ComedyJohn Oliverjohn oliver videojohn oliver last week tonight

John Oliver Tackles Mysterious Government Bodies Called 'Special Districts'

But, Mr. Oliver, what ARE special districts?
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By 

Writer, HuffPost

Special districts are local government bodies designed to collect taxes dealing with one specific service, like water, parks or sewage. But most people know very little about special districts, if they've heard of them at all.

As John Oliver explains on "Last Week Tonight," these units can be set up for almost anything. Shadowy ghost government with little oversight and unknown to the public? What could possibly go wrong?

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Before You Go

21 Things Just Being Complete Smartasses
Smartass line.(01 of21)
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Smartass SUV.(02 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/227uy7/what_a_smart_ass/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/227uy7/what_a_smart_ass/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="19" data-vars-position-in-unit="20">Reddit</a>)
Smartass comment card.(03 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1wxkni/smart_ass/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1wxkni/smart_ass/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="18" data-vars-position-in-unit="19">Reddit</a>)
Smartass bathroom stall.(04 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/tdups/those_darn_pranksters_at_my_school/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/tdups/those_darn_pranksters_at_my_school/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="17" data-vars-position-in-unit="18">Reddit</a>)
Smartass baseball diamond.(05 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/36206p/high_school_pranksters_in_ohio_planted_a_tree_in/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/36206p/high_school_pranksters_in_ohio_planted_a_tree_in/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="16" data-vars-position-in-unit="17">Reddit</a>)
Smartass iTunes.(06 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/mj108/mom_didnt_think_this_was_very_funny/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/mj108/mom_didnt_think_this_was_very_funny/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="15" data-vars-position-in-unit="16">Reddit</a>)
Smartass fortune cookie.(07 of21)
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(credit:<a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/IwA1Keu" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://imgur.com/gallery/IwA1Keu" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="14" data-vars-position-in-unit="15">Imgur</a>)
Smartass cake.(08 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/26ue75/my_apathetic_groom_received_a_smart_ass_grooms/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/26ue75/my_apathetic_groom_received_a_smart_ass_grooms/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="13" data-vars-position-in-unit="14">Reddit</a>)
Smartass Captcha.(09 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/2ks8kj/fuck_you_ticketmaster_and_your_smart_ass_security/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/2ks8kj/fuck_you_ticketmaster_and_your_smart_ass_security/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="12" data-vars-position-in-unit="13">Reddit</a>)
Smartass dark room.(10 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/334cqp/dark_room_sign/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/334cqp/dark_room_sign/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="11" data-vars-position-in-unit="12">Reddit</a>)
Smartass Netflix.(11 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/20jl19/ha_ha_very_funny_netflix/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/20jl19/ha_ha_very_funny_netflix/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="10" data-vars-position-in-unit="11">Reddit</a>)
Smartass brick wall.(12 of21)
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Smartass electric car.(13 of21)
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(credit:<a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/WOcDCfb" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://imgur.com/gallery/WOcDCfb" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="8" data-vars-position-in-unit="9">Imgur</a>)
Smartass sandwich board.(14 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/2fgtus/smart_ass_sign/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/2fgtus/smart_ass_sign/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="7" data-vars-position-in-unit="8">Reddit</a>)
Smartass pool.(15 of21)
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Smartass bike.(16 of21)
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(credit:<a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/SZruTXK" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://imgur.com/gallery/SZruTXK" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="5" data-vars-position-in-unit="6">Imgur</a>)
Smartass brownies.(17 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/21ymnm/some_smart_ass_asked_me_if_i_wanted_a_brownie/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/21ymnm/some_smart_ass_asked_me_if_i_wanted_a_brownie/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="4" data-vars-position-in-unit="5">Reddit</a>)
Smartass yearbook.(18 of21)
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Smartass sign.(19 of21)
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(credit:<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/2alpfy/funny_sign_in_wisconsin/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="56dd9293e4b03a4056791e3d" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/2alpfy/funny_sign_in_wisconsin/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="2" data-vars-position-in-unit="3">Reddit</a>)
Smartass window.(20 of21)
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Smartass labels.(21 of21)
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