Is this typical for the Netherlands? Doubtful.

Is this a major problem? Absolutely!

“Vermogenden, huizenbezitters, gepensioneerden, die weten hun belangen heel goed te behartigen”, zegt Bas Jacobs. “Als je die tegen de haren instrijkt dan heb je een groot electoraal probleem.”

“Mensen horen vooral: mijn eigen huis moet dan zwaarder belast worden”, zegt Gerritsen. “Maar ze beseffen niet dat ze dan ergens anders minder belasting hoeven te betalen. Dat is een boodschap die voor de politiek moeilijk te vertellen is.”

Bas Jacobs, hoogleraar economie en overheidsfinanciën aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Automated translation (ChatGPT):

“People with wealth (assets), homeowners, pensioners — they know very well how to look after their own interests,” says Bas Jacobs. “If you rub them the wrong way, you have a major electoral problem.”

“People mainly hear: ‘My own home will then be taxed more heavily,’” says Gerritsen. “But they don’t realize that they would then have to pay less tax somewhere else. That’s a message that is difficult for politicians to get across.”

Bas Jacobs is professor of economics and public finance at VU University Amsterdam

Source and context

Taxation. https://nos.nl/artikel/2631266-moet-werken-meer-lonen-hoe-dan-en-waarom-gebeurt-het-niet

Can’t you solve the latter by presenting those tax benefits for the powerful voters first?

“Want to pay less tax? Then let us tax home ownership more. That allows us to do x, y, z which cuts your x, y and z taxes in half and makes our country function much more efficiently.”

Or go have a chat with Seth Godin and Roland Imhoff, the guy who researches conspiracy thinking etc at that German university.

(Home ownership is essentially subsidised by the Dutch government. Home owners pay less. Income from work, however, is taxed heavily.)