That’s the reaction of Orange County resident Anthony Calandra to his home’s hefty increase in tax value in the wake of the county’s recent revaluation. Calandra was one of the 900 or so who attended last night’s Orange Tax Revolt meeting. The group wants Orange County commissioners to rescind the revaluation, as several other counties have done. From the Herald-Sun:

Noting that Orange County Attorney Geoff Gledhill has advised the commissioners they cannot legally rescind the revaluation past Jan. 1, real estate attorney Cynthia Shriner told the crowd that setting such a bar is simply a ploy.

“There is nothing in the statutes that prevents our county commissioners from doing this,” Shriner said, calling Gledhill’s position simply one legal interpretation.

My Orange County home has also increased in value. I don’t have a problem with that. The problem in Orange County is the sky-high property tax rate — 99.8 cents per $100, the second highest in the state. The rate is, of course, fueled by commissioners’ unquenchable thirst for taxpayer money to spend on a limitless list of programs and services. The list, of course, is fueled by a mindset that views government intervention as the first choice to address any and all issues. Until Orange County elects commissioners who see government intervention as just one of many tools to address issues, and a tool that should be limited to a very short list of priorities, this problem will grow.