Property taxes pay for public schools everywhere in the US. It is the responsibility of the states, which give it to the local districts. I know that everyone complains about taxes, but generally, with schools, you get what you pay for. Education won't be equitable until we have an equitable method to fund our schools...

I am shocked that some of you pay $700.00 a month for a mortgage. I am "older" than a lot of you and my first mortgage, 27 years ago, in Chandler, AZ (not an expensive place at that time) was that much! You would faint if you knew what my mortgage was here in New England. I think people make choices on what to spend their $ on. When my kids were younger, I wanted them to have certain opportunities that were a stretch for us at the time. But it was worth it. The only debt I have is my house, but for a long time we lived on the edge. It's just a choice me made and I don't regret it.