When the state can’t manage its budget, it raids yours. A 50% property tax increase in 3 years isn’t governance. It’s desperation dressed up as “public service.” Families aren’t earning 50% more. Seniors aren’t living 50% longer. Services aren’t improving by 50%. Only government appetite grows that fast. And here’s the pattern every collapsing locality follows: 1. Mismanage money 2. Blame “unexpected costs” 3. Raise taxes 4. Repeat until the middle class flees This is not sustainable. This is not accidental. This is what happens when citizens create value and the system extracts it faster than they can earn it. If residents don’t push back now, the next increase won’t be 19% it’ll be whatever number fills their latest budget hole. Runaway taxes aren’t about revenue. They’re about control. The only defense is financial sovereignty because systems that depend on infinite extraction always fail.