Socializing Home Improvement
In my water bill from the City of Osseo, I found an insert containing the following text, accompanied by the city’s logo:
Thinking Home Improvement?
Siding - Windows - Roof - Kitchen - Baths - Garage - Driveway - and more!
4% or 5% Loans up to $25,000
Not sure where to start? The City of Osseo also offers FREE remodeling advisor services to Osseo residents. A remodeling advisor will come to your home and discuss your remodeling ideas with you.
The city of Osseo is partnering with the Center for Energy and Environment to offer several options to finance your home improvement projects.
612-335-5884 or www.mncee.org
First of all, what on earth is the government doing in the home improvement business?
Second of all, while the value of my house drops drastically, the assessed value and my taxes continues to rise. If the government has been running such a tight ship that it has taken care of all of the core functions of government and still has money left over to help everyone remodel their homes, then LOWER MY TAXES!
Most rational people have postponed or canceled plans to remodel their house because their budget is tight and instead choose to either save their money, pay down their debts, or spend their money on more important things. But the government, in its infinite wisdom, doesn’t like this and thinks instead that in difficult and uncertain economic times, families should be incurring even more debt!
And why, in an economy that has way too many construction contractors and interest rates that are way too low, does the government need to try to force the situation any further? Construction contractors are tripping over themselves and fighting each other to find work at any price above cost! It’s not enough that people have voted with their dollars (hint: they don’t want to build anymore for a while), the government sees fit to confiscate more of your money to subsidize one particular industry and one particular consumer choice.
The only remodeling anybody should be doing is installing better locks on their doors for when the government shows up at the door and says, “I’m here to help.”