interesting, this discussion made me read a bit again...
apparently the English income tax was first introduced in 1799 and the first parts of Germany (in East Prussia) in 1811. This spread throughout the 19th century, and until the beginning of the first World War every German state had them. But I've never heard anyone even suggest that it should be abolished...
But here's something for you Americans to rave about the lunatic Europeans: I doubt that you over there have a church tax