Quote:
Originally Posted by AtLast
True. And online this is often true as well. Sometimes, I really think that our positive face to face communication skills are going to be a thing of the past. Automation of things not only has affected employment, but how we speak to one another. Sometimes I am sickened by how rude and sarcastic people have become- it is different than in the past in social situations to me.
A whole lot of entitlement going on when I think we are all "entitled" to courtesy and a willingness to communicate with each other in a way that leads to mutual understanding no matter if it about a product I bought and want to return or hearing out a loved one or friend.
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I have something to say that fits exactly what Atlast has said. I am very involved my neighborhood. No need to elaborate on that any further. What is going on in Pittsburgh is a property reassesment. This feels unfair to many. It's been 9 years since the last reassesment. Now, just because the value of your home and or property may have been increased, this does not mean AUTOMATICALLY, your taxes increase. Today, at Lunch time, the Mayor, the Treasurer, and various members of the city tax Department
held a meeting in my neighborhood to help people understand. They also
layed out in a simple powerpoint illustration and handouts how to file tax appeals if you feel your assessment is out of line. People were angry. One person rippped up their assessment as some kind of protest
. They wouldn't listen to any reasoning. I understand fear is a root cause. I raised my hand and when the microphone was passed to me, I spoke. I spoke about filing an appeal on the last assessment. (2002) I told the crowd I walked around the neighborhood, took photographs. Looked for properties that were similar in size, structure and date built. The internet was a new thing in 2002, so I went to the City County Bldg and looked up information on these properties I was going to take to my informal appeal. Some were comparable, some were not. In the end, I felt I was able to prove my tax assesment in 2002 was far too high. I was interrupted twice by some angry woman. I just kept giving her an evil look. I then talked about now, how all that information is on the internet, and how much easier the process is. It was far from hostile. This time some guy started to yell at me. When I am speaking publicly, I do a pretty good job with my filter but
he actually said *Listen Babe, I ain't got time for all that shit*
Listen Babe?
So I threw away the filter. *No, you just came to fight. Part of the problem. Never interested in a solution*.
It gets old, and I'm pretty sick of rising above it. You can be ignorant back to them, and they don't even know it.
Rant over.