If other people want to pay more for your place, why should that place's owner be forced to let you pay less than they could make with someone else?

Seriously. What is better about you, other than that it is you?

"Long-term is better for the community" may be an argument that I can get behind re: a tax, but that's not worth very much at all. Maybe a couple hundred a month in a good location? Less in a poor one.

They do own the fuckin apartment. They should be able to do whatever they want with it, within reason. Go pound dirt may be right.