Why did fireman just watch as this fire burn a house down

I have and I've lived in Tennessee. And I'm telling you this is just the surface of the many on going problems they have in that state with their way of thinking about such matters.

 

If you are one who thinks the practice of fire protection by fee is wrong, then move to a rural area, become a politician and try to change things! Good luck. Many living in rural areas want fire protection by fee, not by taxation. If you think you can change this mentality, good luck.

 

If you been to Tennessee you would realize two things. Southern Hospitality is a myth and its really about Southern Face (Ie as in Saving Face), and two) they don't change their mind about anything.

 

We may differ, but I've lived in Tn. and planted two churches there. I think you are painting with a rather broad brush.

Tn. is in the top 10 states that I've been two in my book and I've been in all fifty of them.

I will admit that I'm more rural and don't rock the boat type of person. I prefer rural area over cities, I like less government over larger government. I try and fit in rather than change their culture to mine, anywhere I've ever lived. I guess I'm just a rural type of a guy that all the northerners moved down and changed this into a city of about 70,000 folks.

I've seen great Southern Hospitality there.

 

Tennessee is great if you're caucasian not so much if your a mix of hispanic and caucasian. I like smaller government however there are basic things government should be about. Public defence is one of them, which includes a military, a police force, firefighters, and emergency medical services.

Its a beautiful state some people I've met were nice. However, many were nice to your face and killed your back with all the stabbing they did. While there in Eastern TN door to door witnessing I was told I wasn't from "'round these parts" once a native took a good look at me. While at an Nursing Home helping the Elderly in Chattanooga I was told by a nurse that the country was better off when black people were slaves and that they were all to blame for the high crime rates. I was at a blockbuster video when I saw a guy come into the building holding a bloody t-shirt over his mouth. He had cut somebody off and was at a red light when the person whom he had cut off walked up and punched him in the face without warning knocking out a couple of teeth. I was up in the Ocoee region about to go 4 wheeling when a park ranger warned me that people in this area (note state game land) living here would shoot me on site since they didn't know me even if I wasn't on their property. I can't tell you how many people told me that Jesus loved me but then called hispanics dirty people. I worked for a CPA firm in Chattanooga and I could see how people were extreme "classist". I can't tell you how many business took advantage of workers with low wages and little to no health insurance since no one had to be accountable to anyone else and everyone took it in stride. And these are just some of the stories I have to tell. There are many more stories I could tell you. Like a college student who wanted to be a pastor got a girl drunk, slept with her and when she came to he said they should get married since they already had already "Spoiled her". I can tell you the time a guy ran his car into me and the police officer knew him and order me not to report it to my insurance company. I could go on about how many discriminatory things I've heard about blacks, jews, asians, hispanics. Let me put it bluntly I was made to feel very uncomfortable.

Sorry I'm venting. Despite all these things you are right I do paint with a broad brush not telling about the (extreemely) few people I've met that have been great and has been my honor to know.

 

So you would rather have your will imposed on these people, than what the majority wants? If the majority of people wanted to pay for fire fighters via property taxes, then it shouldn't be that hard for it to happen.

I live an an area where I do not have to pay a separate fee for fire service. I would, however, prefer to pay a fee. I would like to pay a separate for for just about every service. I don't like the lack of transparency in property taxes, etc.

 

First, My will should be impossed on all peoples in all places.

Second, I do believe in small government but I think there are a basic set of responsibilities for it to carry out and firefirghting is one of them. You may not like transparancy issues with taxes. However, I suggest that the poor people who cannot afford to live in the city but must live rurally may have diffculty paying $75 or what ever fee you want to impose. Next thing that happens is that rural communties will force the little guy out by passing legislation forcing him to maintain their homes to the level the wealther neighbors have. And if they can't then these communities charge fees to the poor guy trying to make it. He can't afford it then they send the fees to court and still not being able to afford it the poor man is picked up due to a warrent for his arrest. This is recorded and if he wants to improve his job he can't and he looses everything. I'm sorry that type of behavior is a crime. Our founding fathers knew there could be a tyranny by majority. And when things like this happens we see it at work.

 

Well, I think that pretty selfish of you.

I'm talking about taking the fee from one place and putting it in another. You suggest that they pay through "taxes". I suggest that it be a fee. I prefer the fee method, because there is transparency. You prefer the "taxes" method, why? Do you enjoy not knowing what your tax dollars are spent on?

Also, people don't get arrested for being in debt. Sorry...doesn't happen.

 

You only say that because you don't know my will. And even if you did. I still hold to my view. And even if it is selfish. So what?

That isn't true. If money is owed to the courts by a district court's decision and you don't pay it you are placed by that DJ for a warrant and if you are stopped (traffic violation) for instance you can be picked up on this warrent. Happens.

 

The only one with a perfect will is God. I can say with 100% certainty, without knowing your will, that I wouldn't want your will imposed on everyone.

You are talking about a fine imposed by the court. In that case a person is guilty of contempt of court.

Please show me one case where someone has gone to jail for not paying a garbage fee, storm water fee, or other service related fee to the government.

 

I know a constable who process these warrants all the time. He's in a rural community. A city, burough, township, etc... imposes a fine lets say on a person not mowing the grass. Person doesn't pay. The community then takes it to the DJ's office. DJ pronounces that it needs to be paid. The person doesn't pay in the specified time. A warrant is then issued against that person. Voila! This stuff happens all the time. Horrible isn't it? But it is this same process that makes victims of citizens and poor people.

 

irrelevant if you don't have it. Or other responsibilities that are more immediate where it goes. Poor people should not be taken avantage of.

 

I know poor people. They have cell phones and cable tv.

 

Exactly! .

 

I suggest that property taxes to support your theory would be far higher than the $75.00 per year. So why shouldn't they be able to choose a lessor fee and get the government out of the picture.

If the "poor" homeowner can't pay the property taxes the consequences are far worse.

 

It stinks, but you know what? There is this thing called the "cost of living."

If everything were free, then the "Cost of Living" would be $0.00.

It's not. Sorry, but it's not.

Thinkingstuff, fair or not, it does cost to live. Is every dime of every fee fair? Nope. But like I said...the cost of living is not $0.00.

 

I know poor people. They have cell phones and cable tv.

Amy, shame on you for degenerating the poor like that. Don't you know that cell phones and cable tv are necessities that outweigh the need for fire protection? Where are your priorities?

 

It is not a contract signed in duress if there is a fixed fee that is clearly stated when the homeowner declines to pay the $75 annual fee.

 

So there is not duress when someone's house is one fire and they have to make a decision on whether to let it burn or pay someone to stop the fire? Most people, whether they have the money to pay or not, will opt to pay the fee.

How about this....they can opt to pay at the time of the fire, as long as they can pay for it right then and there. They can charge it. Charge doesn't go through? No water for you...