LETTER: When pondering a property tax hike, Nevada politicians should remember California
It’s now October 1970 and millions of Californians are opening their property tax bills: After looking at them, they believe a mistake has been made. Their property taxes have increased by a double-digit amount, from 10 percent to 25 percent. Sadly, their tax bills are correct.
Those increases are happening across the state. Retired senior citizens who live on fixed incomes are forced to sell their homes and move to another state where taxes are more stable. Some of them choose the wrong state where medical care is inadequate and, yes, many die before their time.
Meanwhile, California governments keep spending more and more, ignoring the situation they have created.
In Southern California, some concerned homeowners formed the United Taxpayers Association. Their work produced Proposition 13, which placed a cap on property taxes. Local California governments said if it passed all of the poor would be hurt and some would die. Guess what? That didn’t happen. Local governments are stronger today than they were before Prop. 13 passed in 1978.
Since our Nevada legislators now want to increase property taxes again — and with no end in sight — perhaps it’s time to revive a Prop 13 for Nevada.
To our legislators: Reduce spending instead of increasing our property taxes.
