I got a call from my father earlier today.

He sounded frustrated.
His annual property tax bill had climbed again—this time by more than $1,300.
He’s retired, lives on Social Security, and has owned the same home for over 30 years. The mortgage was paid off long ago.
Yet every year he’s still expected to hand over thousands of dollars just to keep living in a house he already owns.
Miss those payments, and the government can ultimately take the property.
That doesn’t feel like true homeownership to me.
A person who spent decades paying for their home shouldn’t have to fear losing it because they can’t keep up with ever-rising property taxes in retirement.