Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes


A few years ago, Pennsylvania legalized slot machines. The plan was to use the revenue generated for schools. Once things were in place there was a question added to the next ballot as to whether or not your particular school district should be involved in the proposed program. Reading was one of the few districts in my immediate area that said yes.

Last fall when I got my school tax bill the amount owed was zero. Yay me! Lots of people in Reading had zero bills. Everyone else’s was greatly reduced. Wonderful, right? It worked as it was supposed to, right?

Wrong! Last week they sent out revised statements. It seems the powers that be ignored businesses when dispersing the amount of money obtained from the state. My immediate reaction was too bad. I know, shameless of me but as I see it, businesses are hopefully in a better position to pay excessive taxes than I am.

As it turns out most businesses now qualify for a rebate and I only owe a minimal amount, unlike some people I’ve spoken with. Not awful, right? But wait, my tale isn’t quite finished. You see, the notice to businesses was just that. A notice. The actual rebates won’t be mailed, as in a third set of envelopes, postage, and people paid to prepare them, until the end of next month.

And then, two mere two days later, there was an announcement. A portion of the new bills are incorrect, don’t pay anything yet. Yeah, like I’m going to rush to pay them a second before I absolutely have to. They’ll be sending out yet another round of statements. And how much is this costing us? Oh wait, there’s a website (that is definitely not user friendly, mainly because the statements aren’t user friendly) where you can check yourself to see if your bill is one that is in question or not.

What I’d like to do is tape a dime to a piece of paper and mail it to them now, then follow up next month with a letter stating there was an error with my payment and finally pay the balance when I feel like it, probably the week before new bills are sent out next fall. Sounds about right, doesn’t it?

Speaking of taxes, I was a very good girl and mailed of my federal tax owed yesterday. And I managed to do it without jumping off the roof. Aren’t you impressed? Actually, I was afraid the roof isn’t high enough to kill me and I’d end up a vegetable. But I have that covered. You see, I have a friend who’s promised, should I ever be in that state, to make me into the main course at a barbecue. Roast me on a spit. I think, however, I’d prefer a peach stuffed in my mouth to an apple. Hmm, perhaps a nice peach glaze too, while I’m roasting. Mm, probably taste like chicken. Wow, have I gotten sidetracked. Hey, maybe that’s what happened to the folks preparing Reading’s tax bills too.

1 comment:

Anny Cook said...

Taxes... wasn't that how the revolution started?