[Peace-discuss] So much for the notion of free utilities and services from government

[John W.]

On Sat, May 16, 2009 at 8:57 PM, LAURIE SOLOMON <LAURIE at advancenet.net>wrote:

>  Apparently protect and serve will now be at a cost.
>
In a tiny minority of instances, perhaps.


> I have to wonder how the poor and working poor will be able to afford such
> security and safety;
>
Through their state-mandated auto insurance?  (Although I don't think the
city of Urbana has thought that through all that carefully.)

I have to wonder if this means that the local resident’s taxes will be
> reduced
>
No.  The city of Urbana is trying to raise ADDITIONAL revenue.



> or if they will be expected to continue to chip in for activities that are
> being charged for and funded by outsiders.
>
No.  Residents of the city of Urbana are taxed to pay for services provided
to residents of the city of Urbana.  As a resident of the city of Urbana,
Laurie, do you want your taxes providing services for the city of Chicago?
I didn't think so.

And it seems stupid and near-sighted to say that the insurance companies
> will be paying for the fees as if that would mean that it will not cost
> anyone anything.  Don’t they expect that the insurance companies will recoup
> the losses in spades by charging more for insurance to not only
> out-of-county residents but to all their insures (particularly given that
> should these fees catch on, every county and municipality will try and
> charge fees for handling accidents – and not just on federal highways but on
> local roads and streets as well).
>
You're overreacting, Laurie.


 Urbana council to consider emergency-response fees By Mike
Monson<http://www.news-gazette.com/news/reporter/mmonson/> Saturday,
> May 16, 2009 8:42 AM CDT
>
> E-mail Story<http://www.news-gazette.com/news/email/2009/05/16/urbana_council_to_consider_emergency-response_fees>
> Printer-friendly<http://www.news-gazette.com/news/print/2009/05/16/urbana_council_to_consider_emergency-response_fees>
>
> URBANA – Starting July 1, out-of-county residents who get into an accident
> on Interstate 74 that requires the response of the Urbana Fire Department
> will likely have to pay for it.
>
> The city council will consider at its meeting Monday night authorizing the
> city to charge for fire-service responses to people who live outside of
> Champaign County. In cases of serious accidents, the bill could be several
> hundred dollars.
>
> The council meets at 7 p.m. Monday at the City Building, 400 S. Vine St.
>
> City Fire Chief Mike Dilley said that while the ordinance is not limited to
> Interstate 74, that's where most of the charges will likely occur. He said
> the department responds to I-74 accidents nearly 20 times per year.
>
> "It's basically so we can recoup our expenses when we send the fire
> apparatus to the interstate for nonresidents," Dilley said.
>
> City Attorney Ronald O'Neal said the city of Champaign is considering
> enacting a similar fee, as both cities are scrambling to raise revenue
> during the economic downturn.
>
> O'Neal said many cities across the country charge such fees, including some
> departments that charge their own residents. He said auto insurance
> companies will typically pay for the expense.
>
> The authorizing ordinance does not include a specific schedule of fees,
> which will be added at a later date. But Dilley said he intends to ask for
> at least $250 per incident.
>
> Charges will vary per incident, with the plan to charge $150 per hour per
> apparatus and $35 per hour per firefighter.
>
> An accident rescue involving an extraction of someone from a vehicle would
> typically see two engines and a command car respond, with about seven
> firefighters, he said.
>
> "If you are there an hour, it could get expensive," Dilley said.
>
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