Look what's happenin" in my home town.

[J.C.]

Man. They built that two story, 4000 square foot house in 3 DAYS. They went

24 hours a day, 3 shifts, 80 person crew per shift and they went 100 miles an hour all the time.

They say it's going to be on ABC sometime in the next two months. It's great to see this happen to people that really, really need it. And people up in Houston are contributing money and a large furniture store is furnishing the whole dang house. Now, if a miracle would just come along that would cure these two kids leukemia this year would be off to a fantastic start.

Check this out. And if you want, you can kick in a buck or two.

jc

[sleepdog]

It just escapes me why a family of four or even six in dire need of assistance need a 4000 sf home.

Why not build two 2000 sf homes and let another family in need have a break?

Is it ratings, drama, or "reality"??? All of the above?

[Harry K]

They just did one of those charity jobs up here in north Idaho. A beautiful home, fantastic landscaping, even a play house for the kids built like a castle including mote that cost more than a 3 car garage would. The family was a victim of a crime (don't reccall the details now) and needed a home but to take a family on or near welfare, put them in a home like that seems excessive. The house cost them nothing but I wonder how they will pay the taxes on one of the most expensive places in the county in the future.

There is a place for charity and then there is the need for a bit of sanity to go with it.

Harry K

[Larry Bud]

Who pays the property taxes?

[J.C.]

Forget it. I don't care to dwell on negativism.

[bart]

Oh...you mean reality...

[barry]

Often the seeker of truth will be perceived as a skeptic.

Get over it, and get with it.

J

[Larry Bud]

It's a relevant question. This family has a huge financial burden, how are they to pay property taxes?

In addtion, since this is a gift, don't they have to pay income taxes on this? Or is this covered by additional gifts?

[chris jung]

I must be turning into a curmudgeon early in life (I'm only 44!) but that was my thought too.

My other thought is about the expense of utilities, upkeep, repairs and furnishing a 4K sf house. A 4K sf house cost more to heat or cool than a

2K. If someone is in such dire straits that they have trouble affording housing better than a trailer, how are they going to afford those "extras?" Is it that charitable to give them a house that will be a financial strain for them to keep up?

Chris

[J.C.]

Okay. For all you negative thinking types out there. If you visited the web page about this you might have noted that this house is being built on the property of the Father. He is over 65. In our county we have an over 65 tax exemption. NO TAXES will be levied on this house until the property is sold, the owner passes away or opts out of the exemption. Even then, the property will be under the county agriculture exemption so the taxes would not be over $100.00 a year. And Texas has no State Property Tax. As for the IRS, word is this is a gift and those taxes will be paid by the builder and the furniture company.

But, if such things are that big a concern for all of you, why not chip in a buck or two toward the cause? I think MD Anderson Cancer Hospital has a fund set up for the twins as well. So, unless you are just the type that likes to throw cold water on a heart warming story, maybe you can see fit to help out.

[tom&kel]

[J.C.]

PLONK

[HeyBub]

Who's going to tune in to watch 'em build a dump?

[tom&kel]

plonk plonk little leftist.

[Cue]

Huh? How do you figure that? I guess you don't know much about leftists.

[tom&kel]

i know that despite all the good suggestions and/questions that damn near everyone raised here,he wanted nothing more than "happy little thoughts". that reminds me of that painter bob ross...."happy little trees". once people questioned if it really the best for the family, he got angry.

there is a serious underlining issue to charity; that being how well is the money spent. it's great that the family that has been struggling can catch a break,but when someone(extreme home makeover) is soliciting for donations there has got to be some common sense in the spending of those recieved contributions. being a recovering,pussified,treehugging leftist sort of qualifies me to make a personal(note the word personal) assesment.

*God grant me the serenity to not be sucked into these useless debates with people who have no practical use for common sense,or the application thereof.

[tom&kel]

[Harry K]

Let us know how your happy little family is doing in a year. My bet is they will sell the house, same as the one up here in Idaho. People in those situations do not need a McMansion. What they need is a real hand up which noone here grudges. The mansions being built by Extreme makeover are not a solution to the problem. Reasonable housing plus funds are what is both needed and wanted.

An example is here in Spokane, Wa. Just today one of the local Ford agencies donated a BRAND NEW CAR to a family that was burned out of their trailer, then were badly burned by a gas explosion as they stepped into a house they were looking at to rent. The entire family of

4 spent expensive time in a burn ward in Seattle. What did they get? An SUV - just what people facing major medical bills needs, a gas hog. The Ford agency didn't lose a dime as they.

a. Wrote it off as charity and b. Got rid of a vehicle they can't sell.

Harry K

Harry K

[tom&kel]

[sleepdog]

Kind of the point I was getting to...