... but first... lemme just put a plug in your sewer. There, now YOU get to deal with ALL your own shit. ..and don't go trying to run it out into neighbor's yard.
To be fair, there are people who aren’t on public sewage and have their own septic systems. Lots actually. And people who use well water, gray water, and other sources off public water. There are quite a few people who don’t use public utilities either and have private or self provided utilities like gas or electric. They also may live on private roads which are paid for and maintained by them and/or their neighbors.
Of course at some point wether it is going to the store or recieving mail or relying on a professional who has a public education etc. that basically EVERYONE will gain some benefits from government use of tax money. It is however a good example of where we must be mindful that our own lived experiences aren’t universal and that there are other, valid, perspectives to different things.
Yeah. I don’t have public sewer. I literally have to deal with the shit. (Though for a single family home, a septic system is pretty low maintenance).
That said, I really appreciate the roads and schools, police and other emergency services, public health facilities and even the public services that provide assistance to single parents or people who need assistance.
As a member of a community, a society, I enjoy being a part of it and doing my part to support it.
Agreed. Currently I have City hook ups but in the past have been on septics and wells etc. I agree that regardless taxes are paying for more than just those things and are one of the responsibilities of living in a somewhat egalitarian society or being a citizen of a country that values humanity and freedom- but I just wanted to mention that some of the points raised wouldn’t apply to many people (and often those in such settings are more likely to lean in such directions on the issue..) and so we have to be mindful.
I TOTALLY understand having issues with HOW tax money may be spent or the waste and corruption that can exist in the system. I understand that completely. That said- taxes aren’t theft or inherently wrong even. Plain and simple in some way YOU benefit from public taxes. At some point where you make or spend your money relies on the infrastructure and other benefits provided by taxes. You use public roads and if you don’t, the goods you rely on travel over them or the company you own or work for gets customers or goods transported over public roads. While far from perfect, public regulators paid for by tax money are why while you may occasionally be exposed to hazards, you don’t need to check every single meal or product to make sure it isn’t uranium and heroine with a dash of corpse juice. If nothing else your very existence and ability to benefit from the wealth and stability of the country come in part from a military funded by taxes which has (right or wrong) fought wars or…
… been used as a threat to secure the wealth and overall position of your country to be able to provide the opportunities it does. Even “pacifist” nations like Switzerland- where it’s neutrality hasn’t just been due to diplomacy but from the historical promise delivered on that if you come to Switzerland looking for trouble they have the ability to give it to you 10 fold. That’s ignoring the status of many pacifist countries as major players in international arms markets. So at the end of the day, taxes aren’t theft anymore than your cable bill or water bill or insurance bill etc. are-
They’re a bill. You got a service even if you don’t feel the immediate benefits, and you owe the money. You agreed to pay it in the TOS for living or doing business in a country. Disneyland charges you to enter the park wether you ride the rides or not. If you don’t like there is a park exit.
For basically everyone middle class or lower you get more monetary value benefit out of taxes than you put in. Taxes provide services that aren't looking to profit off of you, meaning taxed based social versions of something that would otherwise be a private business can run at a lose when their private business would be trying to make a profit. The alternative to taxes is paying more for the same thing.
In my environmental engineering class 20 years ago... (damn, made myself feel old again) we calculated cost of water treatment from well source for a population of 100,000 to get 100 gallons of clean water per day... it was like 8 cents a gallon = $8 A DAY per person. whether you use it or not, that cost is still incurred.
But that has economy of scale. Big tanks, big pumps, bulk order chemicals.. AND drilling multiple wells all drives cost down. To do the same for 100 people would cost around 70 cents a gallon not counting profits for which municipal water has none.
That’s an interesting bit of research. Thank you. It becomes even more obvious when we look at things like national parks- most people don’t own and can’t realistically own and maintain a park sized plot of land near their homes. Of course some people own many acres of land but they are in the minority of those living in most nations. Private security for a single guard ranges on average from about $12/hr for the most basic “mall cop” to over $70k a month for highly professional protection. For a single community or person to hire their own small “police force” dwarfs what most people pay in total taxes alone. People with kids are often well aware of what a private education costs- but for those who aren’t, an “average” private elementary school costs about $11k a year and private schools tend to increase in costs as kids advance in school.
And yes, some people will say they are fine paying more because they prefer the private alternative, they may say that because they get their own water or upkeep private roads or pay for private school or live in a gated community or “safe” community or self policing comity or whatever that they shouldn’t pay taxes or should pay less. I refute this.
There are so many other things including complex international matters which are seen to by your tax dollars. Even if you aren’t aware in daily life of the impact these things that happen far from your door have on your daily life- they do.
So you’re still getting a good deal most likely because of all the other agencies and services and benefits.
We can think of it like a ticket to a park or an Amazon prime/Costco/Sams etc. membership- it comes with lots of features, you don’t have to use them all but the cost is the same and those are all just perks you get.
Of course at some point wether it is going to the store or recieving mail or relying on a professional who has a public education etc. that basically EVERYONE will gain some benefits from government use of tax money. It is however a good example of where we must be mindful that our own lived experiences aren’t universal and that there are other, valid, perspectives to different things.
That said, I really appreciate the roads and schools, police and other emergency services, public health facilities and even the public services that provide assistance to single parents or people who need assistance.
As a member of a community, a society, I enjoy being a part of it and doing my part to support it.
They’re a bill. You got a service even if you don’t feel the immediate benefits, and you owe the money. You agreed to pay it in the TOS for living or doing business in a country. Disneyland charges you to enter the park wether you ride the rides or not. If you don’t like there is a park exit.
But that has economy of scale. Big tanks, big pumps, bulk order chemicals.. AND drilling multiple wells all drives cost down. To do the same for 100 people would cost around 70 cents a gallon not counting profits for which municipal water has none.
There are so many other things including complex international matters which are seen to by your tax dollars. Even if you aren’t aware in daily life of the impact these things that happen far from your door have on your daily life- they do.
So you’re still getting a good deal most likely because of all the other agencies and services and benefits.
We can think of it like a ticket to a park or an Amazon prime/Costco/Sams etc. membership- it comes with lots of features, you don’t have to use them all but the cost is the same and those are all just perks you get.