Posted on 12/31/2010 9:41:10 AM PST by FromLori
At least 50 cities in California have adopted so-called crash-tax laws allowing local governments to seek reimbursement from insurance companies for the costs of sending public emergency crews to accident scenes. The fees can amount to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. If insurers don't pay, cities can hire collection agents to seek payment from the motorists involved, reports LaTi.
And it's spreading, says LaTi: It's gaining momentum nationwide as cash-strapped communities seek a way to offset budget cuts
This month, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg proposed charging drivers there as much as $490 when firefighters respond to an accident or a vehicle fire, beginning July 1. A public hearing is set for January. So let me see if I understand this correctly: The government taxes in the first place for the "services" they provide, but they have blown that money, so they are going to charge you separately for the services they provide.
Bottom line: The emergency response sector seems to be another sector that should be left to the private sector seeing as individuals are paying for the responses anyway.
Signs of a collapsing nation.
We are so donezo its not funny.
Adding insult to injury...literally!
Just what are taxes paying for? Oh, I forgot. The salaries of the anal apertures who make these laws.
The socialists are getting desperate for money. They kill the geese that lay the golden eggs, then they wonder where their money went.....fools, idiots.
They are socialists. And history has proven, over and over, that socialists create NOTHING. They must STEAL everything they have.
Get ready.
It's also paying for the votes that keep them in office.
That's the function of taxpayers in the New USA. Handing over their hard-earned money, at the point of a gun, to people who give it to losers who "vote themselves a largesse from the treasury."
Oops - I thought it was called a stupidity tax...Either way it’s a great idea so long as the insurance companies don’t pay it...let the dimwit who was texting just before the crash happened pay for it..Let’s call it the “Inattentive Motorist Accident Justification Excuse Confirmation” (IMAJERC)
And the salaries and benefits of each public employee and the pension and benefits of five public employees (for each full time worker).
The first responders are getting paid the same weather sitting at the station or going out and earning their pay!
Signs of a collapsed nation.
For most of us, that rare occurrence where we need emergency service is what we have paid taxes for.
I think this might be a good idea
“cowtowney wrote:
I think this might be a good idea”
So you don’t mind paying twice then and in some cases three times since illegal aliens don’t have to pay and in that instance you pay.
Wow not me the govt. gets enough of my money already and I already pay for those services with my taxes.
I do too, this is the only way the permanent underclass (legal or not) contributes; collection agencies chasing down illegals: priceless.
This is why I support sales tax versus income tax as well; to each according to his consumption!
I’d imagine this also lets NYC charge out-of-state drivers for their accidents; these would be people that are not currently paying NYC emergency responders.
Just another reason to avoid these cash-strapped toilets...
This is bad, it allows government to squander money already being taken for police and fire service on other pet projects unrelated to the safety services.
Make no mistake, these fees are unauthorized taxes, and they will get us all for one thing or another, you don't even have to be a dimwit to qualify.
911 Operator: 911, what is your emergency?
Citizen: I’vejust been in an accident and I’m trapped in my car with a broken leg.
911 Operator: How would you like to pay for your rescue and medical services. We take Visa, Master Card or cash.
Citizen: I don’t have any credit cards and I’m broke.
911 Operator: We can’t respond if you can’t guarantee payment for services. Move your car off the road or we’ll send someone over to push your car off the road. Thank you for calling 911.
Once when I was younger I went to Yellowstone Park. They charged me to get in and I wondered why I had to pay since I already pay federal taxes. The user of the service pays more for it.
I also think it would make people drive more carefully.
It is something that we are thinking of implementing locally. We have a mix of first responders - city, district and hose companies. All are volunteer. City is funded through taxes, district through assessments and hose companies through bake sales, auctions and donations. We also have a big interstate that runs through the county. Why should our volunteer departments have to respond to vehicle incidents on the interstate when those folks pay nothing to support our struggling volunteer departments? Also, vast areas of the county are not in a district and have no local volunteer department. Why should volunteer departments go out of their area to respond?
It costs money to outfit a responder in turnouts, to train them, to equip them with an appropriate vehicle, to pay for gas, insurance and workers comp. Why not bill when the service is needed outside of the area or taxbase?
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