Firefighters let a home burn down because $75 fee wasn't paid!

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Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
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Read my post above. As for the immediate situation, the county should just tax the citizens rather than give them a choice. When it comes to emergency services, people should not be given a choice.

tax them for what?

to provide them with a fire department that they (the county) don't have?

But it's not city, it's county. The FD belongs to the city, the county does not have a FD. The only way to cover everyone would be for the county to establish a tax base to support a county FD; and if they could do that then I'm sure they would so that they'd have a FD and could avoid these situations.

k done arguing now
 

Tiamat

Lifer
Nov 25, 2003
14,068
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hope he had home owner's insurance. Although might be tough explaining how they accidentally burned their own house down because they failed to control their own trash burning...
 
Jun 27, 2005
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This is stupid. Would you assholes be saying the same thing if a child was in the burning house? This is nothing like car insurance. This is a basic government service. They should sue. The law is dumb. If the county really wanted the $75, just tax them.

You're confused...

It's a basic government service provided by the CITY to the residents of the CITY. The COUNTY provides no such service. The CITY residents pay for the service through their taxes. The COUNTY residents are offered the oportunity to pay a fee to the CITY to recieve fire protection. It is their choice to pay this fee and be covered or not pay this fee and risk losing their house. In this respect, it is EXACTLY like car insurance. If you pay, you're covered. If not, you're not.

The CITY can not tax residents who don't live in the CITY. That is why they offer the service to people OUTSIDE the CITY for a fee.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
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Read my post above. As for the immediate situation, the county should just tax the citizens rather than give them a choice. When it comes to emergency services, people should not be given a choice.

What the fuck? LOL.

I find it very, VERY ironic that you can say something like this, but then compare the act of not fighting the fire to communism.. in the same thread.

Are you 12? Do you have any idea how this country works? You are way off base here.
 
Jun 27, 2005
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Then the city needs to just make it a tax rather than voluntary. Making it voluntary sets them up for scenerios that could fall into grey areas.

Explain how a government entity can tax a person who doesn't reside within that entity's jurisdiction?

If I don't live in that city, how can they tax me? I can't vote in the city's elections. I can't run for office in the city. I don't live there.

No taxation without representation... remember?

You're missing the point here. The city sells its service for a fee. It doesn't have to do that. The city could just tell all the county people that they are on their own... go form a bucket brigade and fend for yourselves. The fact that they offer the service at all is a fortunate thing for the people who don't live in the city.
 

plumbob

Member
Aug 20, 2010
69
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Oh that's cruel.. they should have put the fire first.. what if someone was inside..
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
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The county fucked up by making the payment voluntary. They just should've taxed their asses. Sometimes government needs to treat the people for what they are, protectees.

And they could have. But apparently the voters in that county voted to not make it mandatory, so this was exactly the outcome they democratically decided was right. Why do you hate democracy?
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
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Then the city needs to just make it a tax rather than voluntary. Making it voluntary sets them up for scenerios that could fall into grey areas.

How the fuck can the city tax people who don't live in the city you goddamn shit-eating monkey?

Do you think the next city over should be able to tax you just for shits and giggles? You haven't said a single intelligent thing in this thread. DIAF.
 

13Gigatons

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2005
7,461
500
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Wouldn't it be more just to simply put out the fire and charge a larger fee like $1000?
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,418
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Wouldn't it be more just to simply put out the fire and charge a larger fee like $1000?

no guarantee they would pay, and it would cause others to not pay


if they didn't pay $75 what makes you think they'll pay $1000
 
Jun 27, 2005
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Wouldn't it be more just to simply put out the fire and charge a larger fee like $1000?

Like I said above...

1. Guy decides not to pay the fee - he's unrotected - his choice
2. His house catches fire
3. City FD puts it out anyway
4. City hands him a bill
5. Dude says "Hey... I didn't pay for a reason and I didn't call you to come put it out... I'm not paying this"
6. ???
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
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no guarantee they would pay, and it would cause others to not pay


if they didn't pay $75 what makes you think they'll pay $1000

Even worse, if the fire department puts out a fire without being prepaid, then why would anybody in the county ever pay? They know they just have to wait until a fire happens then pay the bill, even it's a higher bill. Most people would take their chances, because really, how common are house fires? Then the residents of the city will be paying to protect the entire county. How is that fair to those hard working people living within the city limits? Why do bleeding hearts like Narmer hate the working man so much?
 

Narmer

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2006
5,292
0
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You're confused...

It's a basic government service provided by the CITY to the residents of the CITY. The COUNTY provides no such service. The CITY residents pay for the service through their taxes. The COUNTY residents are offered the oportunity to pay a fee to the CITY to recieve fire protection. It is their choice to pay this fee and be covered or not pay this fee and risk losing their house. In this respect, it is EXACTLY like car insurance. If you pay, you're covered. If not, you're not.

The CITY can not tax residents who don't live in the CITY. That is why they offer the service to people OUTSIDE the CITY for a fee.

I'm not confused about anything. I know there's a difference between city and county. I'm not sure what you're trying to say here that isn't already known.
 

Narmer

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2006
5,292
0
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How the fuck can the city tax people who don't live in the city you goddamn shit-eating monkey?

Do you think the next city over should be able to tax you just for shits and giggles? You haven't said a single intelligent thing in this thread. DIAF.

Learn to read. I was talking about WYD's story.
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
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Even here in the city there is an ambulance fee every year. If you dont pay it, and the ambulance comes to your house, then they foot the entire bill for it coming instead of 100 a year.
 

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,828
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I have no problem with the outcome. Trying to pay the fee while the house is on fire is like trying to buy car insurance after the accident. The guy gambled and he lost.

i do agree, but in cases like this, lives can be in danger, neighbor property damage possible not to mention toxins going in the air. What if someone didnt make it out..etc. could get ugly in some cases
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,418
1,599
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i do agree, but in cases like this, lives can be in danger, neighbor property damage possible not to mention toxins going in the air. What if someone didnt make it out..etc. could get ugly in some cases

which is exactly why stupid fuck should've paid the $75
 

holden j caufield

Diamond Member
Dec 30, 1999
6,324
10
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I know you guys are all hardcore sticklers for rules and sht but there are some services that should be rendered immediately without concern for payment at the time. This is one of them. They can figure out the charges after the fact.

In California in huge fires, FD from way out of town, out of state come in and help. I'm sure it costs money etc. But I don't think they go to the bargaining table for days to figure out if they come or not.

Also that's way stupid, what do they do on a shared fence or if the fire spread to his shed that he was making meth in. Things could have gotten out of hand.
 
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