Our Government in Action . . .

The Empire strikes and then it's loyal servant defends and I just had to share this short little account. I usually just include a link, but in this case, I had to include the actual article from FOXNews. The entire context is just priceless, and you'll notice the news value that the fair and balanced source gave this information about an incident in a Massachusetts town.
http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Nov18/0,4670,ODDPennyBill,00.html
FOXNEWS.COM HOME > ENTERTAINMENT

>>>City threatens blind woman over unpaid 1-cent bill

ATTLEBORO, Mass. — A 74-year-old blind woman was shocked when her daughter found a letter from the city saying a lien would be placed on her home unless she paid an overdue water bill.


The amount? 1 cent.

Eileen Wilbur told The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro the letter sent her blood pressure soaring, and pointed out that stamps cost 42 cents.

City Collector Debora Marcoccio said the letter was among 2,000 sent out. A computer automatically prints letters for accounts with an overdue balance, and they are not reviewed by staff before being mailed, she said.

The letter warned of a lien and a $48 penalty if the overdue bill is not paid by Dec. 10. The charge was from the previous fiscal year, which ran from July 2007 to July 2008.

"My question is, how come it wasn't paid when the (original) bills went out?" Marcoccio said.

Wilbur's daughter, Rose Brederson, who discovered the bill in her mother's mail, called the situation "ridiculous." But she said her mother, who has lived in the home since 1959, would likely end up paying the penny.<<<

I'm all about paying my bills, but I'm guessing it was simply an error in writing out the check and to be honest, I would have assumed if I had underpaid a bill, it would have already been added to the next month's. Don't you think Debora's comment absolutely demonstrates the logic in which our government operates? Of course the best way to handle this situation would be to get authoritative, right Deb?
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. a Proverb of Holy Scripture