If the value of your home increased because of the quality of the school district, you should be paying to maintain the quality whether or not you have children in the schools.
If everyone had the choice to pay lower property taxes, then the schools would go into the *feces*ter, you'd have no police/fire services, your streets would have no street lights, there'd be potholes everywhere, AND the value of your home would never increase.
Please note that I'm not suggesting property taxes go away and nothing fills the gap. I've made my thoughts known in posts further up the thread.
Schools are already in the *feces*ter. Throwing money at public schools does not help in many, many cases. I'd say all cases but that's probably inaccurate. Close enough though.
No matter how crappy the schools are in your district, it could be even worse. You may not believe in the public school system, but many do, and they're the ones that are willing bid up homes in your area when they buy in. You will stand to benefit from that if and when you decide to sell your house.
I don't pay for national defense or interstate highways or airports or national parks or any of a million things through my property tax. Why is it the magic solution for schools and fire/police?
That's only because the federal government has no jurisdiction over schools and local public services. If not for property taxes, you'd certainly be paying for schools, libraries, and public services through state income taxes.
