Originally Posted by
Metal Man
They pay for electricity for coffee pots, microwaves, and many other things that are not work related.
She will gladly pay for the electricity she uses and has offered to pay twice the cost.
They first asked her to pay $200 for a meter to do this.
They then said they would accept documentation on what it uses to establish what she pays. We have provided that documentation and yet here we are still spending state time, and ours, trying to come to an agreement on something that is so trivial that not more than a few minutes should have been spent to come to an agreement.
When you're dealing with mindless bureaucracy just play them at their own game. If they are accepting your documentation point out that it costs 10c for a full charge rather than the 70c they have asked for and maybe suggest paying them 70c per week. Then ask for a weekly bill, and make sure you pay by check rather than cash. If they really get silly you can always ask for an itemised breakdown of your bill and a receipt every time you make a payment.
Then after a few weeks ask just how much of the taxpayer's money has been spent on something so utterly trivial, and maybe use all the documentation as evidence of flagrant waste of taxes if you approach the media.