Excessive pet taxation.

If you have a pet in a city requiring licensing, it will cost you on average $10/pet. If you have a middle class income with 2-3 kids and have two pets, you will pay more for those pet taxes than all your federal taxes combined. You can argue the point at which federal taxes kick in or how much you pay indirectly. However, the actual money coming out of your pocket that you can realistically control is the local $10/pet. Obviously there are many more local tax issues that are larger and affect your wallet more significantly than a pet. Your vote and voice on such issues is a much larger percentage of the voting populace locally than nationally.

Interestingly, more people vote for national elections than local. Why is this? It must have to do with people not wanting to carry responsibility for their decisions. It is easier to blame others than to take responsibility. Running for school board or town council is a much bigger commitment than voting for a president and bitching about the outcome. Whining about things you can't control is much easier than changing the things you can. Why would you care about the pennies of aid to Georgia (the country) if your local school in Georgia (the state) is spending thousands of dollars of your earnings on a school you and your neighbors don't want or need? Maybe you do need it. Why would you not vote for it and encourage others to but get all excited about a presidential election. What actually affects you more?

Try looking up your local municipality's budget. Read the minutes. Go to a meeting. The involvement and bureaucracy of it all is incredibly intimidating. I am as guilty of this as anyone. I rely on the idea that I'm new to my area to justify my lack of involvement. It is a cop out. I will change. I will be charged as a newbie and not understanding local issues. I will do it anyway because I care about my community.