Property tax is a tax on physical property such as homes, real estate, and land. Property taxes help support many programs and services that don't have offsetting revenues or pay for themselves, such as parks, law enforcement, and environmental programs. Out of all of the uses for property taxes, the one that homeowners are mostly aware of has to do with funding public schools. For 100 years, state and local cities across the country have used revenue from property taxes to help maintain schools and pay many teachers salaries.

WHY LOWER? So, we should lower property taxes because they place a big burden on homeowners and low income families. If someone bought a house for $300,000 and its value increased to $450,000 they would now be paying much more in taxes even if their income hasn’t changed. This can be unfair for families who may struggle to keep up with rising costs. High property taxes can also discourage home improvements since upgrades can lead to higher tax bills, such as adding on another room to your house. Lowering property taxes would make housing more affordable and reduce the risk of displacement. To make up for lost revenue, states could increase sales tax. Additionally, there would have to be a guarantee that the state legislature would be able to fill in a portion of the gap to assist. I am also in favor of raising the homestead exemption to 25% of your property value in an effort to help reduce the property tax burden. 

Please sign this petition, spread the word, and ask our government to take immediate action. Your support could make a difference to families like mine and many others. You have a chance to help our parents and other long-term homeowners. Let's make a stand for a fairer property tax system!