TAXES: Don't always add up

On Aug. 31, 2009, I closed a small business located in the county. As all business owners know, personal property used in the conduct of a business is taxed, as was mine. At the end of the year I got a tax bill for the use of the equipment for the eight months it had been in use for that year.

This year I got another bill for the same reason - this for the same business shut down long ago. This bill was - and this is no typo - for 22 cents.

The distribution was to be as follows:

Kootenai County - 6 cents

Lakes Highway Dist. - 2 cents

School Dist. Bond - 2 cents

School Dist. other - 2 cents

School Dist. supp. - 4 cents

Timberlake Fire - 2 cents

KFC library - 2 cents

NIC - 2 cents

As everyone knows, every penny counts these days, even if it costs $150 to do all the accounting, mailing, distribution and bookkeeping to collect it. I thought about making payment in two installments but decided I couldn't afford the extra 47-cent stamp.

GEORGE HELMS

Athol