TAXES: Two things that work

For new construction, California had two good ideas, one was called Mello-Roos and the other Proposition 13.

Proposition 13 protected homeowners from rising property taxes. Values of homes were rising so much it was forcing older homeowners out of their homes. Many people worked hard to pay off their homes before retirement, only to find out years later they could not afford the property taxes. When you’re on a fixed income this made a big difference. You paid taxes on the price of your home when you bought it and not what it was selling for in a rising market.

New construction had a Mello-Roos tax tacked on for builders and new homebuyers to help pay for the needed infrastructure.

While I am certainly not a fan of California’s government, I think these two items could be of some benefit to our rising population and rising taxes.

GEORGE SILVA

Coeur d’Alene