Personal Property Taxes

[moguy1973]

I was reading a thread earlier on another forum about how to go about getting a title on a boat motor when you buy it from a state that doesn't require a title on a motor and it got me to thinking. Boats, boat motors, trailers, cars, ATV's, etc all have titles presumably so they can track how who they belong to and so they can apply Personal Property Tax on these items. Does anyone really know where these personal property taxes go and what they are used for? There are states that don't utilize PPT's so I guess they get that money inflow from other sources (e.g. sales tax, gas tax, etc)? The PPT is one of the things here in Missouri that I have never truly understood. We have to keep paying on something year after year after it's owned, even after paying a tax on the sale of it when it's bought.

I know, I know...2 things in life are inevitable. Death and Taxes. I was just curious where this money goes though...Anyone have a clue?

[Gavin]

Personal Property Taxes are assessed by County that you live in, not the State. The funds usually go into the "General Fund" which means that they can spend it however they want to.

[ollie]

My county breaks it down for you at the end of the year on your statement. Fire, police, ambulance, school, etc, etc.

[moguy1973]

Ahh yeah. I guess it does doesn't it.

I guess other states use real estate and sales tax for those things?

And are there counties in MO that don't have PP tax?

[Wayne SW/MO]

My county breaks it down for you at the end of the year on your statement. Fire, police, ambulance, school, etc, etc.

Same here.

[ollie]

The one thing that has always stuck in my craw is when you buy a car even used and you still have to pay a tax on it. Even though when it was brand new someone else paid the piper as well! Missouri has always been a money grub state when it comes to taxes. It took forever for the DMV to finally pass the law for your drivers license renewal at the current years. I remember when you had to get it renewed every 3 years when a bunch of other states were like 7 years or more. Then they tried to do us a favor by the inspection being every other year and coming out with now you can buy your tags in 2 year allotments. Big favor since they don't save any money anyways.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Look at the bright side Ollie, we could be like Oklahoma and have roads like theirs. Personally, I'll take what we have.

And before my personal stalker comes along, I wasn't getting personal with you.

[Wayne SW/MO]

That's true Ollie. I have often wondered how much money some vehicles bring the state over their lifetime. We do have some questionable taxes, no tax if it's heated at home, but if it is cooked by a guy in a paper hat, it's taxed.

Oregon has no sales tax and hard surfaced roads. When I first went out there it was easy to see the difference, it was in income tax, when we came back home 13 years later the difference had disappeared.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Yeah but Oklahoma has hiway's rougher than our dirt roads for crying out loud.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't know Chief. When I lived there in the 60's and 70's the Ozarks had better roads, but NW Missouri's roads were about the same. Maybe its a local mentality about what's acceptable?