Don wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...


Don wrote:

Well, it cost $600 to pave the road myself, and I paid over $3k in
taxes, so I think I have some change coming back.
Now, what was that you were saying about me wanting you to pay for it?


Ah. I think I get it.
You're arguing that the City owed you good paved road in front of your
house, and because they refused to do it, you got it done. So they owe
you the $600 back.

Rather as if you were a tenant in an apartment, and you had some
essential repairs made because the landlord wasn't making them? Then
the landlord would owe you the cost of the repairs?

Is that what you meant?

Sort of, but not exactly.
It's more like this:
I moved into an apartment and the landlord told me he'd have new carpet
installed for $3800.00, so I paid him the $3800.00. Then after living there
for 2 years the landlord still had not installed the carpet. So I purchased
a lessor quality carpet for $600.00 and installed it myself. Does the
landlord owe me any money and if so how much?

Is that a good analogy, though? It would be if the 3K in taxes that
you paid were ear-marked specifically and only for maintaining that
particular road. If it was for other uses as well, then perhaps this
was one they didn't get round to?

I mean, suppose you moved into an apartment, and you paid the landlord
$3800 toward general repairs, maintenance, and security for the whole
building (each tenant contributes). You figured it should include new
carpet for your apartment. He says that by the time he repainted the
walls and changed the hallway carpet and put in new the drapes, there
wasn't enough left for the individual apartment carpet. You then paid
$600 to change the carpet...now, who is supposed to pay whom?

Also, there is one further matter -- the city is not your landlord, in
that it is not a profit-maker. It's more like, instead of a landlord,
it's a tenant's co-operative that maintains the building. Everyone
contributes.

Rupa