LEDGER COLUMNIST

Everyone gets frustrated from time to time, don't they?

I do and that's a fact.

Most of my frustrations stem from simple little tasks around the house that any idiot could seemingly do.

Like, say, replacing a light bulb. I was attempting to do just that the other day - after about a week in a dark bathroom - and while the old bulb came out with no problem, I just couldn't get the new one to screw in properly.

Of course, I was standing on the floor with arms stretched to the limit trying to put the new bulb in a hardto get-at fixture. I was too lazy to go get the step stool, which would have made this simple task a LOT simpler.

But noooo, I have to do things my way. Even after my wife volunteered to get the stool, I told her I didn't need it. "One of the advantages to being tall," I told her.

She stood there a few minutes watching me try to get the angle just right in order to screw in the bulb. She finally walked off and I swear I heard her say under her breath, "One of the disadvantages to being stubborn."

Maybe she didn't say it. Maybe I was just thinking it. The truth hurts sometimes, does it not?

I finally gave in and fetched the stool. Amazingly, the bulb went right in.

That's the way it is a lot of times...I know how, why or what needs to be done in order to get the desired results, but for some reason I refuse to do it.

There are things other than menial household chores that frustrate me but to a greater degree because there isn't much I can do about the cause of the frustration.

We're all concerned about the high price of gasoline and are frustrated because there doesn't seem to be much we can about it. But is there?

We can curtail our driving, but only by so much. We can buy more fuel efficient cars or scooters. We can even dust off the bikes and ride them for short trips.

But the bottom line is that our country is dependent on other countries - countries that don't particularly care for Americans - for most of our oil.

The answer seems pretty simple: the U.S. government should allow drilling for oil in our own reserves offshore, in Alaska and anywhere else we have it.

For one reason or another, that approval has not been given and even though some lawmakers seem to be softening their positions, it doesn't appear as if it will come any time soon.

Now that's frustrating.

Closer to home, I'm frustrated by the inaction of our county government in dealing with landowners who are receiving tax breaks because their land is improperly classified as agricultural.

The issue was first brought to county council's attention in early 2005. That's three and one-half years ago, folks. THREE AND ONE-HALF YEARS! In numerous articles during that time, this newspaper has questioned county officials about the matter and every time we were assured it was being dealt with.

The party line was that these suspect classifications would be dealt with during reassessment.

In April of this year, we reported that despite having been told in May 2007 the review was underway, it had not begun.

And speaking of property reassessment, we reported in March 2006 that it had been delayed until 2008 and on April 14 we were told that those reassessments would be arriving in the mailboxes of Cherokee County property owners in May.

It's now July and in a story in today's paper, we learn that reassessment has been delayed once again.

What's going on here?

It's not that I'm anxious to see my taxes increase - as they invariably do with a reassessment - but as I said in a column several weeks ago about this same subject, "This is beyond ridiculous. There is absolutely no excuse for this. Taxpayers whose property is correctly classified are paying more so that a few select property owners can pay less. County council should correct this inequity immediately, if not sooner."

Approving new areas for oil drilling and making sure land is properly classified should be as simple as using a step stool to put in a light bulb.

But then, nothing government has its hand in is simple, and that's what makes IT so frustrating.

Cody Sossamon (cody@gaffneyledger.com) is publisher of The Gaffney Ledger.