Ron DeSantis says counties are misusing property tax revenue on “waste, fraud, and abuse.” As a result, the governor claims that tourism and property taxes on vacation homes can generate sufficient revenue. Rest assured, Gov. DeSantis investigated the county spending and expressed that he was appalled.
I don’t believe it would be significantly different anywhere else. In California, everything that moves or doesn’t move is taxed. We all know or should know that you cannot provide any government enough money. They always have their hand out.
Of course, the counties say that to eliminate property tax will be the end of the world.
69% of taxpayers insist that property taxes are too high. Counties, states, and local governments charge exorbitant taxes for education, and their students can’t name the three branches of the federal government. A 2026 Gallup poll showed 66% of parents are dissatisfied with the quality of K-12 education.
California used to be the global standard for freeway travel. They paved the roads, and yet we ride on potholes and view garbage everywhere. It is overcrowded, the pavement is in terrible shape, and new highway construction has all but halted. All this in spite of some of the highest income, sales, property, vehicle, and fuel taxes in the nation. California drivers pay over 85 cents per gallon in total fuel taxes plus a federal tax of 18.4 cents. An average new car owner in California will pay over $5,000 in sales tax.
We criticize socialism, yet it is prevalent in our society. Subsidized housing, rent control, SNAP benefits, cash assistance, Medicaid, Head Start, LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), minimum wage, Lifeline (free or discounted internet), WIC or support for pregnant women, and corporate bailouts are all examples of government intervention. There’s even a program for children’s health if you earn too much for Medicaid. I exclude Medicare and Social Security from this discussion because every worker has invested significantly in them.
There are a plethora of lifeboats available in our country. If you are living on the street, you could very well want it that way. The problem is, those people are unsanitary, unsightly, commit crimes, and probably need psychological help. And yet, Los Angeles County pays them.
Government intervention seems endless. And yet the Democrat Party wants more government intervention in our lives. The Democratic Socialists would want the ultimate in government interference…complete control over every facet of your life.
I will grant California credit for their famous tax revolt in 1978. I was living there at the time. The revolt reshaped property taxes by capping them at 1% of the assessed value. It also restricted increases in assessed value to a maximum of 2% (the inflation factor) and mandated that properties be reassessed to current market value only upon a change in ownership.
Tax revolts do work!
I believe taxes, in general, are too high. But a perception of poor value could be one of the reasons for this dissatisfaction. Only about 25% of taxpayers believe they are receiving their money’s worth. When TV news plays person-on-the-street interviews, it is difficult to watch a college student unable to name even the first three presidents. While our 3rd graders are being taught that men can have babies, Chinese 3rd graders are being taught advanced mathematics.
We need taxes to pay for government services. We understand that. But let’s give our hard-working people and their families some breathing room. The average working individual and family are being squeezed. We can’t solve everyone’s problems, and we certainly don’t like the feeling of being strained for spurious motives.
