The Ink-Pot and the Palette

Property and income taxes are a real consideration, though they don't bother me as much in principle as the health insurance does. Here in Portland my admittedly high property taxes support a really nice city to live in and really good drinking water, and good planning and urban design and lots of bikeways and stuff.

Also, my particular property taxes are controlled--my dumpy little house is in a dumpy little neighborhood "enterprise zone" and capped taxes have contributed significantly to the diversity of home ownership around here, so it's a good place for me to just stay.