People Taxed On Homes that No Longer Exist

Everybody is expected to come together and sacrifice some after a disaster… except the government. 

The people who lost their homes last week in the Lake Delton flood are hearing more grim news: They will have to pay the entire tax bill for their homes even though their properties no longer exist.

Lake Delton Village Clerk-Treasurer Kay Mackesey said property taxes are owed for the value of property as it existed on Jan. 1 - six months before the flood wiped out five homes and drained the lake.

Mackesey said village officials want to review how they could help those affected, but state Department of Revenue spokeswoman Meredith Helgerson said there are no exceptions to the law that says properties are taxed based on their Jan. 1 values.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done for those folks,” Helgerson said.

Finish this sentence… trying to wrest a dollar out of a government official’s hand is like ______________.