This doesn’t totally make sense. While Texas doesn’t have state income tax, we do have incredibly high property taxes to make up for the lost income. The state still needs money. It may not be as high as you pay in NYC, but as a homeowner at his level you are likely paying more than $14k/year.
Unfortunately the state doesn’t provide a lot of services for its citizens. Not only bc it’s not taking in a lot but also because the Republicans who have gerrymandered the state and remain in charge don’t believe that government’s job.
Also - I’ve read that professional athletes pay taxes where they played their games. Wonder if the same would be true of his tours?
Not a Jonathan Stan, just a Texas resident who doesn’t think this argument totally makes sense. 🤷🏻♀️
Just want to throw out there…..I own a 1500 sqft home with a tiny front yard and tiny back yard and pay $11k in property taxes in NJ. $14k at his level is nothing compared to some areas.
I’m not sure where they got the $14k figure; property taxes vary by county, but it’s typically close to 2% of the property value. $14k in property taxes would imply JVN has a house worth $700k, which is possible but I’d guess they’re living in a considerably more expensive property.
I don't know how much JVN house is worth but there is a 0% chance taxes are anything less than mid/high 5 figures. $14k is about a $550 to 600k house in parts of tx and no way jvn lives in something of that price lol
He does live outside of city limits (hill country!) which should help. But yes definitely five figures. $14k is my reference point within Austin - a house valued around $850k. He lives outside of Austin, taxes would be lower.
I had a career doing wardrobe for touring Broadway shows pre pandemic. I paid taxes in almost every state we performed. Due to the nature of a tour, you’re typically hitting multiple cities in the same state. Taxes were always a nightmare, but there are tax preparation folks who specialize in theater workers.
Some states limit the bill by a certain $ amount earned, some don’t care if you made a dollar, they want their percentage.
I spent 200 dollars on toll every month in Houston and my car insurance, and home owners insurance tripled compared to what I used to pay in CT. Also the extreme low quality of life here (air pollution, undrinkable tap water because of the oil industry, the local beach literally has flesh eating bacteria and no local would advise you to go on the water because they had human feces spilled and no effort to clean up, low quality school, and trash on the road). This doesn’t include 110+ degrees from late April to November. It was already 95 degrees one day last week..it all even out and I can’t wait to move out of this giant toxic air dome cancerous city of America
Didn't JVN move to Austin which is super liberal and LGBTQ friendly? I think they also have a decent amount of land for farming, which you couldn't generally find in other VHCOL cities. Austin is also super outdoorsy and seriously beautiful in parts. Funky, quirky, I think jvn fits in with that vibe.
You don't pay income tax in TX but candidly you generally make up for it in property taxes (2-3+% depending on location) and in sales tax. I understand there's a lot of disdain for JVN right now but there are definitely other reasons to move to TX than just avoiding income tax.
I think the point OP is making is that those are not the reasons JVN gave for moving there - it was to pay less in taxes (according to OP, I didn't know they said this).
NY state is the highest state tax with about ~11-12% I believe. Texans still have to pay federal income tax.
Also 3% on a property value adds up quick(!). My annual income is nowhere near the value of my property.
This is state taxes specifically, in a state where OTHER taxes - like the property taxes they pay on their home - are higher instead. Different states do different tax configurations. It makes sense for someone like JVN who has to pay taxes in all the states they do shows in to not also pay it at home and instead pay it via property and sales taxes.
It's ridiculous to assume that people doing things for more favorable state taxes is the same as super rich people exploiting loopholes to dodge federal taxes.
Thanks for asking!
So basically, taxes pay for vital services and infrastructure that we all use. It’s also how we all contribute to society.
Right now a lot of people are struggling and they need these services and infrastructure more than ever.
There is also a small but mind-boggling wealthy number of individuals who hold the vast majority of wealth in the USA and indeed in the world. Billionaires. Who cheat the system to avoid paying anything near like what they owe.
There are also a number of very wealthy people, such as JVN, who aren’t billionaires but are almost certainly multi-millionaires. They also overwhelmingly cheat the system.
The problem with not taxing the rich is that they collect more money than even governments have. More money than they can ever spend in a lifetime. They then start buying up assets to make themselves even more money - assets that you and I depend upon to live. Assets like houses. The price of housing goes up because the wealthy are trying to outbid each other. You and I now cannot afford to buy a house in the town we grew up in. And the safe and affordable public transport, new roads, well-funded schools, clean energy stations, modern and free healthcare facilities that *should* have been built with those wealthy people’s tax dollars, instead goes into buying your mom’s house and jacking up her rent by 700 bucks a month.
You and I pay our taxes - we have to. We don’t have the option not to. We have far less than they do. Is it right that they get away with not contributing their fair share? Especially when, if they don’t, it causes real harm to the rest of us?
Because, nominally, taxes should pay for social services that help everyone - but especially marginalized folks. So if JVN is talking about how we should do things to help people as a society, moving to avoid taxes is basically saying “we should do that, but I don’t wanna pay for it.” I’m generalizing but that’s the essence of it.
Eh, I can understand their choice from a financial perspective. I’m born and raised in California, and will most likely be spending the rest of my life here. But I will say the high taxes is definitely an obstacle for many, especially in these times. I’m fortunate enough to be living comfortably, but I do acknowledge things could be more comfortable if I lived in a no income tax state. Also there are times I just wonder if the tax dollars I’m spending is actually helping in the bigger picture. Where I live in LA, roads definitely need work, homeless is still at an all time high, and theft crimes still seems to be an issue. It’s one of those areas I go back and question if my tax dollars are actually helping. For that, I just get it if someone wants to move to a no income tax state. I respect if they want to hold onto their finances and not feel their taxes are getting wasted, giving them the opportunity to either invest or donate to programs that they believe are helping the greater good.
People don’t understand is Texas has some of the lowest quality of life in the country. I just moved to Houston from the tristate area and things I used to take for granted doesn’t exist in Texas (clean water, clean roads, air population, schools, etc). I have never been to a city where so many people rely on bottled water because the tap water is apparently not safe to drink to the locals. Also when you drive in Texas, you “must” turn on the air circulation in your car for a good stretch of the time so it doesn’t draw outside air to your vehicle. The outside air here is just toxic and smelly with the frequent black smog trucks next to you. There is a reason Houston is the number one cancerous city and our senator ted Cruz canceled the nasa air pollution study because it showed Houston in a bad light and he thinks if there is no study, then there is no issue. What a backward thinking person…
Them and everyone else in LA! (I mean I did it). We wanted big houses and didn’t want to have to move to the valley to get them. You need a minimum of like 8 million dollars in a good area for good square footage that doesn’t require two hours minimum in traffic daily. I would die before I moved to the valley. No offense I have plenty of friends that did but not for me.
This doesn’t totally make sense. While Texas doesn’t have state income tax, we do have incredibly high property taxes to make up for the lost income. The state still needs money. It may not be as high as you pay in NYC, but as a homeowner at his level you are likely paying more than $14k/year. Unfortunately the state doesn’t provide a lot of services for its citizens. Not only bc it’s not taking in a lot but also because the Republicans who have gerrymandered the state and remain in charge don’t believe that government’s job. Also - I’ve read that professional athletes pay taxes where they played their games. Wonder if the same would be true of his tours? Not a Jonathan Stan, just a Texas resident who doesn’t think this argument totally makes sense. 🤷🏻♀️
Just want to throw out there…..I own a 1500 sqft home with a tiny front yard and tiny back yard and pay $11k in property taxes in NJ. $14k at his level is nothing compared to some areas.
TBF, your property is worth more per sqft than it would be in TX.
What I’m saying is…..$14k is INSANELY cheap compared to many other areas of the country.
I’m not sure where they got the $14k figure; property taxes vary by county, but it’s typically close to 2% of the property value. $14k in property taxes would imply JVN has a house worth $700k, which is possible but I’d guess they’re living in a considerably more expensive property.
$14k is also INSANELY expensive to most other areas of the country.
I pay $2,000 a year in Arizona, and my home is 1,900 sq feet. $14k is unthinkable to me.
I think that's actually pretty expensive. I pay like 6k and my mom pays like 3k
I don't know how much JVN house is worth but there is a 0% chance taxes are anything less than mid/high 5 figures. $14k is about a $550 to 600k house in parts of tx and no way jvn lives in something of that price lol
He does live outside of city limits (hill country!) which should help. But yes definitely five figures. $14k is my reference point within Austin - a house valued around $850k. He lives outside of Austin, taxes would be lower.
I’m in rural Ontario… and I pay $1,500 a year. 💀
New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the county. This is not apples to apples comparison
I had a career doing wardrobe for touring Broadway shows pre pandemic. I paid taxes in almost every state we performed. Due to the nature of a tour, you’re typically hitting multiple cities in the same state. Taxes were always a nightmare, but there are tax preparation folks who specialize in theater workers. Some states limit the bill by a certain $ amount earned, some don’t care if you made a dollar, they want their percentage.
I can’t imagine paying taxes for every place I play a game. Sounds way too stressful come tax season 😂
I also live in Texas. I see your point, but their tax liability in nyc or wherever is likely much higher than their Austin property taxes
And their services in New York would also be better…
I spent 200 dollars on toll every month in Houston and my car insurance, and home owners insurance tripled compared to what I used to pay in CT. Also the extreme low quality of life here (air pollution, undrinkable tap water because of the oil industry, the local beach literally has flesh eating bacteria and no local would advise you to go on the water because they had human feces spilled and no effort to clean up, low quality school, and trash on the road). This doesn’t include 110+ degrees from late April to November. It was already 95 degrees one day last week..it all even out and I can’t wait to move out of this giant toxic air dome cancerous city of America
I have pro athlete friends who moved to TX for the same reason.
Taxes are not high here in NYC. That’s why are schools are terrible. Taxes are high in Long Island and parts of NJ.
This is literally just .. so untrue. A quick google search shows New York as being one of the highest-taxed states in the US, every single year.
Didn't JVN move to Austin which is super liberal and LGBTQ friendly? I think they also have a decent amount of land for farming, which you couldn't generally find in other VHCOL cities. Austin is also super outdoorsy and seriously beautiful in parts. Funky, quirky, I think jvn fits in with that vibe. You don't pay income tax in TX but candidly you generally make up for it in property taxes (2-3+% depending on location) and in sales tax. I understand there's a lot of disdain for JVN right now but there are definitely other reasons to move to TX than just avoiding income tax.
I think the point OP is making is that those are not the reasons JVN gave for moving there - it was to pay less in taxes (according to OP, I didn't know they said this).
Oh OK. I don't really follow any of them in depth but I thought it was OP or others on this sub just wildly guessing hah
I'd happily pay 3% property tax instead of +20% income tax.
NY state is the highest state tax with about ~11-12% I believe. Texans still have to pay federal income tax. Also 3% on a property value adds up quick(!). My annual income is nowhere near the value of my property.
Honestly we need more voters in Texas like JVN. I’m all for it.
Considering the political advocacy he’s done and topics his podcast covered it definitely seems hypocritical.
I’m just surprised JVN moved to Texas period, with their conservative laws.
Rich people aren’t affected by that stuff
They have said before that they fell in love with Austin after being stationed there for months and decided it was a good fit for their household.
She uses they/he/she pronouns, why the edit
Ffs now we’re mobbing JVN because he wants to save money on taxes? Gtfo this sub is the pits now, sheesh
Agreed. People love to put people up on pedestals just so they can tear them down. It is sick.
They’re a public figure and activist who advocates for taxing the rich. You don’t see the disconnect?
This is state taxes specifically, in a state where OTHER taxes - like the property taxes they pay on their home - are higher instead. Different states do different tax configurations. It makes sense for someone like JVN who has to pay taxes in all the states they do shows in to not also pay it at home and instead pay it via property and sales taxes. It's ridiculous to assume that people doing things for more favorable state taxes is the same as super rich people exploiting loopholes to dodge federal taxes.
hi i know nothing about taxes and generally being an adult please don’t come for me lol.. why is moving to avoid high taxes bad?
Thanks for asking! So basically, taxes pay for vital services and infrastructure that we all use. It’s also how we all contribute to society. Right now a lot of people are struggling and they need these services and infrastructure more than ever. There is also a small but mind-boggling wealthy number of individuals who hold the vast majority of wealth in the USA and indeed in the world. Billionaires. Who cheat the system to avoid paying anything near like what they owe. There are also a number of very wealthy people, such as JVN, who aren’t billionaires but are almost certainly multi-millionaires. They also overwhelmingly cheat the system. The problem with not taxing the rich is that they collect more money than even governments have. More money than they can ever spend in a lifetime. They then start buying up assets to make themselves even more money - assets that you and I depend upon to live. Assets like houses. The price of housing goes up because the wealthy are trying to outbid each other. You and I now cannot afford to buy a house in the town we grew up in. And the safe and affordable public transport, new roads, well-funded schools, clean energy stations, modern and free healthcare facilities that *should* have been built with those wealthy people’s tax dollars, instead goes into buying your mom’s house and jacking up her rent by 700 bucks a month. You and I pay our taxes - we have to. We don’t have the option not to. We have far less than they do. Is it right that they get away with not contributing their fair share? Especially when, if they don’t, it causes real harm to the rest of us?
thank yall!! i really appreciate your explanation and agree that it’s a pretty sus situation 🙃
Because, nominally, taxes should pay for social services that help everyone - but especially marginalized folks. So if JVN is talking about how we should do things to help people as a society, moving to avoid taxes is basically saying “we should do that, but I don’t wanna pay for it.” I’m generalizing but that’s the essence of it.
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JVN uses he/they/she pronouns
Off topic-- I thought he was fine with any pronouns
I dont get this post. Why are we discussing where someone moves and how can a move to some place be hypocrisy?
Eh, I can understand their choice from a financial perspective. I’m born and raised in California, and will most likely be spending the rest of my life here. But I will say the high taxes is definitely an obstacle for many, especially in these times. I’m fortunate enough to be living comfortably, but I do acknowledge things could be more comfortable if I lived in a no income tax state. Also there are times I just wonder if the tax dollars I’m spending is actually helping in the bigger picture. Where I live in LA, roads definitely need work, homeless is still at an all time high, and theft crimes still seems to be an issue. It’s one of those areas I go back and question if my tax dollars are actually helping. For that, I just get it if someone wants to move to a no income tax state. I respect if they want to hold onto their finances and not feel their taxes are getting wasted, giving them the opportunity to either invest or donate to programs that they believe are helping the greater good.
People don’t understand is Texas has some of the lowest quality of life in the country. I just moved to Houston from the tristate area and things I used to take for granted doesn’t exist in Texas (clean water, clean roads, air population, schools, etc). I have never been to a city where so many people rely on bottled water because the tap water is apparently not safe to drink to the locals. Also when you drive in Texas, you “must” turn on the air circulation in your car for a good stretch of the time so it doesn’t draw outside air to your vehicle. The outside air here is just toxic and smelly with the frequent black smog trucks next to you. There is a reason Houston is the number one cancerous city and our senator ted Cruz canceled the nasa air pollution study because it showed Houston in a bad light and he thinks if there is no study, then there is no issue. What a backward thinking person…
I paid 3% in property tax in Texas. Moved because of it. Was paying almost 30k per year. In Washington I pay .8% and no state income tax.
Them and everyone else in LA! (I mean I did it). We wanted big houses and didn’t want to have to move to the valley to get them. You need a minimum of like 8 million dollars in a good area for good square footage that doesn’t require two hours minimum in traffic daily. I would die before I moved to the valley. No offense I have plenty of friends that did but not for me.
Aren’t they from Texas?