tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post6594852374531050173..comments2023-08-20T07:06:14.115-04:00Comments on Thurber's Thoughts: Ala carte government?Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-40769833371744949032007-03-28T19:59:00.000-04:002007-03-28T19:59:00.000-04:00Maggie,Ala carte government…, if only we could pic...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>Ala carte government…, if only we could pick and choose our government services.<BR/><BR/>But with the Fudge-it that Toledo has to work from accurately guesstimating what services cost are nearly impossible to do.<BR/><BR/>Considering the “temporary” ¾% additional payroll tax, the assessment process and how monies get transferred and swapped around to creatively fill holes that develop, there is little real justification for many of the alleged costs, sohow do you arrive at a true cost to deliver any service.<BR/><BR/>The way it was told to me, it’s a big shell game, where what’s in or “sexy” gets funded while other line items go wanting, being out of favor, out of fad, or passé. Yet everything gets purchased, creatively justified and paid for.<BR/><BR/>I’ve also been told that what is dreaded most is a REAL audit. Lots of what apparently goes on in city government wouldn’t pass muster.<BR/><BR/>Besides, picking ala carte would mean that those left requesting the service would certainly go up as government is not very good at controlling (or lowering) costs. And, how do say, I refuse leaf pickup while all my neighbors accept and pay for the pickup when the winds of Fall makes my refusal of leaf pickup service THEIR problem with the first gust of wind?<BR/><BR/>The solution is as it is now, the majority vote rules and leaf pickup is imposed on the willing and the not so willing.<BR/><BR/>I compost my leaves, and have for years, yet every 6 months on my tax bill. . .Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13176392380086227377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-41672776121695938712007-03-27T08:33:00.000-04:002007-03-27T08:33:00.000-04:00Maggie, the focus should have been on the most vit...Maggie, the focus should have been on the most vital services right off the bat. Ala carte sounds good to me since my street is never plowed or, salted and, I have no tree that the city trims. As for the fire services and those who do not pay? Kind of the same as those who gamble with no insurance right? The best part of the ala carte plan is that pet projects and social siphons who serve only a few would have to start working on financing their own programs for a change.-Sepphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11187463448901564093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-65260970072597776662007-03-26T21:05:00.000-04:002007-03-26T21:05:00.000-04:00Maggie,First of all, thanks for the plug, my traff...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>First of all, thanks for the plug, my traffic is way up today. You can read my comments to your comment over on Progressive Toledo. Of course, with your plug, Maggie detractors have also shown up over there. Don't let my policy of allowing anonymous comments discourage you from commenting on my site in any way.<BR/><BR/>As to your a la carte plan, I'm very happy something I wrote inspired you to write up a very interesting theory. Under your theory, then yes, I suppose they would be "our tax dollars." Of course, I agree with Lisa Renee that this would be hard to pull off. Anyway, I always love an intellectual discussion. Perhaps we should appear on TV sometime and argue the philosophy of political terminology (remember, I'm a very sarcarstic person).Kurthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13295712494255160794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-79585717917783922002007-03-26T12:16:00.000-04:002007-03-26T12:16:00.000-04:00As I said - this is a what if? idea...But let's ta...As I said - this is a what if? idea...<BR/><BR/>But let's take a look at the economic development department...if that was an ala carte government item and only got $x of support from those who opt for it, that's all the budget they'd have to spend. They'd then be limited as to what type of services they could perform and would have to put their limited funds to the most effective and efficient use. In the end, those who had opted to pay for this service would see results and continue - even expand - the support. If, on the other hand, there were no demonstrable results shown, the taxpayers would divert their limited tax monies to more productive services.<BR/><BR/>Just throwing out ideas here....Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-54835099789948126792007-03-26T10:43:00.000-04:002007-03-26T10:43:00.000-04:00Interesting theory but trying to put it into pract...Interesting theory but trying to put it into practice beyond a few would be difficult. I could see where sewer/water/trash collection could be done on an ala carte basis. Snow removal and leaf removal would be difficult, those who opted to not pay would be getting the benefit of the plowed streets and collected leaves of those who did pay. Leaves seem to travel where they want rather than to stay in one's yard.<BR/><BR/>Same with economic development and fire services. The non-payer would get the benefit of any growth in the economy. Fire services, a larger issue would be what if the person who did not pay for fire service had a fire that caused your home to burn down. Trying to recoup that could be difficult. What if small children were in the house? Would the decision of the parent to not opt for fire services make the child responsible for that decision?<BR/><BR/>As to your basic question of should there be some services that a person should be able to opt out of such as water/sewage/trash pick up? Yes...But I don't think this could be extended to many more than that. Perhaps a few like tree trimming...<BR/><BR/>:-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00606533906583651054noreply@blogger.com