To the Editor:
The following item is a version of one that has been making the rounds on social media. It is illustrative of the rising tide of resentment and protest against the way property taxes are being assessed and administered by local governments. There needs to be a major reform of this iniquitous system, if not an outright replacement of it.
• I’m being taxed on money I never made. Let that sink in.
• Suppose, hypothetically, that I bought my property outright for $60,000 in 2009. Now the county says it’s worth $246,000.
• Did I sell it? No.
• Did I make a profit? No.
• Did I get a check for $246,000? No.
• But my taxes jumped like I did.
• That’s the problem. This isn’t income. This isn’t cash. This is a number someone decided on paper — and now I’m being billed for it.
• If my stock portfolio doubles, I don’t pay taxes until I sell.
• If my income doesn’t increase, I don’t magically owe more income tax.
• So why does owning a home work differently? Why am I being taxed on unrealized gains?
• A house isn’t just an investment — it’s where people live. And this system means you can do everything right, pay off your home and still get squeezed harder every year because of a number you never turned into money.
• You don’t truly own something if you can be taxed out of it.
• This isn’t about “services” or “inflation.” It’s about being charged for value you never received.
• And people are starting to notice.
For now, this will serve as a definition of the problem. Soon, I plan to propose a way to deal with it.
Samuel L. Edwards
Waynesville