Abolishing Home Ownership
Abolishing Home Ownership
Goal of the Property Tax Scheme
For the last three years, Omaha’s City population has been declining (https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/omaha-ne-population). Most would not notice because the Omaha metropolitan area actually grew but this growth was outside the City of Omaha’s jurisdiction. This is happening because local taxing authorities hate residential homeowners.
As I explained previously, the City of Omaha has continued to gain increasing revenues from property taxpayers (https://andrewlsullivan.substack.com/p/omaha-why-property-taxes). Property taxes are regressive as has been shown again and again (https://itep.org/whopays/nebraska-who-pays-7th-edition/)
I also have previously explained how property taxes are being used to provide free bus rides from the Omaha Transit Authority ( (https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/metro-offers-free-bus-rides-on-election-day/ and https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-metro-transit-offers-free-rides-students-help-ease-into-school/44787163 and https://www.wowt.com/2024/04/20/omahas-metro-transit-celebrates-nebraska-public-transit-week/).
But again, the Omaha City Council hands out more TIFS (https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/30/omaha-officials-last-year-gave-green-light-to-23-projects-that-represent-129m-in-tif-loans/), and who are they giving such TIFS too? Check out this PDF report (https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/images/RES-2024-0516.pdf).
Apartments! Because renters never see property tax bills to complain about. They only want government services. (Many renters also do not know how to mow a lawn, shovel snow or pick up trash.) Omaha City Government calls this “housing” but there is no “house” in “housing”. Also, all of these TIFS for rental properties are east of 72nd Street, the most politically leftist part of the City.
This giveaway only forces up residential property taxes as there are fewer direct property taxpayers. Eventually, homeowners give up and move out and development is taken over by apartments.
I just did the 30th and fowler building. How in the hell do you spend 619.50 per square foot? I'll do more over the weekend but I'm guessing this is close on all these commercial projects.
Back in the early 80s a couple years after getting involved with the LP, I wrote a article for the newsletter that you owned very little in this state. You may rent on nearly everything. Property taxes are RENT you pay to the owner of where you live or the car or boat you use. If you don't pay you will be evicted.
One thing I have contended is we must start using proper terminology and framing. Property tax is rent, mandates are orders, when a politician proposes restrictions on rights that politician is telling you he/she owns you. The authoritarian s have used this framing of taxes blah blah blah are for the children, for the poor etc... using emotional arguments. WE must do the same, using words like above. Words stir emotions and we need to use this to our advantage.