Jen,
Sounds wonderful - where you live. One thing that I HAVE missed living
in anonymous apartments is the interaction with old folks and people of
other age groups. Kids too. I hope it works out that way for us too.
Seniors pay less around here anyway. Around 5% to the 10% everyone else
pays. So I dont see why they should not reaccess for everybody when
they do that for newcomers. If they did that for everyone who were not
claiming exemptions longtime owners would be paying perhaps a little
more but it would be much more closer to fair. The system they have now
discourages new people from coming to the neighbourhood and when the
older folks pass away, the heirs just rent out the property or wait
till someone with deep pockets comes along and breaks it down for a
condo complex. This happily encourages sub-urban sprawl and tons of gas
consumption too. Makes me feel guilty as hell, but what is the
alternative ?
BTW i'm not even close to the AMT, something I had read about but on
investigating find that I'd really have to try!

Anita