Deja what?

[Tiassa]

One of my favorite idiocies of local ballot politics is once again raising its spectral face. From today's (3/2) Seattle Times:

Local governments were blindsided in 1997 when voters shot down a property-tax levy that had always paid for King County's vaunted emergency-medical service, commonly known as Medic One. As ruffled political leaders pledged to find more reliable funding for the world-renowned service, voters passed an interim levy to keep the ambulances running.

That money is about to run out, and Medic One may once again live or die by a property-tax measure - the same kind whose failure caused such turmoil in the first place.

Essentially, in 1997, voters threw a hissy-fit. Perhaps the only initiative on the ballot that made sense, voters rejected it in a tax protest, among other things. When the celebration was done, people realized that they no longer had Emergency Medical Services, and would be stuck with the bills if anyone did them the kindness of calling an ambulance when they were severely hurt or ill. So they made up a new initiative and put it back on the ballot as quickly as they could, and it passed overwhelmingly.

What is most puzzling is that most voters didn't want a "bigger tax burden", so they rejected a continuation of funds because someone was asking for money.

Of course, Americans are capitalist; why not charge everyone $2000 for an ambulance ride? It's good for the economy

So here we go again.

thanx,
Tiassa

 

[Malaclypse]

I like your postings.

A shame not more are answering and getting in on the conversation!

I'm not one for more levied-taxes but these services are necessary.

 

[Lynx]

...

I agree, i voted Yes, absoulutely.
We HAVE to have medical services.

Why should or would a community decide not to have these services?


Taxes?

 

[dexter]

becasue the government is tricky, and people would rather not be screwed by the government.

 

[Lynx]

lol... ya

 

[wet1]

Voter malpractice

Unfortunately politicians have played hob with the budget for years. By playing political football and attaching unneeded and unnecessary items in their voter’s area as the sole qualifying attribute. These additions either have to be funded along with the more desirable things or thrown out totally. Such irresponsible actions drive up taxes and most people are tired of seeing their hard-earned money being taken out of their paychecks.

That medical attention suffered the brunt of such ire is poor judgement on the part of the voters. But the message was sent to stop spending. It sounds as if once the situation had left the burner it no longer had to be addressed again. It is shameful that our politicians would say to let the next incumbent deal with the problem rather than saying that this is something the voter really needed. But such is life in the USA.

 

[Athelwulf]

Emergency medical care should be payed by the government. It's not exactly fair for the person that ended up in the hospital to have to pay the bills, considering the fact that it's not their fault they're there in the first place.