Every tax is a tax whether it is disguised as a fee or whatever.

The property tax is a 1 1/2+% sales tax levied not just in the year you acquire your property but every year for all long as you own it.  Own it for 34 years and you've paid a total sales tax of over 50%.

Own property from age 25 to 75 and in that 50 years you will have paid a  sales tax of  75% of the (inflated) value of your purchase's assessed value.