Death and ...

Every year at this time we get tax bills on empty land inherited from my husband's parents. We keep this land as a legacy for our son. When we are really concerned about our financial security, we say that we can retire there. We can put up a house, grow some vegetables, maybe have a few chickens. The thought never stays long, but it works as a plan B or C or D.

We get three bills because the land is split into three parcels totaling about 16 acres. Taxes on all three are less than $76. The amount seems obscenely low. It really isn't the amount of taxes or that we don't have a say in voting on the taxes. Each year I look and see 24 taxing authorities or special levies detailed. I'm happy paying $1.56 (on the 10 acre plot) to support the local libraries, but the minutia drives me nuts.

So I decided to try to understand it. I haven't really done a good pie chart since first week in basic stats class last spring. Why not?

I researched the entries and categorized them. "Schools" is the largest category. That's a good thing. I agree taxes should support schools. Then "Community" includes the airport, various community centers, a park and the agricultural coliseum complex. I imagine that's the county fairgrounds, but they can't possibly call it what it really is.

The other category that requires explanation is "Health/Environment" which includes the hospital district and mosquito spraying. There is also something called "Forest Acres". I'm not quite sure if that is a park or nature preserve. We spent about $1 towards support of it. On further consideration, I think this is a state tax based on the fact that the empty land isn't cleared for agriculture.

Looking at the chart. I'm not dissatisfied at how my taxes are spent. I will get online and direct my bank to cut three checks to send to the Sheriff who is also the tax collector.