Politicians and their lies.
Today there is an editorial by a retired Florida politician (Republican), Paula Dockery.
She also responded to a comment made regarding politicians only caring about what they got out of it, by saying that the trust in government officials needs to be restored.
I almost wrote her an email, asking her "HOW THE HELL CAN I TRUST ANYTHING SHE SAYS?" I tried contacting her office back in 2000-2001 regarding having paid 20-50 (or more) times the taxes I should have. The response from her (male) aid: "TOUGH SHIT!" after I explained the situation. He also then said that I needed to just write the lost money off.
I woke to my senses before I wrote the email... because she's solidly embedded in the "structure" here in Polk County. I've already learned that retaliation follows any attempt to get justice for us (at least any attempt within this goddamned hellhole), and that I cannot trust anyone besides extreme liberals.
I've overpaid what for us is over a year's income in tangible property taxes to this hellhole (I estimate that we overpaid between $10,000 and $20,000 over 15 years - it could be almost three years worth of income). We had to file on the equipment we owned in the business, and they required that I report the price I paid for it, the year I bought it, and an estimate (that can be backed up with paper) on it's fair market value. I had to keep documents on all of it in case they wanted proof. I'd been buying equipment that was broken and repairing or even rebuilding it... the wildest was a computerized testing system that I bought for $5 because it didn't work and was 70's vintage, repaired and updated it as far as possible, and then learned that the system still sold (used and 15 years old) for $45,000 - in the condition mine was (that was the lowest price). It wasn't unusual to pay $50 for a piece of equipment that once fixed, was worth thousands.
Every year I complained to the county that I was paying more in taxes than I paid for the equipment, and every year I got the "Tough shit, you owe the taxes!" response. I went to politicians and got the same treatment (in nice political language). Finally in 99, I made such a fuss and threatened to write a letter to the editor about it. The guy from the tax agency came out to investigate, demanded some proof of what I paid for it, and then wanted to see the equipment. I took him back into my shop, and explained. He started laughing, and said that the problem would be fixed.
He then said that they'd been getting the "new" price for the equipment and taxing me as if I'd been purchasing everything new, instead of buying junk and spending many hours rebuilding/repairing it. He specifically said that I'd filled out the paperwork exactly as I should have, and that the county was at fault for disbelieving me - even though I always indicated on the paperwork I'd bought junk and fixed it up.
The tax bill for that year went from over $800, down to around $30.
That was the year that the neurologist told me if I worked anymore with my carpal tunnel syndrome as bad as it was, that I'd probably permanently loose the use of my hands. I closed the doors and tried to get disability - and of course was denied (and two years later locked out of the system).
These politicians talk about trust, but this is the sort of treatment the poor get in this goddamned county. I've never gotten a cent back on that. (I won't get into them not notifying me of a hearing, which unjustly cost us our good car in 2005 - or all of the bogus police stops and resulting tickets - or the treatment we both have gotten in this county.)
The way things are going, I'm even afraid to write this, but at the same time I'm so disgusted and angry and frustrated that I HAVE to let it out somewhere.
She also responded to a comment made regarding politicians only caring about what they got out of it, by saying that the trust in government officials needs to be restored.
I almost wrote her an email, asking her "HOW THE HELL CAN I TRUST ANYTHING SHE SAYS?" I tried contacting her office back in 2000-2001 regarding having paid 20-50 (or more) times the taxes I should have. The response from her (male) aid: "TOUGH SHIT!" after I explained the situation. He also then said that I needed to just write the lost money off.
I woke to my senses before I wrote the email... because she's solidly embedded in the "structure" here in Polk County. I've already learned that retaliation follows any attempt to get justice for us (at least any attempt within this goddamned hellhole), and that I cannot trust anyone besides extreme liberals.
I've overpaid what for us is over a year's income in tangible property taxes to this hellhole (I estimate that we overpaid between $10,000 and $20,000 over 15 years - it could be almost three years worth of income). We had to file on the equipment we owned in the business, and they required that I report the price I paid for it, the year I bought it, and an estimate (that can be backed up with paper) on it's fair market value. I had to keep documents on all of it in case they wanted proof. I'd been buying equipment that was broken and repairing or even rebuilding it... the wildest was a computerized testing system that I bought for $5 because it didn't work and was 70's vintage, repaired and updated it as far as possible, and then learned that the system still sold (used and 15 years old) for $45,000 - in the condition mine was (that was the lowest price). It wasn't unusual to pay $50 for a piece of equipment that once fixed, was worth thousands.
Every year I complained to the county that I was paying more in taxes than I paid for the equipment, and every year I got the "Tough shit, you owe the taxes!" response. I went to politicians and got the same treatment (in nice political language). Finally in 99, I made such a fuss and threatened to write a letter to the editor about it. The guy from the tax agency came out to investigate, demanded some proof of what I paid for it, and then wanted to see the equipment. I took him back into my shop, and explained. He started laughing, and said that the problem would be fixed.
He then said that they'd been getting the "new" price for the equipment and taxing me as if I'd been purchasing everything new, instead of buying junk and spending many hours rebuilding/repairing it. He specifically said that I'd filled out the paperwork exactly as I should have, and that the county was at fault for disbelieving me - even though I always indicated on the paperwork I'd bought junk and fixed it up.
The tax bill for that year went from over $800, down to around $30.
That was the year that the neurologist told me if I worked anymore with my carpal tunnel syndrome as bad as it was, that I'd probably permanently loose the use of my hands. I closed the doors and tried to get disability - and of course was denied (and two years later locked out of the system).
These politicians talk about trust, but this is the sort of treatment the poor get in this goddamned county. I've never gotten a cent back on that. (I won't get into them not notifying me of a hearing, which unjustly cost us our good car in 2005 - or all of the bogus police stops and resulting tickets - or the treatment we both have gotten in this county.)
The way things are going, I'm even afraid to write this, but at the same time I'm so disgusted and angry and frustrated that I HAVE to let it out somewhere.