<prompt> Human: I bought an empty plot of land earlier this year. Its 200ft by 73ft - about .45 acres. Its in a depressed area economically, and located in a flood zone, lies next to an abandoned home, and 13 of the land is an unusable swamp. I bought it because I would like to build on it someday, when I am more established. There was previously a home on the property that was demolished after a flood several years agoI bought the empty land for 2000. It had been listed on the MLS at 3000 for several years before I made my offer, and the owners jumped at my offer. No one wanted it. I paid taxes earlier this year and the two plots that make up the property were valued at 6000. I just received a bill for school taxes, and they had valued the empty land at almost 25k. My school bills for this property are almost as high as my school taxes for my home. I called the assessors office to see whether they had the property listed as a residential on accident. No, it was listed as a vacant lot. They told me that I didnt have any choice this year but to pay my taxes, and that Im only allowed to file grievances in May every year. So Im not allowed to dispute this ridiculous assessment in any manner, and just have to pony up. The issue is, I wasnt at all expecting to spend almost 1000 on school taxes for an empty little plot of land in a town where the homes cost 15k each. I cant afford that right now, and in the letter I received for my school taxes it says I have to pay up - almost the entire amount - by the end of the month, or my property will be delinquent. What the hell can I do in this situation?  <response>: I didnt read the other responses, but I will tell you from direct experience of buying lots like yours at county auctions and being in a situation exactly like this; call the county and talk with them about having it reappraised. Ive found more often then not they are pretty understanding if you are respectful. 