Re “Should owners of vacant second homes be heavily taxed?” (May 24): Short answer: No. Longer suggestion: The city should get its fiscal house in order before messing with private property.
How many more millions will the city council (except Raul Campillo) waste losing lawsuits based on San Francisco court precedent? Will the city reimburse for years of property taxes for libraries, parks, trash collection and other unused services supported by vacant homes?
Why isn’t the city proposing that new revenues go to housing? Because it is a cash grab for the general fund. The city council seems to think you have an obligation to bail them out of years of fiscal mismanagement.
It is an unbelievable assumption that people will still file for the $70/year vacant home exemption, which will identify them for an $8,000 annual tax bill. Most people will skip saving $70 to save $8,000.
— Kirk Mather, Point Loma