Today went to sign the kids up for soccer. It was in the big park in our town, (where the dog park is) but other than going with Millie I hadn't really explored the area. The guy on the phone had told me that the rec department was "in the mansion."
He was not wrong.
(Internet photo's, sorry about the poor quality.)
As we walked up I said to Emily "Wow, I guess we found where all your wedding receptions can be." It really is just beautiful (these pics I found online do not do it justice.)
Anyway, as I filled out the soccer registration forms (3 times) the kids kind of bounced around and thumped up and down on the floor. I asked them several times to settle down when the lady at the desk said "It's OK, it's just us up here the rest of the building is empty." I asked what it was used for "Oh, weddings, Bar Mitvah's, corporate functions, filming."
Then she told me that the entire estate (which now has several soccer fields, the dog park, the town pool, two water towers, a retirement home, the High School, paddle tennis courts and 300 acres of woods, ponds, fields and trails) was donated to the town in 1967 and had been used as a private house until that time. I said "Wow, that's quite a donation." We finished our forms and headed out.
As we were driving away Emily asked "Why would someone ever donate that? If it was mine I would keep it." I explained to her that sometimes even if the land is owned heirs of an estate can't afford to pay the property taxes or upkeep of a place like that. So they donate it instead.
Jacob (who usually does not pay attention to anything I say) asked what "property taxes" were. I explained that it's money that you have to pay the government when you own a house or land or any property.
"WHAT?" He asked incredulously. "THAT IS SO MEAN!"
I explained they use that money to run the schools, fix the roads, pay the police and firemen. He asked how much it was and I told him it was different from place to place but where we live it was a lot and where we used to live it was really a lot.
"THAT IS SO NOT FAIR!"
Emily added, "Jacob it's not just for your house. You have to pay taxes for the money you get at work too." I explained further - Jacob when Dad goes to work and earns money he has to pay a bunch of it in tax. Also, when you buy clothes or shoes or food or gas you pay tax on it.
By that point he was just horrified. I tried to give him an idea of how much income tax we pay by explaining the portion of the week that Dad goes to work to cover taxes. My kids don't see Rick through the week and they know he works a lot. Thinking that so much of the time he was gone was to hand money over to the government - Jake was speechless.
The rest of the car ride home I followed up explaining some more of the good things that taxes are used for. Then he asked if everyone pays the same tax (like everyone pays the same tithing) .... taxes were getting harder to defend.
It was kind of interesting to see taxes through the eyes of a six year old.
Maybe we should have a few more of them creating tax policy.
