What does Untax the Roof want to abolish?
Untax the Roof seeks the complete abolition of recurring property taxes. Our goal is a system in which people can keep property they have lawfully acquired without being required to make indefinite tax payments based on their continued ownership.
Does this include property other than primary residences?
Yes. Our objective includes recurring taxes imposed on homes, land, farms, rental property, commercial property, business property, and other privately owned property.
The details and terminology differ among states. Any proposed legislation must clearly identify the property and taxes covered so that abolition is not undermined by renamed or substantially equivalent recurring taxes.
Is Untax the Roof seeking lower property taxes?
Our ultimate objective is abolition, not merely lower rates, assessment limits, or additional exemptions.
Reductions may provide temporary relief, but they preserve the recurring obligation and the consequences of nonpayment. Tax rates, assessed values, and laws can also change later. We do not consider a temporary reduction to be a substitute for abolition.
Would Untax the Roof accept a gradual phaseout?
A short transition may be reasonable if complete abolition is legally guaranteed, the deadline is enforceable, and lawmakers cannot quietly abandon the commitment.
We would evaluate the details of each proposal, but we do not support using a 10- or 20-year schedule to postpone meaningful action. A phaseout should function as a genuine transition to abolition, not as an excuse to preserve the tax indefinitely.
How would schools and local services be funded without property taxes?
Untax the Roof does not yet claim to have one final replacement plan for every state and community. Property-tax systems and the services financed through them vary substantially, so responsible abolition proposals will require detailed state-specific financial research.
We believe government waste and unnecessary spending should be identified and reduced. We will not claim without evidence that eliminating waste alone would replace every dollar currently collected through property taxes.
Our research will examine government spending, existing revenue sources, possible funding alternatives, and the consequences of each option. Any proposal must be transparent about both its benefits and its costs. Abolishing property tax should not mean quietly recreating the same recurring tax under another name.
The U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances provides official data that can be used to examine property-tax collections, government revenue, and expenditures. U.S. Census Bureau: Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances
See The Replacement Question for our full approach to this issue.
Can Congress abolish property taxes nationwide?
That has not been established.
Property taxes are imposed under state and local legal systems. Congress may not possess the authority to abolish all state and local property taxes through an ordinary federal statute. A nationwide prohibition could require a federal constitutional amendment or another constitutionally supported approach.
Congress can propose a constitutional amendment with the required two-thirds vote in both chambers, but the amendment would not become part of the Constitution unless ratified by three-fourths of the states. National Archives: Constitutional Amendment Process
Untax the Roof will research lawful federal options while also pursuing state legislation, state constitutional amendments, ballot measures where available, and state-level lobbying. Our national mission does not depend on Congress possessing a simple solution.
Are property taxes unconstitutional?
Property-tax opponents advance arguments based on property rights, due process, equal protection, state constitutional provisions, and other legal theories. Those arguments should be examined carefully, but an advocacy position must not be confused with current law.
The United States Supreme Court has not held that property taxation is categorically unconstitutional. In Tyler v. Hennepin County (2023), the Court stated that property taxes are not themselves a taking under the Fifth Amendment and that government may seize and sell property to recover unpaid taxes. The Court nevertheless held that government could not keep value exceeding the tax debt when that surplus belonged to the former owner. U.S. Supreme Court: Tyler v. Hennepin County
Whether a particular tax, assessment, foreclosure procedure, or tax sale violates a federal or state constitution depends on the applicable law and facts. Untax the Roof will distinguish existing legal precedent from arguments for changing the law.
Can property be lost for unpaid taxes while a mortgage is still being paid?
Yes. Having a mortgage does not necessarily prevent a government from enforcing a property-tax lien or selling property to recover delinquent taxes. The procedures, notice requirements, redemption periods, and treatment of other liens differ by state.
In Tyler v. Hennepin County, the Supreme Court described Minnesota's process for transferring title and selling property after taxes became delinquent. The opinion also addressed allegations that the property remained subject to a mortgage and other debts. U.S. Supreme Court: Tyler v. Hennepin County
Property owners facing delinquency or a tax sale should obtain advice concerning the laws and deadlines in their jurisdiction. Information published by Untax the Roof is not a substitute for individual legal advice.
Is Untax the Roof affiliated with a political party?
No. Property ownership is not a political-party issue.
Untax the Roof is an independent advocacy organization. We welcome support from people across the political spectrum and are willing to work with any elected official who genuinely supports the organization's objective.
Cooperation with an elected official, political party, or other organization does not mean that Untax the Roof endorses every position that person or organization holds.
Is Untax the Roof connected to the Kansas Property Tax Freedom Coalition?
Untax the Roof is a separate organization with a national mission.
Founder Thaddeus Schiltz became involved in property-tax advocacy after joining the Kansas Property Tax Freedom Coalition and working on its website. That experience contributed to the development of Untax the Roof, but Untax the Roof is not a renaming, merger, or national chapter of the Kansas organization.
How can people help?
During this early stage, supporters can join the email list, read and share sourced material, report possible errors, and follow the organization's progress. Formal volunteer and state-organizer programs will be announced after the necessary policies, training, approval processes, and recordkeeping systems are ready. See Get Involved.