Why? Because apparently they need some more incentive to keep units occupied. Also, even though a property might be vacant, there’s still imputed rental income there. Its owner is just receiving it in the form of enjoying the unit for himself instead of receiving an actual rent check from a tenant. That imputed rent ought to be taxed like any other income.

  • zurohki@aussie.zone
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    1 year ago

    No, he’s receiving value from it. That’s not the same thing as income. You can’t tax a percentage of value, only actual money.

    You’re guessing how much rent he could be collecting and taxing a percentage of the imaginary rent payments… You’re really bending over backwards here to implement a property tax or vacancy tax but with a bunch of extra steps.

    • greenskye@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Wrong. Basically everyone who’s ever paid property taxes has been taxed on value. Even though I haven’t sold it or nor plan to anytime soon, I owe increased taxes because the estimated value of it has gone up.

      • Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org
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        1 year ago

        Basically everyone who’s ever paid property taxes has been taxed on value.

        Right, but you pay property taxes based on the assessed value of the property, you don’t also pay income taxes on property unless that property is actually generating an income.

        For example, you don’t have to figure how much you could hypothetically rent your home for if you weren’t living in it and add that to your income, even if you are wealthy enough to have a second home or summer home or something. It really just sounds like NY should significantly raise the property tax rate for unoccupied residential properties other than a primary residence, especially unoccpied residential properties owned by a commercial entity.

        • greenskye@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          Agreed, I’d drastically increase the vacant property taxes such that they might approximate income taxes for a leased property. Seems simpler for the same effect.

      • Piecemakers@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Don’t bother. This post is quickly becoming a circlejerk; they’re not interested in learning, just bitching and stroking each other off.

    • CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.workOP
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      1 year ago

      That’s not true. If I receive artwork, a car, shares of stock, room and board, free tuition, etc., then that is income on I which I will owe taxes. Figuring out the value of these things isn’t a guess. It’s an estimate based on actual market data. It’s actually kind of easy in the case of a rental property since the landlord will have advertised the rent amount. So, if he wants to pay lower tax then he can just lower his ask.