Though I dislike tax increases and cuts in essential programs, I must speak out against those who want more government services for free. With so much already being spent on government aid, something has to give. Closing some parks would be a good start. These are not essential to anyone’s well being, and I’ve learned to find entertainment at home and downtown. Closing some parks is preferable to shutting down aid for poor and/or mentally ill people.
This is not a “gimme-gimme” world. We can’t have our cake and eat it, too. If we want more government services, we’ll have to pay for them or allow cuts in other services. Yes, I know state and federal governments waste too much money. But no one I know has a practical plan that will force the government to change. And continuing funding for parks and other non-essential services is like Keynesian Economics: Spend your way to prosperity. That’s not how the world works.
While I personally dislike paying more for water, we might not have any choice. Unless we can prove that a rate increase will bankrupt us, paying for more water is the only way we can go.
This article appears in Jul 3-10, 2008.
