I don't care how cheap it is there, I'm staying in Jersey

Yesterday I was talking with a neighbor about the upcoming revaluation in our town. We've already received the little love letter from the appraiser, which basically says, "We're coming. Be ready. Be afraid. Be very afraid." Those of us who have simply replaced old beat-up siding, or aging roofs, or leaky windows, are hoping and praying that we don't get punished for maintaining our houses. Yes, we're hoping that all those folks who have demolished their 1950's cape cods and ranches and built giant center-hall McMansions are the ones who get nailed instead, because building to within 8' of the property line deserve to be punished.

Here's what I don't understand about revaluations: If the town is functioning perfectly OK on their existing revenue, what is the additional revenue that will be generated by hiking my taxes between $1500-$2000/year (up from the almost $6000 we're paying now, and that's LOW for these here parts) going to pay for? Will we finally get leaf collection more than twice during the fall, or municipal trash collection? Will the swim club cost less than $700 (or $450 if you pay a $1200 binder)? Will it restore the music and art programs that always get cut when the school budgets pass? Will they finally start maintaining the schools so they don't have to put $35MM bonds up for a vote three times before they finally believe that no means no? Or will it go for new uniforms for the high school football team, or some other elitist crap that benefits very few actual people?

So we were talking about the additional $150-$200/month we're going to have to shell out, and my neighbor mentioned that the area around the Ozarks is an inexpensive, up-and-coming area for retirees. Now, Mr. Brilliant has been to the Ozarks, having spent part of his childhood in Missouri. B@B's good friend shimes grew up in Springfield, Missouri. And I can tell you that there's no way this pagan commie heathen Jewish gay-supporting, Bush-bashing liberal feminazi is going to move to the Ozarks; I don't care how inexpensive it is.

Especially with this going on:

The Confederate flag is rising again in Missouri, and an NAACP leader is vowing a "drastic" response.
Republican Gov. Matt Blunt has ordered the Confederate flag to fly Sunday at the Confederate Memorial State Historic Site in Higginsville, where an afternoon graveside service is planned to mark Confederate Memorial Day.

The flag will fly for only one day, but a Blunt spokesman said Friday the governor also supports a scholarly review of whether it would be appropriate to again fly the Confederate flag regularly at the historic site.

I think the thing to do is find out why we in NJ only get 57 cents back from the federal government for every dollar we pay in -- the lowest return in the nation.

Hey, Scott Garrett! Any answers to this question yet?