Posted on 02/16/2006 3:52:53 PM PST by LouAvul
Edited on 02/16/2006 6:43:01 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
So you would prefer no fire department at all, so everybody gets treated the same?
I bet you believe in free healthcare to, don't cha?
Unfortunately, I think it will be just the opposite. The Springfied radio station was speaking of this on my way to work. I suspect instead of being volunteer, that county will go to a tax based system so everyone will now have to pay much more in taxes, far more than the fee which in my area is $20 a year, I lived about 30 miles north of Monett. I think they can say goodbye to the volunteer pay thing and hello to big city taxes. All thanks to people moving in from outside this area and bringing their big city taxes with them.
A few years ago we would get our $20 bill and they said if we didn't pay and they had to come out we would have to pay $200 instead. I suspect everyone quit paying their $20 thinking they had the option and after all, what are the chances your house is going burn down? Suddenly our little volunteer org had no funds at all so after two years they took that option away. To all the "compassionate conservatives" who think that they should have allowed the guy to pay more after the fact, those with brains on here earlier said that is like paying insurance after you get in a car wreck, so true!
Are school taxes voluntary in your county? What kind of county/local taxes do you pay, and what services do you "give up" compared to cities and larger counties?
I ask because I suspect that even in big cities the fire and police are a very small proportion of county/city costs with most taxes going to income redistribution/welfare programs (such as healthcare, education and social services). I also suspect that you are taxed for education, healthcare and other welfare programs and any countywide fire tax would be small.
I can see where confusion arises in this issue. Residents are forced to pay for education services they do not use (about 75% of local taxes), healthcare services they do not use, but, in this case. are not taxed for fire/police services they may use. It would be easy for someone to assume that "with all these taxes I pay I must be covered for fire and police protection."
I think we would be much better if we had pay-to-play for education, healthcare (at least for non emergency), and social services, but mandatory flat-fee charges (taxes) for police and fire. In that case our taxes would be hundreds of dollars per year not thousands!
I believe in putting out fires if within my power to do so.
I DID grow up in a rural area. Monett, Missouri is not exactly a desolated wasteland. They have a population of 7400 ( I grew up in an area with a population of 2600). Monette has an airport and a high school. They had to have raised taxes for that - why can they not raise taxes to purchase a fire truck and fire hall?
When people first settled the area I grew up in, there was no "taxing authority". That's why people banded together and taxed themselves to provide a fire truck and a constable. Why cannot the good citizens of Missouri do the same instead of this bizzare "private club" concept?
Do you have to pay dues to attend the local schools? or to drive on the local roads? or to call the police?
Then why do it for fire protection? A school costs far more than a fire truck.
Then don't you also believe in giving somebody a free heart transplant if the heart is available and it will save their life?
They probably will now, and it will cost a lot more than $20 for fire protection.
There is nothing so expensive as "free" government services.
7400 people x $20 a year x 7 years(life expectancy of a fire truck) = over a million dollars. That's plenty enough to buy a truck and a building.
There's strength in numbers.
Your math is deficient.
A large number of people would stop paying the $20 per year if they knew the fire department would put out their fire even if they didn't pay it.
Would you pay for car insurance if you knew you could buy it AFTER you had an accident?
#269
Great, you found that last night after I went to bed and just caught this morning! I was looking for it too. That article tells so much more.
Your logic is deficient.
I'm merely pointing out that the taxes to provide fire protection could be less than $20 a person per year. That would be more than enough money to buy a truck and equipment.
$20 a year tax INSTEAD of $20 a year "dues".
You evidently believe that government is honest and efficient.
What planet are you from?
And you evidentally believe that citizens should only have private police and fire departments?
How about private roads and private militaries?
Obviously government is needed for some functions. I firmly believe that police and fire protection are near the top of the list.
I moved to the big city 2 years ago but at that time, I had a 2000 sq ft home on 1/2 acre. I paid $100 in personal property taxes (vehicles) and $400 a year in real estate taxes.
How many of the big city people screaming on this site about the $20 yearly payment for rural service pay much more than that in taxes? Almost all of that is for school taxes which of course are not voluntary. I'd prefer not to pay school taxes and pay to send my children to a Christian school or home school but the government won't let me. hehe.
I think I don't understand that concept -- most volunteer depts I've seen do fundraising -- ask for grants, donations, etc etc etc
"And you evidentally believe that citizens should only have private police and fire departments?"
The voters had a choice. They voted no in 2001. If residents didn't like how the vote went, they can vote with their feet.
You seem think that because it fits your idea of "how things ought to be" that it should be forced on them. Because you know what's best for them. Sounds like...hmm statists?
Many people in America vote with their feet all of the time. Those with children may move out of an area that keeps voting down school bonds.
You are speaking of the city of Monett (the population, the airport, etc), people keep thinking it's the city that failed to respond, it's was the rural fire department.
And they did raise money for a fire truck (probably several) and no doubt a place to store it. If it's the same as where I lived 30 miles away, it was done through the $20 yearly fees and fundraisers.
I believe in reality.
The reality was that this fire department was funded by members at the time of this fire.
You evidently believe that only government-funded fire departments should be allowed to exist.
Their method of funding was to sell $20 tags that you put on your mailbox to prove you had paid.
Should that be illegal?
Should it only be legal to fund volunteer fire departments by holding bake sales?
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