Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Nov 18, 2007, at 7:49 AM, Clansgian AT wmconnect.com wrote:

> As for the rest, we are under paradigm of "Render unto Caesar the  
> things that
> are Caesar's."

Along the same philosophical vein, I have long said that my ideal  
personal economic world is where I need, and therefore need produce,  
so little cash that the IRS totally disregards me. To be happy with  
said modest amount creates great freedom.

I love to design and build. One of the facts that gives me pause is  
that as I build more, I will be taxed more. Thus far my thought is to  
build but to build in such a modest manner that the tax assessor  
feels sorry for me. A couple years ago the Heartwood tax bill arrived  
and it was double or triple what it had been for years, which is less  
than a hundred dollars per year for 130 acres and an old, shacky,  
farmhouse. Since then an A-frame has been built. I called the  
Assessor, an elected position in Ozark County, and had a satisfying  
discussion. Seems that the assessor's field man had assumed that the  
shack and the A-frame were both hooked up to deep wells and septic  
systems. Not so. Water from the stream and bucket toilets. She  
apologized and recalculated. The taxes I paid last week were $93.03.