Frank Alford, who owns several single-family rental homes, said it’s his way of protesting higher taxes, reported WLKY-TV in Louisville, Ky.

When Mr Alford recently walked into the Floyd County treasurer’s office, a deputy clerk immediately recognized Alford because last year, he paid his taxes with dollar bills.

Alford loaded a garbage can with $21,333 in Susan B. Anthony dollar coins, and he carried a sign that read, “Property taxes gone wild.”

“I’m letting them know I’m a very unhappy taxpayer,” he said.

Alford claims that his property taxes have gone up 48 percent since 2006, and tax relief recently passed by the Indiana Legislature has done nothing for people who own rental property.

And this may not be his last protest.

“If we don’t get some relief, it may be in quarters, dimes or pennies next year,” he said. “I’m angry at them.”

I have to agree that property taxes are way out of line with the current real estate slump. However, knowing that the government is always a couple of years behind in adjusting tax rates, I am not surprised.

Maybe actions such as this will get the government to move quicker in lining up tax rates with current property values. Or maybe they will simply say, “Money is money so long as the tax is paid!”

Original story at wftv.com.

This among other reasons is why I will never buy a Chrysler and GM product again.

My question is, what kind of business can stay behind its competition for years and years making a product that in many ways is inferior, steadily losing market share along the way and then ask the government to bail them out? Obviously ones that are more focused on government lobbying than their customers.

The sad thing is whether you have ever bought a Chrysler or GM product no longer matters. We are all their customers now (at least if you pay your taxes) as the $17.4 billion is non other than taxpayer money. I among many Americans did not approve this action and this is one of many reasons why I am now boycotting Chrysler and General Motors.

While I sympathize with American workers who stand to lose their jobs, at the same time I’d advise them to seek a new career or possibly even look for work at a competing auto maker. I just don’t have confidence that Chrysler and General Motors are going to be able to fix problems that have been piling up for years and years in just a few months. This essentially means they will be back early next year asking for more of taxpayer money.

When questioned as to whether the companies should be left to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy so they can restructure, those against this course of action argue that consumer confidence would not be good when a company is in bankruptcy. In other words, who is going to buy a car from a company in bankruptcy? Is borrowing taxpayer money despite overwhelming disapproval by those taxpayers any better for consumer confidence ? I think not!

As far as the arguement that the bailout is necessary because so many American jobs will be lost to foreign auto makers, do not many of the foreign companies have plants here in the United States?

Honda was the first Japanese automaker to produce automobiles in the United States beginning with an auto plant near Marysville, Ohio, where production of Honda Accords began on Nov. 1 1982. Today, the Marysville Auto Plant manufactures the Accord Sedan and Coupe models, and the Acura TL on two assembly lines using domestic and globally sourced parts.

Toyota has eight plants in the United States with its largest in Georgetown, Kentucky. This plant is Toyota’s 2nd largest facility outside Japan.

Nissan, Hyundai and Kia are additional foreign owned auto makers that have manufacturing plants located in the United States. I’m sure there are others. And who works at these plants – foreigners? No but good ol’ Americans.

While many Americans would lose their jobs if Chrysler and GM were to go out of business, there seems to be plenty of opportunity for employment in the auto industry within the United States.

So I’m through with Chrysler and General Motors. My last vehicle was a Jeep Grand Cherokee which I enjoyed thoroughly until it started to fall apart after 100,000 miles. Now besides my old 1967 Ford Mustang, I’ll most likely stick to Toyota, Honda or Nissan products.

I’m pissed that two failing auto makers got my money without my approval and that does not make me want to do business with them.

I can only hope that others will follow suit, not so American workers can lose their jobs and two iconic auto makers can go down in flames but so that the U.S. Government will learn a powerful lesson not to continue to offer these bailouts which are in all reality bad investments and dangerous to the stability of our economy.

An article at MSN Money had the following to say about people’s attitude towards property taxes:

A recent poll by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation says that no tax annoys Americans as much as the property tax. One probable reason for this, according to a foundation report, is that property owners often have to write the checks themselves, increasing the likelihood of sticker shock. Another reason is that because of the housing boom of the past few years, property taxes have climbed more quickly than incomes. People don’t like it when their tax bills outpace their paychecks. Also, because about half of property taxes go to fund education, some people without children in school object to paying.

Now, I’m not concerned with sticker shock from having to write two rather large checks each year. I have to admit that I am a bit concerned over the housing boom and inflated property taxes. I’ve already mentioned the education factor. However, the main reason why I oppose a continuous property tax charged year after year, basically until I’m dead, is that it is my property, not the government’s. Or is it really?

We already pay continuous taxes for our automobiles, even though we own them. I have an easier time accepting this due to the fact that I drive my vehicles on Arizona roads of which someone has to maintain them. Therefore I can understand a continuous tax on personal property such as vehicles. But what if I had to pay taxes every year on my big screen television or the dining room set we purchased last year or my collection of musical instruments… I think you get the point.

I already pay home owner’s association (HOA) fees which help to maintain the community I live in, but as for my home, I am completely responsible for maintaining it. When something breaks or deteriorates, I have to foot the bill. I have to regularly maintain the property such as keeping up the landscaping or simply keeping the home clean. The government doesn’t do anything to facilitate me having a home nor anything to maintain it and yet, I pay property taxes every year on a physical structure and on land I am supposed to own.

Georgia Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson is one politician who wants to wipe out property taxes on homes, cars and businesses and replace the revenue with taxes on things such as legal fees, groceries and haircuts. The same article points out that tax reform is expected to be the hottest topic of the 2008 session. Several proposals have already been introduced from Governor Sonny Perdue’s tax break for upper-income senior citizens to a plan to eliminate property taxes on cars and trucks. More are expected.

Of course if property tax was to be abolished, how would we replace those funds? I don’t think finding additional things to tax is the answer. It would be heavenly bliss if we could cut out all the governmental waste so we wouldn’t need so many taxes, but that is another subject I won’t deal with here.

Here is what I’d like to see. First of all, property tax needs to be abolished, done away with, put to rest. In its place, a tax on those who hold mortgages on the properties they own, which is most of us I might add. For those who own their properties free and clear – no property taxes! In this manner, once you pay off your mortgage or buy property without incurring debt, you are done. This would apply to both individuals and businesses.

It is a sad thing to look forward to your mortgage burning party but in the back of your mind to know that you still have to pay taxes on your property, that you now own free and clear, until you die. It is wrong in so many ways. I can only hope that sensible property tax reform will come to fruition in my lifetime.

Note: This entry was originally published on my personal blog.