EQUITABLE ASSESSMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE CONCEPTS

Abstract

This dissertation recognizes that the State needs to maximize revenue (concept number one) to adequately provide public goods and services to its people. On the other hand, it also reveals how certain property tax cases have been decided in an unfair manner (concept number two). The problem lies in how both principles are important yet cannot function simultaneously i.e. there must be a certain amount of unfairness done onto a certain pool of people before the State can reap the most revenue. An interesting point to note is that this issue has never really been raised in the public forum. The objective, therefore, is to investigate this silence by reconciling (if possible) the two concepts and to provide a rationale for the government's actions.