"It seems like the only ones coming out ahead are the collection company and the insurance companies."
Who'll pay?
September 15, 2006
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Copyright 2006
People who like toll roads are going to love this idea: Some Bedford City Council members want people who cause traffic accidents to pay extra fees for the firetrucks and emergency personnel who rush to the scene.
The idea is to charge $300 per tool used, another $25 per gallon of foam and $50 for a fire extinguisher, all for the purpose of helping the city recover its costs.
Sure, people pay taxes to support basic public services, but that doesn't seem to be enough these days. Bedford officials say that their Fire Department might be able to raise an extra $100,000 a year this way.
Wow!
Think about it: Once this ball really gets rolling, there's no end to the possible revenue opportunities. People who check out books at the Bedford Public Library could pay an extra fee for every page they read. Kids who go to Bedford parks could pay for every minute that they spend on the playground. And why not make every street in Bedford a toll road?
No, no, no, Bedford officials would say. These fees would just be for those negligent people who cause traffic accidents.
An Austin-based company that promotes the emergency services fees (and offers to collect them, for a fee) says that insurance companies typically would pay. A spokesman for the also Austin-based Insurance Council of Texas says that insurance companies probably would pass along the costs to all of their customers in the form of higher rates.
So let's get this straight. In the end we all pay, just like with taxes. But this way, the money gets routed through the insurance companies and the fee collection company. Because every business intends to make a profit or at least cover its own costs, they keep some of that money for themselves.
And how is that better for Bedford? It seems like the only ones coming out ahead are the collection company and the insurance companies.
Copyright © 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, All Rights Reserved.
© 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram: www.dfw.com
September 15, 2006
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Copyright 2006
People who like toll roads are going to love this idea: Some Bedford City Council members want people who cause traffic accidents to pay extra fees for the firetrucks and emergency personnel who rush to the scene.
The idea is to charge $300 per tool used, another $25 per gallon of foam and $50 for a fire extinguisher, all for the purpose of helping the city recover its costs.
Sure, people pay taxes to support basic public services, but that doesn't seem to be enough these days. Bedford officials say that their Fire Department might be able to raise an extra $100,000 a year this way.
Wow!
Think about it: Once this ball really gets rolling, there's no end to the possible revenue opportunities. People who check out books at the Bedford Public Library could pay an extra fee for every page they read. Kids who go to Bedford parks could pay for every minute that they spend on the playground. And why not make every street in Bedford a toll road?
No, no, no, Bedford officials would say. These fees would just be for those negligent people who cause traffic accidents.
An Austin-based company that promotes the emergency services fees (and offers to collect them, for a fee) says that insurance companies typically would pay. A spokesman for the also Austin-based Insurance Council of Texas says that insurance companies probably would pass along the costs to all of their customers in the form of higher rates.
So let's get this straight. In the end we all pay, just like with taxes. But this way, the money gets routed through the insurance companies and the fee collection company. Because every business intends to make a profit or at least cover its own costs, they keep some of that money for themselves.
And how is that better for Bedford? It seems like the only ones coming out ahead are the collection company and the insurance companies.
Copyright © 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, All Rights Reserved.
© 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Friday, September 15, 2006
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