Morrigan wrote: Nothing, Emmanuel, short of a taxpayer revolt will keep property taxes down elsewhere, simply because city government has no incentive to do so.
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I get your point Morrigan, and I think I understand where you're coming from.  But reality is somebody has to pick up the garbage, pump the water, teach our kids, plow the snow and prosecute the "bad guys."  The State is, I think, reneging on their Constitutional obligations so what other options does Muni have?  But actually, a vital downtown would reduce taxes elsewhere; though propagating a myth that all Muni wants to do is suck up money does have a certain panache.  Given your argument I would ask you who, you think, is profiting/benefiting from the "city governments" refusal to reduce property taxes?