American Dream is Dead
The washington township resident had heard the rumblings several years before- ‘there is going to a brutally massive property tax increase - so get ready.’
2003- it hit, and it hit hard. her taxes for her modest 1700 sq. ft. home, which she had lived in for
21 years, had gone from 1700.00 to 5500.00. She appealed, based on a mistake in the neighborhood rating, and misinformation about a finished attic.
Mercifully, her taxes were reduced to 3500.00.
Still, her monthly mortgage payment increased by 400.00 to accommodate the property tax increase, but her income did not rise commensurate with this..
No more family vacations (modest, at most) to michigan, no more hopes of finally not having to borrow college tuitions, no more hopes of getting ahead.
Fast forward to 2007- nostrils above water, coming up for air.. maybe this year we won’t have to borrow college funds, maybe we can take a little trip..
Oh- wait- here we go again with the property tax increases. Stomach in twisting knots, tears ebb and flow.. This time it goes up 70%. mortgage will increase another 3-400.00 to accommodate property tax increase.
Even if she could pay off her mortgage, she will still have to save a substantial amount every month to pay the taxes. She’ll never really own her home.
She wanted to live and die in this house, and leave it to her children. But not anymore. It’s just not possible. It’s not affordable, with all the repairs that an old house needs- the only option now is to sell. To go somewhere where taxes are manageable, and the financial rape will stop.
She has to allow her youngest to finish out his grade school experience. Then, after that, she will sell.
Reluctantly, sadly..but she must. She has no other option.
Her american dream is dead.
Source: A neighbor