Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Do You Need To Downsize Now? by Walt Barrett

If you are very well off, and will never have to worry about getting by in the future, then go no further because this article is not for you. But, if you are like me, and have to work very hard for your money, and probably the rest of your life, and if you are very concerned about what is going to happen to you in your final years, then I'm going to share my thoughts with you. Ten years ago I sold my old, stylish three hundred year old inefficient farm house, and moved back to my home town. I built a brand new energy efficient home, and figured that my wife and I would spend a happy retirement there.
Sounds great doesn't it? The only thing is that since I left in 1951 for the Korean war things have changed in my town, and in most of the other towns around here too. In the fifty-eight years since I left, the population went from eleven thousand to nineteen thousand, which in itself is not that bad. But amongst all of those new comers there were a group of people that I like to call "empire builders". When the empire builders take over the poor and the elderly especially, are in serious trouble. The empire builders always go right into politics, and they really can take over and ruin a small town like ours. They ruined our town because they give away so much to build a power base so they could stay in power that it drove the property taxes, and all the other fees right up out of sight! Then the poor and the elderly were forced to sell, or give up their homes as they can no longer afford them. The empire builders are very generous with the taxpayers money. They do not care about what happens to you. Here is an example. It's like being a veteran. You are a hero the day you come home from a war, but the day after that you get in line with the rest of the unfortunates at the VA Hospital.
Not me, I tried it once - never again! Four years ago I stood in line for three hours just to apply for medicine. I'm still waiting, so screw them! It's a big lie.
Here are some local examples. Our town used to have several volunteer fire and rescue departments, and they did an excellent job. We have maybe six house fires a year, no baloney. Now we have six full time fire departments with all of the salaries, medical plans and retirement programs that go with it. Our modest home has a fire tax of over $300.00 a year and the tiny vacant lot next door is just under $300.00 a year. They recently tore down several perfectly good fire stations and rebuilt them. If you don't pay your fire taxes they can seize your home and auction it off! My little home is taxed at over $6000.00 a year including my elderly and veterans exemptions being deducted. It's like they sit up nights thinking of ways to burn the money!
We used to have a police chief and three policemen. Our town is very quiet and we rarely, if ever, have had a serious crime. Now we have a huge police department with a budget of at least three million dollars a year to "protect" the people of our town. That's pretty expensive insurance! We used to have two or three people in a modest town office and now we have a huge new building infested with workers who are busy meddling with and controlling every detail of our lives. And of course, the medical and the Pensions etc. Then we have the school system. We used to pay the nearby city so we could send our high school students to their excelling high schools, where I received my last three years of education and it was fine. But that wouldn't do. Now we have our own high school and all of the problems and expenses that go with it. That of course includes the salaries pensions, and medical for the administration, teachers, and custodial staff whom do not come cheap these days. Well the list goes on and on, and I'm sure you have heard it all before.
All this was brought on by a bunch of empire building politicians (meddling fools) that would not last a month if they had to run a real business! And believe me, running any government is a business. You cannot spend more than you take in, and you cannot say yes to everyone just so you can keep your position as the boss. In a real business if you overspend, you are gone! It's a system designed for a select few whom reap all of the benefit packages while the rest of us, who are paying for it, are on the outside looking in.
So what is my point you might ask. Well my property tax and fire tax bills take a major portion of my pension, and I am not alone, this is happening all over the country. The average American has been systematically sold out by overly ambitious, dishonest politicians at every level of government. So here's the deal. If you fall into the above category, or think you will as you get older, you better start looking around for a new place to live. You cannot stay in a town like mine. Personally, I plan to leave the state, which is just as bad, and find a nice little rural town with a head on its shoulders, and move in. I will of course build a new highly efficient micro home and it Will be totally off the grid. Land without power available is much less expensive to purchase. Land without power is easily found even in this day and age. And so, I personally am looking around for a new location, and hopefully in a warmer place than New England. If you are thinking that you may be in a similar position to me one of these days then I suggest you start planning now before it is to late. Believe me, no one else cares about you, and Washington is far too busy meddling in foreign affairs to ever be of any real help to you. Example, the Russians got their asses kicked in Afghanistan, and were going to do better? Bullshit, All were going to get is a lot of body bags just like in Nam! Don't let these guys wrap themselves in the flag and lie to you -- again!
Don't make me ever have to say "I told you so!" Start preparing for you future now, or you may not have one. You are on your own, always!
Walt

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