Government Technology Executive. Former Director, Maryland State Department of Assessments & Taxation; Maryland Republican Party @mdreps past 1st Vice Chair
@klara_sjo Love the bunny police theming, but very concerned that big sis continues to be placed farther back and more out of focus with each dang Daily DANG. She better not get phased out completely, or I will be dang upset!
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
— President Calvin Coolidge
I'm talking about the investment / rental properties, not the homestead. This is just in relation to the idea of taxing property at a higher rate if the owner owns multiple properties. I used to run the property tax assessments for the State of Maryland - I've looked into this concept very carefully in trying to devise a way of limiting corporate hoarding of the housing supply. Again, love the concept, just never found a way around that particular issue.
Love the idea, but the problem is that people stash their real estate assets in separate LLCs and trusts that are nearly impossible to tie back to any single individual owner under today's corporate reporting laws and regulations. Would need to track beneficial ownership information for all real estate transactions, and the system is not set up for that.
Important additions:
1) The executive runs the administrative state, ie, all the agencies, boards and commissions. Maryland has more appointed positions than the federal government, all controlled by the governor.
2) Maryland’s legislative districts are some of the most insanely gerrymandered in the whole country. Look at the single member districts versus the 2 and even 3 member house districts, and ask why these were set up like this? It’s not random, it’s to keep Republicans from being elected.