Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site kontron.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!pesnta!pertec!kontron!cramer From: cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Taxes: the cost of Civilization & Democracy: Reply to JoSH Message-ID: <267@kontron.UUCP> Date: Mon, 24-Jun-85 19:23:24 EDT Article-I.D.: kontron.267 Posted: Mon Jun 24 19:23:24 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 26-Jun-85 05:46:28 EDT References: <642@whuxl.UUCP> <672@abnji.UUCP> <227@kontron.UUCP> <747@teddy.UUCP> <250@kontron.UUCP> <792@teddy.UUCP> Organization: Kontron Electronics, Irvine, CA Lines: 41 > In article <250@kontron.UUCP> cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) writes: > >> In article <227@kontron.UUCP> cramer@kontron.UUCP writes: > >> > > >> >When I ran for Santa Monica City Council (*very* unsuccessfully) several > >> >years ago, I did a little digging through the city budget. I found that > >> >less than 50% of the city's residents used the library, according to the > >> >library's own figures. (No, I don't mean they had library cards, I mean > >> >*used* the library.) Yet everyone in the city, and everyone who shopped > >> >in Santa Monica, was paying taxes to support it. Why should everyone be > >> >forced to pay for a non-essential (though pleasant) service that only > >> >a minority use? > >> > >> The people who actually go to the library and take out the books are > >> not the only ones to benefit from its existence. A well educated populace > >> benefits all by making for a richer civilization. > >> > >> Same is true for parks. Having these available provides a vital > >> outlet for urban dwellers in our society. Even if you don't use > >> any parks, your neighbors probably do, thus making for happier neighbors, > >> and a nicer society in general. > >> > >> -- > >> larry kolodney > >> > >What a fascinating concept! Why doesn't the government provide prostitutes > >free of charge? Fast cars for everyone at taxpayer expense? All > >restaurants, free? It sure would make everyone a lot happier, wouldn't > >it? In fact, the cost of any good or service should be borne by the > >person who most directly benefits from it, lest we bankrupt our government > >trying to satisfy every want. Without paying a price, people use and > >abuse all of the facilities that are offered, without limit. > > > I guest that's why libararies and parks are such a tremendous > drain on our society. > > Sport Death, > Larry Kolodney To quote the late Sen. Everett Dirksen, "A billion here, a billion there, after a while, it adds up to real money."