Growing Number of States Propose Eliminating Property Taxes

Multiple states are considering proposals to limit and ultimately abolish property taxes, reflecting greater support for property rights among landowners and — at least in rhetoric — state leaders.

The Associated Press recently reported on the increasing number of state proposals to phase out property taxes:

Officials in North Dakota say they are on their way, using state oil money. Wednesday, Republicans in the Georgia House unveiled a complex effort to phase out homeowner property taxes by 2032. In Florida, GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis says that is his goal, with lawmakers currently considering phasing out nonschool property taxes on homeowners over 10 years. And in Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott says he wants to eliminate property taxes for schools.

Republicans are echoing those who say taxes, especially when the taxman can seize a house for nonpayment, mean no one truly owns property.

“No one should ever face the loss of their home because they can’t pay rent to the government,” Georgia Republican House Speaker Jon Burns of Newington said [on January 28].

Additionally, as we reported in our December 5, 2025 “Insider Report,” Wyoming legislators are advancing several measures to reduce or eliminate property taxes. Ohio and Oklahoma may hold ballot measures this year to eliminate property taxes. A ballot measure on a state constitutional amendment to prohibit state property taxes in Tennessee has already been confirmed for November, but it would not affect local property taxes.

Previous ballot measures to reduce or eliminate property taxes have not always been successful. In 2024, a North Dakota measure to eliminate local property taxes failed by a 27-point margin after state and local officials warned about lost revenue and cuts to government services.

Why Eliminate Property Taxes?

In our article “Restore State Government,” published in the October 14, 2024 issue of The New American, we noted why property taxes are incompatible with the American form of government:

Property taxes — which amount to paying rent to the government in order to live on one’s own property — are an even greater violation of individual freedom. Although they are levied by local governments (counties, municipalities, school districts, etc.), state governments ultimately decide how — if at all — localities may tax property. The Founding Fathers recognized the importance of property rights in a free society. For example, John Adams, in A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, declared that “the moment the idea is admitted into society, that property is not as sacred as the laws of God … anarchy and tyranny commence.” And Madison, in The Federalist, No. 10, noted that democracy is “incompatible with … the rights of property.” However, property taxes are currently levied in virtually every county. As of 2022, the average state property-tax rate ranged from 0.26 percent in Hawaii to 2.08 percent in New Jersey. In 15 counties — all in California, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia — the median property tax owed annually exceeds $10,000. In Property Rights: As Sacred as the Laws of God, John Birch Society CEO Emeritus Art Thompson notes how property taxes are antithetical to property rights: “Try not paying your taxes and you will soon find out whether you own your property, or whether the government really owns it in the fullest sense of the word.”

The Associated Press report discussed how states will replace the lost revenue, with North Dakota using oil funds, Texas using surplus funds, and Georgia increasing sales taxes. However, these strategies ignore the fact that the size and scope of government — including at the local level — can and should be reined in significantly. For example, primary and secondary education is not a legitimate function of government — and public schools were virtually nonexistent before the late 1800s — yet it comprises a massive state and local expenditure today. Thus, instead of trying to replace lost revenue, states should focus on cutting all spending that does not align with the proper role of government.

The growing support for eliminating property taxes is encouraging, but state officials must follow through — and reduce the size and scope of their state and local governments in the process. Creating an electorate that is both informed and activated will increase the likelihood of this happening.

This article is part of The New American’s weekly online newsletter Insider Report, which is emailed to TNA subscribers each week. Click here to subscribe to The New American to receive the Insider Report and access exclusive content.