GCN - General News Update: "There are growing concerns that redevelopment on the Coast will lead to substantially higher property taxes for residents in the future. As new condos and business developments get underway, land prices will rise. Eventually, reappraisal of property will occur resulting in property taxes that could exceed resident's ability to afford. While this is an issue for the future, some local political leaders are aware that such high property taxes could drive some residents away, or force them to sell their property at a loss since they could not afford to rebuild."
We have thought about it. We have even briefly discussed it. But we know that it's a topic that must remain mostly undisturbed if we want to survive. The future. Nobody can talk about the future anymore.... It stands squarely in the way of recovery. We have to work pretty hard to find ways around it and get on with our lives.
It's only a matter of time.
Monday we made it to our Homeowner Assistance Grant appointment at least an hour ahead of our scheduled time. Mom was kind enough to take on all four of the kids while we made the trip to Gautier. I would love to say that the entire experience was enlightening -- or at least eventful... But I can't.
The time was spent mostly on having copies of our various requested documents scanned onto a CD-ROM to be included with our application. It was not the most encouraging experience either. US: "Do we need to give you the entire insurance report or just the declaration page?" SCANNING GUY: "Uh I guess you can give me whatever you have." Er.. okay... US: "We have receipts for our repairs -- don't you need those?" SCANNING GUY: "I will scan those too, if you want." Uhm... Not that we wanted to waste the guy's time or anything but I got the distinct impression that he was scanning most of our documents to simply appease us.
We fared no better in phase II where we were sent to a cubicle containing two young women and a Dell desktop. The actual application process consisted of reading information off of the application we had printed out from the website so that one of the women in a "Staff" t-shirt could type it into the computer. We had had questions when filling out that application at home -- mostly concerning how to explain the situation with our insurance company when the blanks provided didn't ask the right questions -- and those same questions went unanswered during the application process. Let's just say there were a lot of areas left blank on the application. This makes me uneasy... we all know that an 'improperly completed application' is one of the most popular and cost-effective ways to totally eliminate other-wise eligible people from any process.
On the way back to Mom's house... I was thinking about the fact that the entire program is nothing but a band-aid anyway.... And with all the talk among legislators about how people should not be expected to be 'made whole' by these programs -- it's an apparently ill-fitting band-aid as well.
Don't worry, guys, we're in no danger of being made whole.
The future crossed my mind during that car ride. How could it not? I thought about the very real possibility that any grant received from the program would fall very, very short of what we need to actually repair the house. I consoled myself by remembering that we're resourceful enough... we have excellent credit... and with some juggling here and there and a little more patience (what's another year anyway?) we could eventually swing a loan or series of loans to complete the repairs ourselves. That's when the thought hit me again... While I was daydreaming about how long one of those loans would take to pay off... that's when it hit me -- "I wonder if we'll be able to afford the house by then?"
We kept that thought in the back of our minds before Katrina... we had only discussed it with one another maybe once or twice before... but it was there for both of us. Property taxes in Pascagoula are astonishingly high for some reason... The great majority of our monthly mortgage payment consists of taxes and insurance -- to the extent that we worried that a steady increase in either or both could result in not being able to afford that payment any longer. We knew a sudden hike would be a disaster.
And that was before Katrina... when we were dealing in 'what ifs'. Today -- the tax hike and the insurance premium hikes are a matter of 'when' -- not 'if'.
So... 'When?' Will we repair the house in time to have to give it up anyway? Or am I being optimistic? Perhaps we'll never make it that far. Our last statement from the insurance company included a 10% premium increase.... And so it begins.
Ah but you see -- such future-thinking is dangerous and non-productive.
In that case -- I'll go outside and plant an herb garden.
PS Many thanks again to Mom for watching the kids for us!!!
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