Untax the Roof is a national advocacy and research organization working toward the complete abolition of recurring property taxation in the United States.
We believe owning property should mean more than possessing it only while annual taxes remain paid. A person should not face the possibility of losing a home, land, farm, business, or other property because that person can no longer afford a recurring tax imposed on it.
A National Movement
Property-tax laws differ significantly from one state to another. For that reason, the path to abolition may not be identical everywhere.
Untax the Roof is building a national movement capable of supporting state legislation, state constitutional amendments, ballot initiatives where permitted, grassroots organizing, and direct lobbying. We will also investigate lawful federal options, including the possibility of a federal constitutional amendment.
If abolition must be achieved state by state, we are prepared to pursue that path. The method may differ, but the destination remains the same.
Research Before Rhetoric
Untax the Roof is an advocacy organization, and we are open about the position we support. Advocacy does not excuse inaccuracy.
Our factual work will be based on verifiable evidence and accompanied by direct sources whenever reasonably available. We will prioritize constitutions, statutes, court decisions, government records, official datasets, and other primary sources.
We will clearly distinguish documented facts from opinions, legal arguments, interpretations, disputed claims, estimates, and organizational positions. We will not knowingly present assumptions or unverified claims as established facts.
When reliable information is unavailable, we will say so. When we make a material mistake, we will correct it. See our Research Standards and Corrections Policy.
Our Principles
- People should be able to keep property they have lawfully acquired without owing the government recurring payments indefinitely.
- A property owner should not face the loss of property solely because of an inability to continue paying taxes imposed on it.
- Permanent reform must address the recurring tax itself, not only its current rate.
- The public deserves accurate, accessible information about assessments, tax collections, delinquencies, tax liens, foreclosures, tax sales, and government spending.
- Property-tax abolition must account honestly for the public services currently financed with property-tax revenue.
- Lasting change will require research, public education, organization, and sustained participation in the legislative process.
The Work Ahead
Ending recurring property taxation will be a difficult, long-term undertaking. Governments use property-tax revenue to help fund public services, and any serious abolition proposal must address how those services would be financed after the tax ends.
Untax the Roof exists to confront those questions. We intend to collect the evidence, compare alternatives, educate the public, and help build workable proposals capable of producing lasting change. See The Replacement Question for how we're approaching that work.