Wake up, Montana
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Editor,
We recently got a letter from Lake County Treasury requesting us to say if we still protest our raise in property value. What does it take to get them to pay attention?
We had a government-paid IRS employee come by and take a photo from across the street. Our home tax value then raised $59,000. I protested to Polson twice and IRS in Helena. They finally sent an appraiser to our home. He reduced the value $9,000. So guess what? Our taxes went down $18 for the year. Figure that.
No, it’s not okay. How many IRS employees do you need to help rip off hardworking people of their life savings?
Well, at least the government has helped the unemployment by hiring more. To quote Gov. Brian Schweitzer, “Montana Department of Revenue Director (Dan Bucks) in Helena is a ‘pit bull’ when it comes to collecting taxes.”
Well, I can’t say they should outlaw pit bulls, but they sure as heck should keep a leash on them.
There are no jobs; lumber mills are almost all shut down; food, rent and fuel are all very high.
Our Ronan City water bill was raised; August usage was 6,850 gallons, and the bill was $47.74. Our October bill was $59.28 for 2,050 gallons. I guess no more gardens or lawns for city water users. They said they could not give a discount to old or poor people, as that would be discrimination.
Well, Ronan Telephone, Mission Valley Power and Mission Mart manage a discount to old and poor people. That kind of discrimination we can stand.
As for our city, we now have the “new Palin bridge” donated by the Olson family. It is the bridge to nowhere. The 50 or 60 loads of gravel, sand and dirt delivered by Treasure State could not be cheap. Our city crew could have spent a while filling city road potholes, not working on another walking path to nowhere.
Government grants are wasted to fix up old schools and museums. It is time we live for today and stop trying to glorify the past.
We need to wake up and then stand up.
Wilma Bick
Ronan
