Pulse: Property Owners Should Support Local Districts, Regardless of Residency Status

According to the May LANDTHINK Pulse results, 65.0% of respondents think all property owners, regardless of their state of residency, should make their contribution to county school districts as a percentage of their local property taxes. Property taxes are a type of “ad valorem” tax, and are allocated to each taxpayer proportionately based on the annual assessment value of the taxpayer’s property. The more valuable your property is, the higher your school tax will be. Property taxes pay for a variety of public services, such as libraries, road maintenance, police and fire departments, but the lion’s share of every taxpayer’s bill is used to fund local public schools. School tax is charged to all landowners, no matter the state in which they reside or if they have children enrolled in the public school system.

As last month’s Pulse results revealed, most people believe that it’s beneficial to have a good school system in the county where you live or just own property. Counties with good schools generally have higher property values, because people with children will pay more money to live in highly desirable school districts. Some studies have shown that good school systems have high retention rates, which, in turn, lower crime and incarceration rates.

The majority of the public recognizes the far-reaching benefits from an educated and literate citizenry. After all, economies would not fare well with a vast uneducated underclass, so it’s a common point of view that school taxes are simply a mandatory investment in the future. School taxes support school districts that produce young adults who eventually become productive, skilled members of society and pay back into the system, and who are better equipped for life and society.

Pouring money into a school district, however, does not always result in its improvement. Philanthropists like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have given hundreds of millions to reform public education in urban areas like Newark, New Jersey, with admittedly lackluster results. Their desired outcome was never achieved because there are many underlying factors at work. However, without taxpayer support, school districts deteriorate, and with it the community. Fair or not, taxpayers are the “village”, encumbered with a civic responsibility to ensure today’s pre-schoolers grow up to be tomorrow’s doctors, lawyers, teachers, farmers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, etc.

The May Pulse asked: Should property taxes paid on land include funding for local schools if the land owner lives out-of-state?

The LANDTHINK audience strongly expressed their opinion on the subject of whether school taxes should be levied on landowners living out of state. Here are the final results:

• 65.0% said YES, property taxes paid on land SHOULD include funding for local schools, even if the land owner lives out-of-state
• 35.0% said NO, property taxes paid on land SHOULD NOT include funding for local schools if the land owner lives out-of-state

We were pleased that so many people chimed in on this question, and we thank everyone who answered the Pulse and shared it on social media with friends and connections in the land industry. LANDTHINK would like to extend a big thank thank you to LandMart.com for sponsoring the May Pulse and for coming up with a very interesting question to pose to our audience. Whether you’re ready to buy or sell property, let the Georgia land specialists at LandMart.com earn your business. They specialize in timberland, farmland, hunting land, waterfront property, and country estates.

Become a Pulse sponsor! It’s a great way to ensure your brokerage is the first one buyers and sellers call when they have a need to buy or sell property. You’ll get insane exposure on Social + Email + Web. That’s 500,000+ monthly eyes on you! Once you have it, you won’t want to give it up! Pulse sponsorships are offered on a first come first serve basis and are subject to certain limitations. If your business would be interested in sponsoring the July Pulse question, please contact us soon.

Do you have a suggestion for next month’s Pulse question? Submit your question and we might choose yours!

We want to know what you think about our June Pulse question, chosen and sponsored by Blueshore Direct: Would you be willing to rent or lease your land for short term uses such as camping/RVing? Answer now.