Yup this is basically it. I even have people arguing with me here the moment i mention the word property tax. Unfortunately a lot of people would vote against their own long term interest in terms of services, community well being etc. for short term capital gains (and in the case of real estate, that's tax free, lol).

This is perhaps the greatest problem facing us in the 21st century democracy as the world has become more and more complex and the cause and effects of things becomes ever more debatable.