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If the current residents can't afford the property taxes, they need to relocate. On a personal level is very unfair, if its unfair at a societal level, we can d

If the current residents can't afford the property taxes, they need to relocate. On a personal level is very unfair, if its unfair at a societal level, we can debate. But the reality still stands- If you can't pay your property taxes, you need to move. It is a financial imperative. For Detroit in general, these pejoratively described "gentrifiers" could be the best thing to happen in a long time. What kind of failing community would not welcome an influx of affluent skilled workers--- A boom of these kind of folks could even ignite the local services industry and provide jobs for the remaining lower skill workers. I feel for these people on a personal level, I really do. But I don't see how ignoring economic realities is going to help them or their community long term.

pond_lilly 12y ago
What is up today with HN? I have been extremely turned off by insensitive, cruel and plain nasty comments on several threads. Why so much cruelty towards fellow humans, fellow Americans? Do you realize that your "I am fine, and to hell with ya' all" attitude is like cutting the branch you sit on? You cannot live, prosper and flourish in a society ridden with cruelty, nastiness, lack of empathy and extreme forms of egoism.
eli_gottlieb 12y ago
>On a personal level is very unfair, if its unfair at a societal level, we can debate. This has already been debated many times. The right answer is: property taxes on improvements are a malign disincentive, but property taxes on location/land value are a beneficial incentive for greater development. Detroit's location value is basically zero.
- raverbashing 12y ago
  Also on occupation. Low property taxes are an incentive to hoard properties.
thephyber 12y ago
> If you can't pay your property taxes, you need to move. I would argue you are talking in the wrong tense. Detroit has suffered from resident and employer flight for 40 years. About A MILLION people took your advice before you gave it. It has caused a tremendous downward pressure on property values and gutted employee mobility. Those people that are currently living in Detroit who can't or can just barely pay their property taxes are unlikely to be able to afford to leave and/or probably have too much hope / faith / pride (the regular irrational actors) to face the hard reality. I would bet that a lower intelligence and/or education level is likely to correlate highly with people who stick around despite the city crumbling around them. Also, if residents can't afford to pay $500 to buy their own house at county auction, they also can't afford to move and start new somewhere else. Even if they could manage to leave before foreclosure, that does not absolve them of their obligation to pay property taxes on a property they still own and likely can't sell. People that can't afford property tax bills likely also have bad credit, which is another impediment to being able to afford a move, rent / buy a new place elsewhere, and even being able to apply for a new job. I would argue that people who can't pay this month's bills don't worry about "long term". That's why there are more short term ("PayDay") loan centers than there are McDonald's restaurants nationwide. Not trying to absolve them of their bad economic sense, just pointing out some likely reasons they haven't already moved elsewhere.

pond_lilly 12y ago

What is up today with HN? I have been extremely turned off by insensitive, cruel and plain nasty comments on several threads. Why so much cruelty towards fellow humans, fellow Americans? Do you realize that your "I am fine, and to hell with ya' all" attitude is like cutting the branch you sit on? You cannot live, prosper and flourish in a society ridden with cruelty, nastiness, lack of empathy and extreme forms of egoism.

eli_gottlieb 12y ago

>On a personal level is very unfair, if its unfair at a societal level, we can debate. This has already been debated many times. The right answer is: property taxes on improvements are a malign disincentive, but property taxes on location/land value are a beneficial incentive for greater development. Detroit's location value is basically zero.

raverbashing 12y ago
Also on occupation. Low property taxes are an incentive to hoard properties.

thephyber 12y ago

> If you can't pay your property taxes, you need to move. I would argue you are talking in the wrong tense. Detroit has suffered from resident and employer flight for 40 years. About A MILLION people took your advice before you gave it. It has caused a tremendous downward pressure on property values and gutted employee mobility. Those people that are currently living in Detroit who can't or can just barely pay their property taxes are unlikely to be able to afford to leave and/or probably have too much hope / faith / pride (the regular irrational actors) to face the hard reality. I would bet that a lower intelligence and/or education level is likely to correlate highly with people who stick around despite the city crumbling around them. Also, if residents can't afford to pay $500 to buy their own house at county auction, they also can't afford to move and start new somewhere else. Even if they could manage to leave before foreclosure, that does not absolve them of their obligation to pay property taxes on a property they still own and likely can't sell. People that can't afford property tax bills likely also have bad credit, which is another impediment to being able to afford a move, rent / buy a new place elsewhere, and even being able to apply for a new job. I would argue that people who can't pay this month's bills don't worry about "long term". That's why there are more short term ("PayDay") loan centers than there are McDonald's restaurants nationwide. Not trying to absolve them of their bad economic sense, just pointing out some likely reasons they haven't already moved elsewhere.