AJC.com > Blogs > Get Schooled > Archives > 2005 > August > 29
Monday, August 29, 2005
Paying for Schools at the Cash Register
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who wants to pay for schools this way? According to this story, lots of Georgians favor the idea of raising sales tax to fund schools and eliminating property taxes for schools.
The idea is that the burden of funding schools would be spread across the population, as everyone buys a gallon of milk but not everyone owns property. (Renters still pay property taxes as part of their rent, right?)
Proponents say the shift to sales tax would offer homeowners much-needed relief. Low interest rates have allowed many middle-class Georgians to buy homes, but such families often struggle to pay the mortgage. Also, soaring home values have sent taxes soaring for long-time residents whose children are grown.
Opponents say the sales tax unfairly burdens poor people by taxing them on necessities they purchase. The tax could include all purchases such as groceries.
School systems seem generally opposed, fearing they wouldn’t get enough revenue to fund schools.
I love this quote from a lawmaker that property tax is the most hated tax in the state. Who likes taxes of any kind? My property tax bill is paid by the mortgage company using funds from my escrow, so in that way it’s less painful than the ad velorem, which manages to come due just after a major, unexpected home expense.
What do you think? Is a tax a tax, or do you prefer one over the other? Would the sales tax put kids at risk of not getting the things they need at school?
