Property taxes as terrorism

I've been labeled a "tax paying, government hating" malcontent in print by a former town councilor. And it's no secret that I've been a taxpayer advocate over the years, with a somewhat public profile.

But I don't recall anything like I read in the Times Record yesterday in their lead article on the tormented organic farmer.

I won't dwell on the farmer's life style, which seems to reflect a certain disdain of reality, mixed with a sense of entitlement. And trust me, there's much tongue biting going on.

This quote goes well beyond anything I can recall in the way of tax related rhetoric, and places the speaker squarely at the F. Lee Bailey and Paul Krugman level of exaggeration:

Johnson shares her house with Joe Ciarrocca, who calls the town’s tax lien warning a “blatant act of terrorism.” He says the town is hiding behind the law by sending these letters, which don’t account for an individual’s situation.

And in response to an input from John Eldridge, a decent, capable, and understanding town staffer, about relevant law, there is this response:

Unfortunately, this is exactly the answer that angers Johnson and Ciarrocca, who counter by asking, “What about the people? What about the individual?”

I suppose organic farmers consider themselves exempt from such annoying little details of "community." I'll leave it to the "interested student" to reach their own conclusions about such sentiments, but it would appear the subjects of the article are living in a parallel universe. And they are not alone. I better stop scratching my head before I draw blood.