Taxes should cover ambulance service

Letter to the editor
Published: July 24, 2008

Editor:

Last week’s headline on the possible demise of free ambulance rides in Madison County got me thinking. What does one really expect government, whether it is federal, state or local, to provide its citizenry in the way of services in exchange for tax dollars received?

Frankly, I think a so called “free ride” is one of them. Ambulance rides, fire and police services, building inspections, building code and zoning enforcement and so on are the kinds of things folks expect to get for their tax dollars.

And, on the state level, road construction and maintenance. I suspect the state budget, under Warner and Kaine, has about quadrupled. That’s the reason so many legislators in Richmond are against raising taxes to pay for more roads in Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads area. The idea being that taxes already collected should have been enough to accomplish these needs.

Instead, you have the state deciding to sign 80-year contracts to build toll roads. I’m starting to ramble on here, but I think you readers are getting my point. Some things, you just can’t do for yourself, and you really do need the government — others, maybe it’s time for folks to handle them by themselves.

Thank you.

Joe May
Etlan