They are fees, not taxes

[realist]

Help I need some feedback. Please let me know if I am stupid or just retarded. 40 years ago my mom purchased a nice piece of property near a lake with the intent on building on it. The place was a gated community with a purposed golf course. The problem was that no water was available and for the next few decades the property just sat. When I took over my mom’s finances and subsequently inherited the property I paid the property taxes some times. You see the county where the property is in does not send out tax bills when the bill is less than $10. If it is less than $10 they just right it off. Soooooo the other day I receive a bill for $330. I call and find out that it is for the water meter that was installed by the county. So I asked the nice supervisor if I could now build. No there is a building moratorium. I ask how the amount was derived at and was told that there is a flat fee of $40 per month for the meter which I did not have put in. Now when you consider the property is valued at about $1,000 I figure that is only about 4% per month or 48% of the property value. I told the guy that was a hell of a deal and to get that piece of shit meter off the property. He then tells me that they do not have a procedure for doing that. Well, shit fire fuck that makes all the sense in the world. I am generally very easy to get along with but this year the taxes and fees have put me over the edge. These guys have just put me over the edge. I wonder how many other people who live out of the area are being screwed the same way and just figure that it is the price to pay. Does the term “See you in court mean anything???????” Game on, they pissed me off.

Thanks for letting me rant I will send you the $50 when I get my fees back…..

[GunnerMax]

I would file a claim in small claims court, represent yourself, and see where that gets you.

Now why is there a building moratorium?

So, let me get this right, you cannot build on your own property?

[Sniper-T]

you cannot build, yet they can install a meter and charge for not using it??

court

[realist]

The thing that be funny if it were not serious is that the reason why we can't build is there is no water. So if there is no water then why would they install a water meter?

[ladyhk13]

Contact the other land owners and see if you can all get together and file under one suit. Get one lawyer, split the costs and do a class action against the county. I think that's what it would be called - don't quote me.

[Katrina]

realist,
Are they planning on bringing water in? What does the master plan say. DH is on township planning committee here and he says find out what the master plan says. It maybe they are planning on running "city" water out there and that's why there is a meter. If that happens , watch out. MIL had to have "city" water run from road and her bill was horrendous.