The state/county knows exactly how to do it. It’s the residents of Libertania that don’t *want *them to. Cranick (and his neighbour) were perfectly fine with the system up it actually mattered.
The break down, which is how this always plays out, is when it’s time for a payout.
As I said earlier, it’s where libertarianism fails: healthy people think they don’t need health insurance, good drivers think they don’t need auto insurance, home owners don’t think they need fire protection.
And it’s not necessarily a problem with Libertarianism, but with the human condition. When faced with the choice Cranick decided he’d rather the $75 now and deal with the potential cost later. This would be fine if he was smart enough to understand risk analysis, and responsible enough to plan for contingencies, and moral* enough to consider the people around him.
For some reason, Libertarianism seems to draw the stupid/irresponsible/lazy/selfish like pedophiles to the priesthood.
**Rand Rover **was actually sane and reasonable when he said this should have been a non-issue, and Cranick should have gotten some marshmallows. In the end, this is how libertarianism plays out, not because it’s a really stupid idea (which it is), but because it’s bogged down with such stupid practitioners.
*I’m not thrilled with that word choice.
ETA I now realize everyone said it better than me, sorry.
We seem to be making a lot of assumptions as to why the county fire service situation is what it is. Anyone have any evidence that it was libertarian philosophy or the tea baggers were involved in this some how? Anyone with an understanding of the tax base in the county or the geography? Or are we all just guessing?
Billing after the fact is not that big an issue. If they are having trouble collecting, it’s only because they haven’t been more diligent about it themselves. There are many options, including placing a lien on the property. If they need the money right away, they can just sell the debt to someone, or employ an outside collection agency that works on a contingency fee. Really not that difficult. Even if the sell the debt for pennies on the dollar, they will likely make enough to cover the costs.
It’s quite simple: municipalities can’t force non-municipal residents to pay for municipal levies (which include a functioning municipal fire department). Counties can’t afford to fund, at the county level (at current tax rates), a fire service which adequately protects all non-municipal areas of the county. Tax increases are not popular things, doubly so in republican-heavy areas (which I am like 99.99% sure Obion county is).
This isn’t libertarian philosophy as much as it is cold hard facts. The libertarian part comes in when people like Cranick voluntarily choose to not pick up government services and then bitch and moan at the consequences.
As a municipal taxpayer in South Fulton, TN, I’d rather my fire department not bother with this (and concentrate on fire protection for taxpaying municipal residents). Thanks!
We weren’t wasting any time and money - we didn’t respond to Cranick’s call. And, you know what you can’t really protect against another person’s criminal actions.
No. It’s costly, and more importantly you don’t get paid for a long time. What’s a fire department supposed to buy equipment, oxygen tanks, and pay their firemen with, scrip?
The natural reply being “well they still get tax revenues”… and the response being “that’s nice that everyone else who is responsible subsidizes the irresponsibility of those who don’t want to pay for service before they know they need it”
Turns out, the fire was started because the guy was burning trash.
I fucking love this, I really do, it’s just so delicious I don’t think I can eat any more.
Had he paid for garbage collection like a civilized human being, his house wouldn’t have burned down. Seriously, the last time I saw someone burning garbage I was in rural India. No, not Indiana, India.
You know what would be even better, if he fucked up his well trying to put it out himself. And then all the ash/soot runoff fucks up his septic system. That would be a true trifecta of stupid.
Actually, voter turnout in August indicates the county is 55% Republican. This vote includes municipal and rural voters. Results here.
That said, I definitely agree with your general position - there should be a mandatory risk sharing (socialized, gasp) structure. Were I to live in Obion county I would certainly vote to enact it. However, there is not, and Cranick blundered into his circumstances eyes wide open, particularly with the '07 fire in mind.
Hmmm… could this be the position of an uncompassionate liberal?
This policy has been in place for about 20 years, it also exists in other near by areas. At least two other fire houses are on record that they won’t respond to non-payers (one house said “maybe”). At least three other houses were allowed to burn, and one other barn with horses.
Mr Cranick’s irresponsibility also lead to the death of two dogs and a cat.
My general apathy and amusement is slowly switching to outright disgust, that this fat fuck wouldn’t spend $75 a year to make sure this didn’t happen.
That’s why you sell the debt like any company would do in a similar situation. It’s really not the complicated, nor is it expensive. All you would need to do is set the costs such that your retrieval efforts would be paid for. You act as if a million other people haven’t already solved this problem.
What exactly are you trying to accomplish by pretending to speak as the SFFD?
They are wasting time and money since they in all likelihood they will:
And that’s paid for by the $75 the other guy paid. Going out there to service a paying client isn’t a waste of our money
I have no idea how this has anything to do with wasting money by setting up a debt collection wing of the local FD
The municipality doesn’t care about non-municipal tax revenues.
Um, they have zero legal liability to respond to a call. Sorry.
That’s not a risk that most employees of most agencies ever consider assuming. Claiming a risk premium cost because one jackass in 10 years may flip out and punch out your employees because he doesn’t like your policies is the epitome of making shit up to support a weak argument.