Since NONE of the people getting delivery paid for it, what, then, is the equity principle in this case?
I'd suggest that after a letter carrier gets shot on his route that all the people on that route, and in nearby areas, have delivery service withdrawn until the problem can be sorted out.
I am an admitted layman in the field of postal engineering, but I would guess that the issue here is that there is twice as much sorting to be done - the number of recipients hasn't doubled nor has the physical area of the delivery route doubled.
Since NONE of the people getting delivery paid for it
None of them are taxpayers at all?
Not a single one?
I'd suggest that after a letter carrier gets shot on his route that all the people on that route, and in nearby areas, have delivery service withdrawn until the problem can be sorted out.
I'm not sure why a lunatic's neighbors should be punished for the lunatic's actions.
“Since NONE of the people getting delivery paid for it, what, then, is the equity principle in this case?”
I think you have just discovered a revenue-enhancement tool to better pave the path to equity.
With mailboxes equipped with scales it would be simple enough to weigh each delivery of mail and simultaneously transmit that information to the USPS to then forward to the IRS in the form of a 1099 form to be added to each mailbox holder’s account as imputed income for the year in which the mail was received.
At a mere ten cents per pound it would be nearly invisible to the individual taxpayer but it would put millions of dollars in the national treasury.
>Since NONE of the people getting delivery paid for it, what, then, is the equity principle in this case?<
The sender paid for delivery.