For the majority of people in Africa, especially in Nigeria, this might seem outrageous, but for citizens of the US and other Western countries like Canada, it is normal. In the US, particularly, the tax system sets millions up to fail. Imagine purchasing a house with cash and then having to pay property tax on that same house for the rest of your life. And God forbid there is a default on payment; then the authorities come swiftly to seize the property, whether you paid for it in full ten years ago or not. 

Why should one have to pay lifetime taxes for a house they bought and paid for in full? This is a question even millions of Americans keep asking, not to mention dozens of countries around the world where people simply cannot fathom such a situation, let alone accept it. Supporters of these property taxes say they pay for many things, including public schools, which offer free education to children. While that might be a noble cause, it looks like something the federal government can fund, without having to put the burden on people. There should be a way for the government to pay for things without ruining people’s lives with taxes. Meanwhile, people have other taxes to pay, including income and sales tax, depending on the state. 

To add salt to the injury, lawmakers often vote to raise the rates whenever they like, and accountability is low, with cases of widespread mismanagement, fraud, and waste increasingly surrounding public funds. All over the internet, from Quora to Reddit, thousands of people air their frustration on a daily basis. Some complain that they have been priced out of their houses because the taxes have become too expensive to pay. Imagine paying over $30,000 a year for property tax because, for some reason, your house is valued at a million dollars or more. You or a deceased family member may have bought the house decades ago, for far less, maybe $65,000, and paid far lesser taxes that were easy on the pocket. Over the years, the value of the property balloons, with the taxes following suit. All of a sudden, the yearly property tax now sits in the tens of thousands, becoming a major burden that you did not bargain for. And when you complain, some people tell you to sell and move to a smaller house with lower tax rates, probably in another neighborhood. 

But what if the owner just wants to live in the house peacefully for the rest of their life, around familiar faces and scenery? What if the house was passed down from older generations, and the current resident just wants to pass it to the next? Why should people be forced out of THEIR HOMES because of taxes? According to online forum discussions around this issue, some aging people have had to continue working in their late 60s and 70s to keep up with the taxes. Others say they had to sell their houses, pay off the debt, and move in with their children with what they have left. Some were mocked for not being able to properly plan their lives, even though they may have gone through major health challenges or other unfortunate situations. Has this gone out of hand? Is this a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and lead to a major revolution against governments around the world, especially the United States? How can this issue be handled? Is the United States really the paradise it is painted as, or is it just hell on earth for its citizens? 

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