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by socialismisok 1304 days ago
Aggressively tax vacant units is the simplest to implement, but there's a lot (lot) more that could be done.
1 comments

How does one determine if it’s vacant?

I could just leave a PC on mining some random coin to ensure there was always a bit of power going on. Likewise leave a tap slowly going. Cheaper than any tax most likely.

If it's not vacant, it's someone's primary residence which is recorded, but also the landlords will have receipts and be taxed. If there is a vacant unit, the landlord's income with be smaller than expected and can be used to ask the landlord to attest to the occupancy of their units.
Some level of registration of population. Have to have a legal resident residing in the home with the address or it is vacant.
What if you go on holiday?
You can go wherever you want. The house isn’t going anywhere, it’s still registered as yours and you still pay taxes for it, with a discount if you designate it as your primary residence.
Residing meaning that your official address is there. If you go vacation for such long time that you move your address the home becomes vacant.
The lowest rate of tax increase only happens after 2 years. Are people taking 24 month holidays normally?
Usually it's based on where you file your taxes. You can only file taxes from one address.
Would this mean an end to holiday homes and second homes?
No it would just mean paying higher taxes on second homes and vacation homes. Which feels like the right thing to do.
Well you either tax them such that the owners can still afford them, so no material change in ownership ratios, or you make them unaffordably high and you punish people for being successful in life.
If you feel that taxes are punishments then we can't really have much of a discussion. Taxes are meant for wealth redistribution. They are what prevent kings and lords.

Second homes and vacation homes should be unaffordable. They are a luxury.

If you think taxes are a punishment for success in life, I assume you support toll roads, pay for your snow removal from city street and rent your police and fire protection? Or are you only concerned about the impact on your success not anybody else’s?
Why not? Does anyone deserve such homes if there is people who could permanently live in them? Or maybe some reasonable cost involved let's say 20% a year.
Slippery slope “deserve”.

Should I be able to get a free home if I refuse to pay rent? What if I can work, but refuse to, should I get a free home? Instead of taking my home, why not build them their own new home.