Duluth considers fees for police, fire response

Car accidents and house fires may soon cost Duluth residents more. Duluth city administrators are considering charging property owners and drivers fees for police and fire responses.

[the proud CONTRARIAN]

DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB!!!

Why don't they get rid of that useless aquarium instead?

[enough already]

Cut your budget like the rest of us have to. What do these politicians think, "money grows on trees"

[Owl Gore]

enough already wrote:

Cut your budget like the rest of us have to. What do these politicians think, "money grows on trees"

it grows on payroll deductions. just ask Larry Pogemiller.

"I think it's simplistic and naive to say people can spend their money better than the government."And he went on to include... "The notion that everybody can individually spend their money better than government I, I just think is trite, wrongheaded and anti-democratic."

http://www.looktruenorth.com/limited-governme...

[Bob Pearce]

Keep it up world. It won't be long that suicide will be the only option to survival!

[annoymous]

Dem Logic 101 - if you can't cut back on the bureaucratic mentality in local government, then pass the buck on the voters without the consist of personal responsibility.

[Mad as hell]

Now that is the lamest thing I have ever heard. This is what happens when republicans are in power.
The residents of the city should be outraged and ALL, as one, refuse to pay at least the city share of their property taxes, and be sure to vote this mayor and council out of office at the first opportunity. Our governor, that moronic loser, as well.
Schools, police and fire are the basic services - essentials of so called 'civilized society'- that all levels of government should provide in return for the taxes that are leveraged out of all of us every year. Why not just disband the police and fire departments altogether since they are driving forces behind taxes? Give everyone their own gun and revert to the law of the old west, we're halfway there already anyway. What's next, flat out tuition at 'public' schools?
We can build new stadiums for the Twinkies and more than likely the Viqueens and their filthy rich owners. And don't forget the new Goofers stadium, as well and the Xcel Energy Center. Three of the four, so that the venues can have more box seating and thus more income. So to help defray those costs, jack up the sales tax and start charging taxpayer fees for police and fire. Now there is a good example of republican priorities.
Let's get the people who have benefited the most from the republican stranglehold on the purse strings in this state and nation to pony up their fare share. They can pay the same PERCENTAGE of their income as everyone else is expected to pay. When it comes time for pay increases, I don't hear the big wage earners say that they should get a smaller PERCENTAGE of an increase, so why should it be a valid argument at tax time that they shouldn't have to pay as high a PERCENTAGE because it results in more DOLLARS out of their pocket? If I can pay out - say - 35% PERCENT of my income, and be expected to get by, why can't they? The argument that they are the job providers and if they are taxed more the jobs will dry up is a bunch of B___S___. If there were really anything to that argument unemployment rates should NOT be going up, they should be level or decreasing. California is at nearly 10% now. And that is only the people who are on the unemployment rolls. Where are all of these 'trickle down' jobs?
Eight plus years of smoke and mirrors has run America into the dirt. I hope that we can recover, but it looks bleaker every day.

[gtVoyageur]

Owl Gore wrote:

<quoted text>
it grows on payroll deductions. just ask Larry Pogemiller.
"I think it's simplistic and naive to say people can spend their money better than the government."And he went on to include... "The notion that everybody can individually spend their money better than government I, I just think is trite, wrongheaded and anti-democratic."
http://www.looktruenorth.com/limited-governme...

How then are you going to solve these economic problems. It's easy to find fault but where are your suggested solutions???

[gtVoyageur]

How did Duluth get in this deficit mess to begin with? Here is another example of a MN tax system gone berserk. Minnesota is becoming a prime example of political narcissism with a Gordon Geco (book:Wall Street) "...Greed is good!..." mentality! "Balance your budget" seems easy to say for a messed up local, state, and federal government tax system which encourages deficit spending. We need solutions and long term future goals; otherwise, a Depression in this century looks very real!
If ever I'm in a car accident in Duluth and I am injured I'll make damn sure I have my HMO card out with my insurance ID. I hope Duluth emergency doesn't charge me double because I am from out-of-town!!!

[ol salt]

A FEE! Just another way to say we need to tax you more. I agree with Mad as Hell, police , fire, and scholls are the basic reason for taxes. Stop giving tax breaks to draw in new business if we cannot support the basic needs of the public and have to charge a fee for their help. Cut back on all the cities take home vehicles that our taxes pay the gas and insurance on, pay your employee 15cent/mile to drive there own. Lived in Minny before moving to even a worst taxed state "Virginia". Sorry COMMONWELTH!

[Owl Gore]

gtVoyageur wrote:

<quoted text>
How then are you going to solve these economic problems. It's easy to find fault but where are your suggested solutions???

"times are so tough" that 500lb women can't find enough to eat.!
even though they've never had a job yet still have a new car!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php...

worst economy since Hoover,blah,blah,blah

[Owl Gore]

gtVoyageur wrote:

How did Duluth get in this deficit mess to begin with? Here is another example of a MN tax system gone berserk. Minnesota is becoming a prime example of political narcissism with a Gordon Geco (book:Wall Street) "...Greed is good!..." mentality! "Balance your budget" seems easy to say for a messed up local, state, and federal government tax system which encourages deficit spending. We need solutions and long term future goals; otherwise, a Depression in this century looks very real!
If ever I'm in a car accident in Duluth and I am injured I'll make damn sure I have my HMO card out with my insurance ID. I hope Duluth emergency doesn't charge me double because I am from out-of-town!!!

if you get in an accident there, it was probably their mayor driving drunk right into your car.

[oh brother]

100k? almost the salary of a city administrator. lay him off and there ya go!

[Mike M]

Isn't this the job that firefighters and police are being paid for already? The jobs that citizens are already taxed for? This sounds like a terrible idea.

[WSP]

I'm pretty sure this would cause people to call in these types of incidents MUCH less, which in turn would increase the crime rate, ultimately costing tax payers more for all the court dates and jail time that may be given to the people who couldn't afford to call the police so they decide to run instead.

[johnny]

just wait till ppl start trying to takecare of emergencies by themselves, them there will be alot more problems then, had they called 911.

sorry, those kids died in the fire...but i didnt want to pay the fees...

[Herman]

This is absolute lunacy. A great way to kill Tourism. one of Duluth's primary industries. I ave a suggestion for next years ads and brocures:

"Dear Tourist, welcome to Duluth, but if you get hit by someone who runs a red semaphore or are robbed, we will charge you to investigate and take appropriate action. Oh, and by the way, if the person who hit you is a resident we will not charge him/her. Enjoy your stay."

No thinks. My family and I will stay home.

[Simon]

Just keep electing the same incumbents you will keep getting the same treatment. Who cars

[Lover]

Bad idea. I think there is something to be said about people who call the police for stupid reasons, but fees would completely discourage those with little money from calling the police when there is a legit reason for assistance.

[Herb]

This what happens when the DFL turns local government into a corrupt institution!!!! No responsibility at the top! No opposing political party than can balance power representation! Everyone is a status quo elite that only protects their own backs, not voters! Power is driven by a bunch of self-absorbed madmen that wanted nothing more than being some political opportunist in life! Yet, where is the moral outcry in all of this?! Are you people that STUPID when it comes to electing these fools again and again at the voting booth every November?!!

Every DFL politician in this state is a total ****!!!! Throw them out!! All of them!! Get rid of these clowns for GOOD! They're doing nothing for the best interest of the state!!!

[Consistent]

Create bad laws.
Create a dependent populace.
Create a bloated Government Jobs Force.
Create Police departments with ever more cops. Create a judiciary sucking the life out of freedom.
Create codes that are to expensive to build a home or business too.
Hire inspectors to assure code compliance.
Make "hotdishes" Illegal at church.
Maintain Fire Depatments that are full time, used very little, and never save a home, but are maintanance personnel stopping the spread of a fire.
Purchase every other year, the finest equipment money can buy for the people with Government Jobs.
Build the finest structures money can buy for the people with Government Jobs to report to,and add onto the structure evry couple of years.
Criminalize normal human behavior.
Support and Tax establishments that sell legal drugs, then arrest the people driving away from the establishments for being drunk and driving.
Set up Speed traps to enhance local revenue.
Charge citizens for being imprisoned in County jails.
And on and on!!!!!

Oh....and if the Fascists cannot generate enough income to support the 1/3 of our neighbors eating at the Public trough.......Add a few more "FEES" to enhance the 48% of our wealth already captured by an Oppressive Police State!!