Man chooses not to pay fire protection fee, house allowed to burn down

Fuck.

 

I think I just found my latest story to localize. Sweet.

 

You only cover us when we refuse to put out a fire!

 

I guess I am amazed that people are so far on either side of the fence on this. Personally, I am torn. If a firefighter had broke rank and gone into the house to try and fight the fire, I would have no problem with it, I would probably even applaud him. It's human compassion and decency.

But the fact remains that this guy willingly chose not to pay the fee. I don't know how you convince yourself of the following thought, "I knew I chose not to pay but I thought they would save my house anyway." Someone earlier said he didn't choose not to pay it purposfully. I fail to see how that is accurate. To me, this is the same as the guy who continually runs up credit card bills knowing he can't pay them off, all the while thinking "well, some govemernment agency will bail me out for my poor choices." No, you knew the risk, and you made a choice. You don't bitch and moan about it later. Someonehow, we vilify those who choose not to pay for car insurance, but this guy gets a pass?

You can't just bill him afterwards, as some have said, because then no one will ever pay the 75 dollar/year charge because there is zero incentive to do so. I can't imagine how people think that is a vyable option that isn't going to lead to other problems.

The story never mentions anything about the policies of the fire fighters if there are people in the house, but I would have to think the question was asked, and something would have been done if they were told there were people in the building. The writer should have asked that question.

 

There's a big difference between "I knew I chose not to pay, but I thought they would save my house anyway" and intending to pay but just forgetting about it.

Shit. If I paid the bills in my house, there's a 100 percent chance I'd forget to pay something. Not because I didn't want to pay it and thought I'd get assistance if absolutely necessary. But because I may have missed it on the calendar, or misplaced the bill, or just fucking forgot.

Huge difference.

 

Where did you get that he forgot to pay from the story. All I saw was that he didn't pay. Plus, even if he did say he forgot to pay in another story . . . isn't that kind of convienient after the fact?

 

To me, this answers concerns about whether o rnot the fire fighters would have gone in if there were people inside. The more I read into this, the less I can find fault with anyone but the Cranicks, other than finding fault with the law in place since 1990.

 

If someone is behind on their taxes, do the police not protect their house?

Send the guy a bill after the fact. If that is not paid, condemn his house and take the land for public use.

You don't need a $75 a year payment if you set a decent tax rate. And don't give me crap about it's too expensive to put a fire house out there. Do you know what is really expensive? Paving a road to these hillbilly homes! Don't give me any bullshit about the fire department.

Fing TEA bag America.

 

I thought I read where the guy said he planned on paying (and that he had paid in the past), but just forgot this time for whatever reason. I could be wrong.

 

There is a difference about what SHOULD be done and what is CURRENTLY being done. Again, if you send him a bill after the fact, what incentive is there to prepay any fee, ever?

 

Paying a $75 fee in advance vs. paying a large bill later.

 

Not anywhere here, that I could see. I read the story twice, watched the video and clinked on the follow-up link. Nothign about him forgetting to pay it. But again, him saying that doesn't mean anything other than it is a tragic mistake on his part. Look, I con't condone the law in place, and I wish somehow this had a happier ending, but fuck, how is this anyone's fault, given the situation, other than the guy who didn't pay?