Why are Grandpa and Grandma Moving?

When little Johnny and Susie got home from school his Grandpa and Grandma were waiting for him. They loved to stop by every few days to see how school had been and play with their grandchildren. This day would be different though.

Johnny and Susie both knew something was wrong, Grandma was crying. Grandpa said, “Grandma is sad today because we have to move. We spoke with our financial advisor and he told us we needed too much money. Our property taxes are too high and we cannot live near you anymore.”

Johnny said, “Does the mean we can’t go fishing every Saturday anymore?”

Grandpa relied, “No we can’t do that anymore.”

Susie said, “Grandma, will you still be able to teach me how to sew and quilt? You were going to start after my next birthday.”

Grandma, “I’m sorry sweetie. Your mom will have to teach you now. You can show me what you have learned when you come to visit.”

Johnny and Susie asked, “Can we come over every month?”

“I’m afraid not,” said Grandpa. “We are moving to another State. You’ll only get to visit during the summer and maybe over Christmas break.”

“Maybe we can use our allowance money to help pay your taxes. Would that help you be able to stay?” Susie asked. Johnny nodded in agreement.

“I’m afraid not,” said Grandpa. “If you an Susie both earned $5 per week and gave that too us. You wouldn’t have enough money to pay for one year of taxes until you graduated college.”

“Why are taxes so high, Grandpa?”, Johnny asked.

Grandpa thought for a minute how to explain it, “You see, the people voted to pass a referendum to provide more money for the schools. They say they need the money for school programs for you and Susie. Many of the people didn’t realize how many grandmas and grandpas would have to move away from their grandkids because of it. They call us selfish and say we should help pay for the education of all the children. We aren’t selfish, we just don’t have enough money. The people who call us selfish are only thinking about themselves. They are making us move.”

“How can we stop this from happening to our friends grandpas and grandmas?”, Susie asked.

Grandma responded, “Tell them all how they won’t get to go fishing with their Grandpa or sew with their Grandma. Tell them to tell their parents to vote No on referendums so their Grandpa and Grandma won’t have to move to another State. But most of all, tell them to make the schools only spend $5 if that is what we give them and stop spending $10.”

Update: I have been asked why I wrote this. I wrote it after attending the Lake County United Candidate Forum in which a Financial advisor stated he had just told a retiring couple they could not retire in Lake County without having an additional $225,000 annuity just to pay their property taxes and Warren Township Supervisor Sue Simpson telling the story of each year when Blue Cards come out several Seniors stop in her office to tell her they are moving away because of the property taxes. I also had a friend of mine, who will be retiring in the next few years, tell me he would be selling his house here in Illinois and moving to Wisconsin because he would not be able to afford the property taxes here any longer.