In my state, property taxes cannot go up by more than 1.1% a year. 30%? Wow. Run for office, call your state representative, make some noise. Practice democracy.
Back when there was a baby in the household, the washer refused to drain one day, so we pulled it out and checked: the hose was jammed with baby socks and the like that had flown out the gap between the drum and the outer wall of the washer till they jammed the thing. It had never occurred to me that things could simply wash out along with the water.
Our rule was, no haggling or arguing: if Mom found money in the laundry it went into the take-the-family-out-for-ice-cream funds. One time my 18 year old had done an overnight babysitting gig. The next day, I lifted the washer lid to see $150 floating on the top. (Might have been more, it was a quick glance.) Closed the lid, walked in the other room where the four kids were, and said casually, I see something in the washing machine and I’m thinking ice cream. …You never saw a kid startle and then run so fast.
Actually, I didn’t then but I do now!