Now what is interesting is that the size of Scott City's population has not increased. So if this government business is to increase its revenue to go along with its increase in expenses, the answer is obvious. The police dept must find more bad guys. How do we find more bad guys? We just declare more things illegal and/or go start handing out fines. Speeding tickets is a great source of revenue. But when people start obeying the speed limit because they don't want a ticket, do you think a government business can stay in business that way? No, it must find more lawbreakers.Not to worry though. Kansas will soon be on the war path against the smoker as can be read in House bill 2221. You see, we simply create a culture that calls some particular act evil based upon thin air, and ta da, you have a culture that is willing to call that act a crime punishable by confiscating your money. Now we have created a new revenue source for our local police department.
We have seen this in certain counties that have banned watering the lawn because of water shortages. Did the company (the government) do what all companies have to do? Nope! They charge you more for less, the very thing our Local NYTimes Editor says shouldn't be done.
The beauty about all of this is that it can't be stopped by the normal free market system. The local police Dept may just keep growing itself simply because there are no normal economic restraints to stop it. How does one stop an inner city school that is failing? Competition? From where if government has the monopoly?
It is time to start thinking Libertarian and what the role of government actually is.
Keep in mind, I do not mean to say that the Scott City police officers are bad. I have to work with them on many occasions. I am only pointing out the economics of those who seek to grow government.
ReplyDeleteIt should also be noted that there was a relatively recent article giving a positive spin on the revenue raised by traffic tickets to help increase the budget.
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