Signs you just might be in Sandpoint …

Some indications that you might be in Sandpoint … with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy.

? If your schools take over 40 percent of your taxes already, but they want a $12 million levy, crying they're barely making it, you might be in Sandpoint.

? If you're paying high taxes, yet the mayor pushes through LIDs for sidewalks, URDs for business welfare and the city won't even sweep the streets of last winter's gravel because their equipment is broken, you might be in Sandpoint.

? If the mayor and four council people under his thumb want taxpayers to pick up the infrastructure tab for the benefit of developers, even with a URD you might be in Sandpoint.

? If the mayor complains when two council persons ask the people for input, you might be in Sandpoint.

? If the DSBA uses taxes to hang flower pots from utility poles and spends most of the money collected for the administrator's salary, you might be in Sandpoint.

? If the same person who wanted to donate land for a taxpayer-financed skating rink quadruples the rent on the senior thrift store and forces them to close, you might be in Sandpoint.

? If the mess and unfairness of high property evaluations and not having new construction on the tax rolls, leads the commissioners to rescind the 2006 evaluation, you might be in Sandpoint.

? And if some featherbrain still pushes a tunnel under Sand Creek instead of the byway, you are in Sandpoint!

LAWRENCE FURY

Sandpoint