DConf 2013 Day 3 Talk 1: Metaprogramming in the Real World by Don Clugston

[Charles Hixson]

On 06/11/2013 08:59 PM, Steven Schveighoffer wrote:
> On Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:36:11 -0400, Jesse Phillips
> <Jesse.K.Phillips+D at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday, 11 June 2013 at 21:55:48 UTC, Adam D. Ruppe wrote:
>>> ...and if you sell it, unless you own multiple houses, you're now
>>> homeless. And housing prices are up, so getting a new house will
>>> erase the gains you got from selling the old house! So I don't think
>>> raising property values makes me wealthier at all.
>>
>> But when housing cost goes up the government can take more from you on
>> anything based on your "wealth." Just because you can't pay because
>> your wealth is all chewed up in material things like a house, who cares!
>
> In the US at least, only home sales (or transfers of ownership, like
> inheritance) are taxed. As long as you live there, they will not (and I
> believe they cannot) tax you based on the "current value."
>
> Property taxes are different, and you will be paying those no matter how
> you live (rent or own).
>
> And you are allowed to transfer equity from your current home into a new
> home tax free, even if you gained, up to a certain amount. I think there
> are limitations on how many times you can do this...
>
> The tax system is definitely set up to favor the homeowner, not the renter.
>
> -Steve
That's a state-by-state decision.  As to whether it's fair...I could 
make a case against either side.