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by po 5014 days ago
In some places, fire protection is apparently up for debate. This family had their house burn down because they failed to pay the $75 tax. It's only fair after all:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/tennessee-family-home-b...

I think it's even been given the unfortunate name 'pay to spray'. Fire prevention is just as much up for debate amongst people of a certain ideological bent as healthcare. It's the next logical step. Of course, most people don't want to live in that world which is why we have compulsory payments. Those who see them as a positive thing will probably always have to tolerate those who complain about how unfair they are.
2 comments
gaius 5014 days ago
Flip it around tho', they were asking firefighters to quite literally risk their lives for them, when they weren't even community-spirited enough to contribute towards the common good. Unless you have the plague, a doctor doesn't take nearly the same personal risk as a firefighter.
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po 5014 days ago
Sure, that's true and I think people who don't pay the taxes that support the firemen should be ashamed of themselves and forced to pay. Similarly, I think firemen should be trained well and paid for the risk they are taking on.

That being said, humans are not very good at reasoning about risk. Fire is a life-destroying event disproportionate to the perceived risk. It can wipe a family out and has secondary impacts to the community in general. I think we should accept that. We don't have to periodically let someone's home burn to the ground to serve as a lesson to others.

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poppysan 5014 days ago
firefighters have many mundane tasks as well. Doctors are exosed to viuses that could be widespread if they fail to do their job properly. Id argue that they are exposed to dangers they can bring home to the kids, which in my opinion make it just as, if not more dangerous.
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Torgo 5014 days ago
It wasn't about ideology, it was a CITY fire department that for a fee (not tax) would provide fire protection service inside the county but outside the areas it has legal jurisdiction to tax. Some places in the USA do not have county-wide fire service because they are that poor, or are particularly remote.
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