Dear City of Buffalo Assessment and Taxation Office
We are one of the 7,065 property owners, that has received a higher assessment and we're puzzled as to how you came to the conclusion that our modest home in N. Buffalo is now worth $24,000 more than it was last year when you then said it was worth $19,000 more than in 2006.
I know Buffalo is different from other parts of the country when it comes to our strange little economy. I hardly can believe that our house has increased in value by so much in such a short time.
We might have been happy since this would have meant that we had a nice amount of home equity but surely you know that the credit market is pretty tight these days.
Last time I heard the doom gloom news, it was estimated that only 1 in 4 people who wanted to get a loan could. Stats can be misleading but I also read that in the US there are 5 major banking players and none of them a readily lending so I am inclined to believe we won't get a loan if we wanted one.
I feel like this is pretty thinly veiled tax increase in the works. Yes, I read and understood that nice statement that our taxes are based on many factors. Our memory isn't that short and I keep all our records and the last time you raised our assessment, the city raised our taxes so I'm a bit skeptical at this point.
How about you talk to the Mayor's Office and suggest revitalizing some of the more depressed areas of Buffalo and expanding our tax base so we don't need to concentrate so much of the tax burden.
As a tax payer, I would welcome intergovernmental communications that could lead to some positive progress and increased efficiency.
We'll be sending in our grievance letter shortly or my husband may show up on the ultra convenient grievance day of December 31, 2008.
Thanks in advance!
Pmrk's Journal
My Podcast Link
12/03/2008 11:10 #46935
More letters11/21/2008 16:48 #46787
Dear CongressDear Congress
May I have a bailout? I don't need nearly as much as you have been giving out and I won't fly in to ask for money on a private jet or even in coach; if you need my request in writing I will send it via USPS and pay for the stamp out of my own pocket.
Once you give me the money, I will not hoard it or throw lavish parties or take a spa vacation.
I have a spending plan all set too.
We can work out the exact details since it is smarter to pay off high interest credit cards first but it would go something like this:
Pay off mortgage.
Pay off car.
Pay off student loans.
Pay off credit cards - we only have 2.
Pay back my mom.
I promise I will stimulate our local and national economy and save for the future too. I have a plan for that as well; once again it's simple but I can see it working out really well for everyone.
We're going to save more than we spend but we'll spend as we know the importance of consumer spending and we'll continue to support local charities.
We'll buy some new stuff from local stores and bigger national chains - but not from Wal-Mart. Hope that is not a deal breaker but I'm just not a fan.
We'll go visit some friends and family in other parts of the country and buy some stuff where they live too, I doubt we'll stay in hotels for every visit since we want to stay with our friends and family but we'll go out for dinner at least once per trip.
We'll pay my husbands school tuition and not take out any student loans and in a couple years he will re-enter the workforce as a teacher. He already has plans to teach in a high demand area such as the inner city.
We'll be sure to set aside money for his children to attend college or trade school so they'll be able to get good paying jobs and add to the tax revenue.
Just ask the IRS for our address, they have it as we have been loyal tax payers for a while now.
Thanks in advance!
May I have a bailout? I don't need nearly as much as you have been giving out and I won't fly in to ask for money on a private jet or even in coach; if you need my request in writing I will send it via USPS and pay for the stamp out of my own pocket.
Once you give me the money, I will not hoard it or throw lavish parties or take a spa vacation.
I have a spending plan all set too.
We can work out the exact details since it is smarter to pay off high interest credit cards first but it would go something like this:
Pay off mortgage.
Pay off car.
Pay off student loans.
Pay off credit cards - we only have 2.
Pay back my mom.
I promise I will stimulate our local and national economy and save for the future too. I have a plan for that as well; once again it's simple but I can see it working out really well for everyone.
We're going to save more than we spend but we'll spend as we know the importance of consumer spending and we'll continue to support local charities.
We'll buy some new stuff from local stores and bigger national chains - but not from Wal-Mart. Hope that is not a deal breaker but I'm just not a fan.
We'll go visit some friends and family in other parts of the country and buy some stuff where they live too, I doubt we'll stay in hotels for every visit since we want to stay with our friends and family but we'll go out for dinner at least once per trip.
We'll pay my husbands school tuition and not take out any student loans and in a couple years he will re-enter the workforce as a teacher. He already has plans to teach in a high demand area such as the inner city.
We'll be sure to set aside money for his children to attend college or trade school so they'll be able to get good paying jobs and add to the tax revenue.
Just ask the IRS for our address, they have it as we have been loyal tax payers for a while now.
Thanks in advance!
pmrk - 11/21/08 23:20
(e:imk2) glad you liked enough to use it. I may just send it off to my Representatives and Hillary. I agree on the not too frivolous of restaurants part, it was a good revision.
(e:gardenmamma) I agree that those of who have to pay bills would spend the money wisely. I think if our government had single parent households in charge of budgets we'd have a balanced and frugal budget.
(e:imk2) glad you liked enough to use it. I may just send it off to my Representatives and Hillary. I agree on the not too frivolous of restaurants part, it was a good revision.
(e:gardenmamma) I agree that those of who have to pay bills would spend the money wisely. I think if our government had single parent households in charge of budgets we'd have a balanced and frugal budget.
imk2 - 11/21/08 22:56
i got this reply so far
Thank you for your e-mail. It is very important to me to know the issues that are of concern to you. A growing number of my constituents are now choosing to communicate with me via e-mail. I hope you will understand that, because of the volume and range of e-mails I receive, it can take some time to send a response that specifically addresses the subject raised in your message. I do, however, want to let you know immediately that your message has been received. Hearing from you and others through e-mail helps me to quickly learn the views and interests of New Yorkers and others, which is very helpful to me in my work in the United States Senate. I hope you will continue to monitor my work through my website at :::link::: and I welcome hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
i got this reply so far
Thank you for your e-mail. It is very important to me to know the issues that are of concern to you. A growing number of my constituents are now choosing to communicate with me via e-mail. I hope you will understand that, because of the volume and range of e-mails I receive, it can take some time to send a response that specifically addresses the subject raised in your message. I do, however, want to let you know immediately that your message has been received. Hearing from you and others through e-mail helps me to quickly learn the views and interests of New Yorkers and others, which is very helpful to me in my work in the United States Senate. I hope you will continue to monitor my work through my website at :::link::: and I welcome hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
imk2 - 11/21/08 19:44
Hey I took yours and tweaked it a bit (I hope you don't mind my plagarism) and actually sent it my Repressentative and to Hillary Clinton.
The begining is pretty much yours, the end is where I added stuff. I kept the Walmart bit b/c I am not much of a fan as well.
Dear Senator Clinton,
May I have a bailout? I don't need nearly as much as you have been giving out and I won't fly in to ask for money on a private jet or even in coach; if you need my request in writing I will send it via USPS and pay for the stamp out of my own pocket.
Once you give me the money, I will not hoard it or throw lavish parties or take a spa vacation.
I have a spending plan all set too.
We can work out the exact details since it is smarter to pay off high interest credit cards first but it would go something like this:
Pay off mortgage.
Pay off car.
Pay off student loans.
Pay off credit cards - we only have 2.
Pay back my mom.
I promise I will stimulate our local and national economy and save for the future too. I have a plan for that as well; once again it's simple but I can see it working out really well for everyone.
We're going to save more than we spend but we'll spend as we know the importance of consumer spending and we'll continue to support local charities.
We'll buy some new stuff from local stores and bigger national chains - but not from Wal-Mart. Hope that is not a deal breaker but I'm just not a fan.
We'll go visit some friends and family in other parts of the country and buy some stuff where they live as well, and eat dinner in restaurants. (not too fancy, no need being so frivolous in a time of need)
We'll pay my staggering school loans and current school tuition and will finally be able to not take out future student loans that I can't afford to pay. My education will be used to better society.
We'll be sure to set aside money for my daughter to attend college so she'll be able to get a good paying job and add to the tax revenue.
Just ask the IRS, I have been a loyal tax payer since the age of 14!
I promise I don't require billions, and I'll never use your money to take my friends on some swanky retreat. Let their Senators worry about them.
I look forward to striking a deal that won't embarrass you or make you look as if you've been duped.
P.S. To make the PR for this deal even better you should also know that:
1. I was a teen mom
2. Baby daddy was murdered (back in '93 when gang violence was all the rage)
3. Daughter of an immigrant (legal of course!)
4. Father died of lung cancer (not sure if this one helps, but surely it can't hurt)
5. Put my self through college (without stripping or escorting!)
6. I am a liberal (I would never expect you to be so generous to some hillbilly republican who doesn't know a good government program even if it hits him in the face)
7. I cure cancer for a living (come on, it can't get any better than this?)
You can refer to me as "Yvonne the Second Generation, Single, Teen, Working to Cure Cancer, Mother"
Hey I took yours and tweaked it a bit (I hope you don't mind my plagarism) and actually sent it my Repressentative and to Hillary Clinton.
The begining is pretty much yours, the end is where I added stuff. I kept the Walmart bit b/c I am not much of a fan as well.
Dear Senator Clinton,
May I have a bailout? I don't need nearly as much as you have been giving out and I won't fly in to ask for money on a private jet or even in coach; if you need my request in writing I will send it via USPS and pay for the stamp out of my own pocket.
Once you give me the money, I will not hoard it or throw lavish parties or take a spa vacation.
I have a spending plan all set too.
We can work out the exact details since it is smarter to pay off high interest credit cards first but it would go something like this:
Pay off mortgage.
Pay off car.
Pay off student loans.
Pay off credit cards - we only have 2.
Pay back my mom.
I promise I will stimulate our local and national economy and save for the future too. I have a plan for that as well; once again it's simple but I can see it working out really well for everyone.
We're going to save more than we spend but we'll spend as we know the importance of consumer spending and we'll continue to support local charities.
We'll buy some new stuff from local stores and bigger national chains - but not from Wal-Mart. Hope that is not a deal breaker but I'm just not a fan.
We'll go visit some friends and family in other parts of the country and buy some stuff where they live as well, and eat dinner in restaurants. (not too fancy, no need being so frivolous in a time of need)
We'll pay my staggering school loans and current school tuition and will finally be able to not take out future student loans that I can't afford to pay. My education will be used to better society.
We'll be sure to set aside money for my daughter to attend college so she'll be able to get a good paying job and add to the tax revenue.
Just ask the IRS, I have been a loyal tax payer since the age of 14!
I promise I don't require billions, and I'll never use your money to take my friends on some swanky retreat. Let their Senators worry about them.
I look forward to striking a deal that won't embarrass you or make you look as if you've been duped.
P.S. To make the PR for this deal even better you should also know that:
1. I was a teen mom
2. Baby daddy was murdered (back in '93 when gang violence was all the rage)
3. Daughter of an immigrant (legal of course!)
4. Father died of lung cancer (not sure if this one helps, but surely it can't hurt)
5. Put my self through college (without stripping or escorting!)
6. I am a liberal (I would never expect you to be so generous to some hillbilly republican who doesn't know a good government program even if it hits him in the face)
7. I cure cancer for a living (come on, it can't get any better than this?)
You can refer to me as "Yvonne the Second Generation, Single, Teen, Working to Cure Cancer, Mother"
gardenmama - 11/21/08 16:57
I would like to sign up for this bailout also. No doubt we'd all do a better job with the funds than the banks, brokers, auto industry...
I would like to sign up for this bailout also. No doubt we'd all do a better job with the funds than the banks, brokers, auto industry...
11/20/2008 13:20 #46773
ipod woes - almostI have an iPod shuffle that I use when I work out. It's the clip on kind and I love it but the other day when I went to listen to it; it did not want to play. Just flashing yellow and then green. <sigh> so no music as I worked out.
I thought the shuffle was a goner but a little Google and some persistence and my shuffle is back!
It was totally odd series of steps I had to take but what ever combination of the things I tried finally worked this morning when iTunes saw the iPod and was able to restore it and I was able to sync my workout music to it.
BTW: (e:Anne) my iPod shuffle has some of those same songs you mentioned and I have not one iota of guilt for liking pop music.
Totally made my day!
(e:tinypliny) My solution was so convoluted I'm not sure it would work for anyone else. It also involved some cursing and talking to the ipod and then rebooting and going to bed!
Here is a link to the article I read
I also unplugged all my other ipod and my external USB drive while trying the recovery.
I really cannot say what exactly of all the things I tried worked.
I am fairly certain that swearing at the ipod and speaking to it probably had very little to do with it now working but you never know.
I thought the shuffle was a goner but a little Google and some persistence and my shuffle is back!
It was totally odd series of steps I had to take but what ever combination of the things I tried finally worked this morning when iTunes saw the iPod and was able to restore it and I was able to sync my workout music to it.
BTW: (e:Anne) my iPod shuffle has some of those same songs you mentioned and I have not one iota of guilt for liking pop music.
Totally made my day!
(e:tinypliny) My solution was so convoluted I'm not sure it would work for anyone else. It also involved some cursing and talking to the ipod and then rebooting and going to bed!
Here is a link to the article I read
I also unplugged all my other ipod and my external USB drive while trying the recovery.
I really cannot say what exactly of all the things I tried worked.
I am fairly certain that swearing at the ipod and speaking to it probably had very little to do with it now working but you never know.
james - 11/20/08 13:55
cardio is boring. Without music I can only do it for 20 minutes tops. WIth it I can do around 40. At the height of the presidential campaign I did it for over an hour while watching the Daily Show and the Colbert Report.
So, glad you got it working. Enjoy.
cardio is boring. Without music I can only do it for 20 minutes tops. WIth it I can do around 40. At the height of the presidential campaign I did it for over an hour while watching the Daily Show and the Colbert Report.
So, glad you got it working. Enjoy.
tinypliny - 11/20/08 13:47
Good for you! You should post the steps here so lost ipod souls can find their way in the non-sync wilderness.
Somehow, I have been clicking on the save comments button too soon and dropping a ton of empty comments lately... :/
Good for you! You should post the steps here so lost ipod souls can find their way in the non-sync wilderness.
Somehow, I have been clicking on the save comments button too soon and dropping a ton of empty comments lately... :/
tinypliny - 11/20/08 13:45
11/17/2008 15:02 #46720
Womens Gifts at BabevilleA little squished but a nice venue and some really beautifully made items.
It was nice to see that business appeared to be good for most vendors. I went with my friends and neighbors and we knew a few of the people selling at the venue as well as running in to others we knew who were shopping.
Anyone else who went partake in the Advice Booth and Candy Therapy?
It was nice to see that business appeared to be good for most vendors. I went with my friends and neighbors and we knew a few of the people selling at the venue as well as running in to others we knew who were shopping.
Anyone else who went partake in the Advice Booth and Candy Therapy?
11/17/2008 13:25 #46717
USS FreedomA day later than expected the USS Freedom pulled in to port here in Buffalo.
Basically the guy who best friends with my husband is stationed on the ship so we go to take a tour of the ship. It was amazing but I felt like I was in a real life game of chutes and ladders.
It was great for my husband to be able to visit with his friend, even if it's only for a couple days. We last saw him in 2005 when we got married and he was in town for our wedding.
I'll have pictures soon.
Finally, no ranting in my post!
Basically the guy who best friends with my husband is stationed on the ship so we go to take a tour of the ship. It was amazing but I felt like I was in a real life game of chutes and ladders.
It was great for my husband to be able to visit with his friend, even if it's only for a couple days. We last saw him in 2005 when we got married and he was in town for our wedding.
I'll have pictures soon.
Finally, no ranting in my post!
Ha! Jenks just pointed this post out to me after I made my post with a similar grievance.
Would you mind e-mailing me and letting me know what type of documentation you are putting together to challenge your assessment?
Thanks!