Swiss Support for Property Tax Abolition Wanes Before Vote

A proposal to abolish a century-old property tax in Switzerland is losing support among voters ahead of a ballot in less than two weeks on overhauling housing levies.

The plan is to remove the tax owner-occupiers pay on the theoretical rent they could earn from their property, which Switzerland first introduced early last century. To offset the impact on the public finances, government and parliament hashed out a compromise that involves levies on second homes, such as mountain chalets.

Two polls by public broadcaster SRG SSR and newspaper group Tamedia/20 Minuten released Wednesday showed support slip to 51% and 54%, ...