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.
— Steve T. Kobara – San Luis Obispo
— Steve T. Kobara – San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Jun 12-19, 2008.
