Property Tax

In our county here in Norway, Råde, 'they' have made the choice to give all the house owners even more to pay to the state... Property tax... uff a meg. Other counties here in Norway are struggling to get rid of their property tax because the people are so sick of it. I do not understand the thinking behind this property tax, what about all the people who have used 20+ years to pay off their homes and now they have to continue to pay.. I don't understand how a country like this can have such poor county economy while the state is touted as being one of the richest in the world. If the lacky politicians would give the people more money between their hands then things would be different for all. I would have thought a property tax would be something that all the county would vote on, like a general election, but no, no, here it seems like 'they' just make choices in their county board meetings that the public has to accept. Maybe I am being naive here but I really don't get it, what in the world are they going to do with all this new money, where is the plan and why have 'we' not heard about it?? I have to honestly say that it really is strange that this property tax question which is something that effects everyone who owns property, that this would not be something they would give the people a chance to decide if they wanted it or not by general vote. After I read this information letter from the county, I asked my wife the same question, 'are we not having a general vote on this?' and she just said that no, because if they did that it would never be approved. Good question, and an even better answer.. just goes to show I quess, we think we make the choices in our government, but when the crap hits the fan we find out that no, we don't really have any real choice other than to vote the people we 'trust' into office and hope that they don't screw you after they get the power. Well, looks like everyone who owns property here in Råde needs to bend over and just take it.....