Snow Birds Evade Property Taxes By Parking on Public Land

The American Southwest has a lot of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Regulations vary by district, but camping is generally free, and easy to access. Because many "boomers" never were able to save much money for retirement (or lost it in a market meltdown), one popular strategy is to sell the house and buy a recreational vehicle. They no longer pay rising property taxes on real estate (which will appreciate in value) but accept depreciation on personal property. In the end, they often do not have enough assets to avoid living in a nursing home, paid for by Medicaid. Instead of retiring with dignity, our economy throws away people when they are no longer useful.