> property taxes make sense for certain specific things that are tied directly to the property itself. True, but that should be addressed with income tax, so t

> property taxes make sense for certain specific things that are tied directly to the property itself. True, but that should be addressed with income tax, so that situations like losing a job for some time (not that impossible these days) doesn't force someone to sell the house. In my country the main home is exempt, but from the 2nd one on there's a property tax on which I fully agree. I would go even further and tax more the 2nd+ houses that aren't offered for rent, so that there is enough offer that the demand doesn't drive prices up also for houses for sale. That may be a local phenomenon having no equivalent in the US, but I observed the tendency to keep a lot of houses empty and unused, some well connected construction entepreneurs build entire condos then keep them empty for years after they're completed. My only possible explanation is that they're keeping the offer low in order to keep the demand high, therefore driving or keeping the prices up. Well thought taxes should address this problem without hitting the poor, but some of those people are so well connected with politicians that this is not going to happen anytime soon.