Tax time

It has again become time for we homeowners, many of us long-standing, to pay our real estate taxes and to understand future consequences of the recent reappraisal.

It surely seems that our plight continues to be ignored by our elected officials and the bureaucrats. They seem to carry out what they deem as their mandated directives.

Attempts to develop a fairer system have been ignored. There seems to be limited options for the homeowner. Thus we suggest that we all pay our taxes under protest to the maximum that we can. Maybe we can get enough attention to be effective at the next elections.

Many of us have owned our homes for sometime, some as a result of family history. When concerns about the cost and fairness of this system are expressed, we are told, "If you can't pay the taxes, sell it."

That is an insult. Most of our homes are not being preserved as a profit-generating investment. It's where we raised our children, what we have retired into, and it's not for sale. We love our homes.

Hopefully our children and grandchildren want to keep it in the family and enjoy where we live into the future (after inheritance taxes are paid, of course). Investments are in the stock market, mutual funds, financial institutions and land development projects, but our homes are different, at least for most of us.

There have been evaluations of our homes that have increased by 400 percent and more, and taxes in the first of the six-year cycle up 40 percent. An indication of things to come.

Pay your real estate taxes under protest and hope to get someone's attention.

Charles and Susan Abell

Bruce and Susan Tate

Terry and Lynda Nelson

Whitefish

Pumpkin patch

The families, staff and board of directors at Children's House Montessori School would like to thank the community of Whitefish for supporting our annual Pumpkin Patch event. We really appreciate everyone coming out in the frigid weather to enjoy the festivities.

We would like to recognize many businesses for their contributions of goods and services that made this event a success, including Ali Caters, The Apple Barrel, The Boat Club, Celebrate Rentals, Glacier Produce, Great Northern Bar and Grill, Rolling C Ranch, MacKenzie River Pizza, The Towne Printer, Tupelo Grill and Whitefish Lake Golf Course.

We would also like to thank all of the volunteers who came out to help at the event. We would especially like to thank the students from Chrysalis School for helping at the craft booth and games, Jay DiPaola for providing musical entertainment at the event, and Linda Hobbs for lending us the cider press.

Finally, we would like to send out a big thank you to our financial sponsors, including Whitefish Credit Union, Glacier Bank, Mountain West Bank and Park Side Federal Credit Union.

Only with the help of the entire community could we continue to hold this historical event for the community of Whitefish. Pumpkin Patch continues to provide an opportunity for families to celebrate the beauty and tradition of autumn in Whitefish by enjoying a Saturday downtown pressing cider, enjoying soup made by local restaurants, and spending quality time with their children.

Thank you so much for your support!

Carla Belski

Children's House

Montessori School