For a long time I have thought that our society has been too cheap for their own good.
Hurricane Harvey got me thinking about this again. I was amazed to read that the drainage system in the Houston area was completely chaotic. Now I know that the floods in Houston could have never been prevented no matter how good the drainage system was. But it was surprising to see that they cheaped out on a good safe drainage system.
I have other examples. I constantly hear people yelling about high taxes and all the damage high taxes will do. On the other hand low taxes will bring in new business and industry that will share the tax burden. What people fail to realize is that the new businesses need new services built. Many times businesses are encouraged to locate as they are promised tax relief and benefits.
Health care is expensive. People are loudly warning that we will not be able to afford our health care at the present level. They somehow or other think that if people pay for their own health care it would be so much better...better if you want to let people die because they can't afford health care. But what really matters in health care is preventative health care. Try as much as possible to prevent people from getting sick and the costly health care will be less.
We let public buildings get into such poor condition that we have to do costly renovation when if they'd spent money on upkeep the building would last much longer. Here, a large school that was built in 1968 will be bulldozed once it's $10000000.00 replacement is finished. The powers that be were too cheap to keep the old school in good condition so now it is to their thinking beyond repair.
Now I can hear lots of examples about how tax money is wasted and that's true in many cases. But's what's wrong with developing a system that works and projects are done efficiently.
One of my favorite gripes is that this province, Alberta, subsidizes the drilling of each oil well to the tune of $300.00 per meter drilled. The last time I looked oil companies were supposed to be very profitable and generating lots of tax revenue.
In a recent post I gave an example of our local museum where funds for a new museum were voted down but much money was put into the old museum. Sooner than later a new museum will have to be built .
So I think that if we weren't so cheap to start with and developed adequate programs and built good quality infrastructure , we might not always have to be rebuilding. We might also be safer and healthier.
Right on! I work for our local city transportation bureau and I can tell you everyone complains about the crumbling roads, but no one wants to vote in a tax to help fix them. People forgot money doesn't grow on trees...
ReplyDeletePeople refuse to provide enough money for routine upkeep. It's a very foolish pattern.
DeleteYep. We are too cheap. And we are also too selfish and shortsighted.
ReplyDeleteYou've got it. I'm sure you could add a few more.
DeleteOur Sydney train system had major delays recently because urgent maintenance was required on a Tuesday afternoon. If it happens right before a weekday peak, you know they have missed it in the usual weekend maintenance closures. It made me wonder how many lives had been at risk and for how long. It wouldn't be the first time the Sydney rail network had a catastrophic accident due to maintenance failures
ReplyDeleteWhy cut corners when safety is involved?
DeleteWe have crap roads in sc and it took forever for them to raise the gas tax by just a few cents. It was ludicrous
ReplyDeleteWe have politicians here who I call the no roaders. They seem to think roads shouldn't cost anything.
DeleteYou are so right about this, Red. Your lead-in line says it all: penny-wise and pound foolish. But thinking ahead isn't done very often when it comes to city planning, it seems.
ReplyDeleteOur leaders seem to be far too timid to set up a system that would look after things properly.
DeleteI so agree.
ReplyDeleteNot only this, but those who see what is going on are denied. For example, I heard a podcast about a team who researched drainage issues in Houston, years ago, and they were ignored. We need more truth tellers.
There are many government reports that if followed would have saved us money and trouble.
DeleteAre we too cheap, or too stupid? In the long run, a well-built system usually costs less than the cheaper alternative.
ReplyDeleteI agree that well built is better in the long run.
DeleteHear! Hear! Red speaketh truly. There's not enough foresight and too much flimsiness these days. The Victorians built things to last. Why can't we do the same?
ReplyDeletethe victorians also spent on art as well.
DeleteIt has flooded down there every year to some extent, sad to see the current devastation.While teaching I saw the cuts all the time. We were allowed $250 for personal items needed to teach. As a reading teacher I always went over this more than double, then they reduced it to $200. I laughed how little this spreads with over 200 students.
ReplyDeleteAt one time a dollar per student was a big deal but today it's a bad joke.
DeleteWise words! We need better management of tax money and better project managers.
ReplyDeleteIf we're honest we need improvements all the way around.
DeleteThey say you get what you pay for, and governments don't seem willing to invest in large projects anymore. We need new leaders with guts and imagination.
ReplyDeleteWe need new parties and an overhaul of how the system of government works.
DeleteHello, I am all for new business. It would be nice if they paid their fair share of taxes though, they seem to be given so many tax breaks. Their profits all go to the CEO's of the company. I think they call it Corporate Welfare. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you, some kind of Communist?
ReplyDelete(Ha!)
Seriously, of course I agree with you. I wish people viewed taxation more sensibly as the cost of living in a civil society, rather than as an unreasonable burden to be avoided at all costs.
How sad that just like us people suffer with lack of justice in your part of land too Red!
ReplyDeletewe often moan over the selfishness of govt body who is regardlessly busy in all projects which show of their so called "show off " projects which proves their efficiency but they don't give even a look to basic needs of public because serious projects like health and education demands quite huge part of budget and obviously it is not beneficial for the politicians who spent lot to get hold of national treasure so they only keep sprinkle some glitter to put illusion front of public's eye.
Thank God that we are still responsible to pay for our own treatment as if it too goes in govt hands mostly people will die helplessly
World over I think Red.
ReplyDeleteThe same situation happens here- the prime minister's residence should have had serious repairs twenty years ago, and now that it has to be done, the costs will be more. And there's the Science Museum- housed in a building that was never supposed to be more than a temporary location. It's been closed for repairs for years, a complete overhaul as part of the directive of the previous government. It would have been a better idea to build a new building instead of a retrofit and repair.
ReplyDeleteThis happens everywhere. Cheapness gets you nowhere. Eventually you'll have to pay for renovations, rebuilds and whatever else that doesn't work or meet the needs of the people. You can pay now or pay later but you will pay.
ReplyDelete