For those saying "why don't they just put it out then bill him", that would be an extremely bad example to set.

It will show other people, "hey, don't pay, since the chance you have a fire is pretty small, but if you do, you'll just pay then".

They could conceivably lose a lot of revenue and no longer even be able to operate.

I bet those people wish someone "forced" them into paying before the fire started. It's idiotic not to have fire coverage for your home.

And there is a big difference between paying off the mafia so they don't trash your business, and paying to help fund a community service like fire protection that is there to save lives and prevent people from becoming homeless.

Same as it is idiotic not to have auto insurance.

He has himself to blame for it, but really, the fire fighters where on location, he offered to pay the full costs and they still rejected?

That's a weird and cruel way of setting an example.

Unless there was some kind of extenuating circumstances I think its perfectly fine what the fire department did.

Guess he learned the hard way if you're not responsible life just doesn't take care of you.

forcing people to buy a service or product = unethical.
forcing people to provide a service or product for free = unethical.
letting people chose whether or not they want to buy a service or product = ethical.

I love how 80% of the people in this thread didn't read the full article.

I hope this guy is a tea bagger who didn't want to pay the unfair socialist fire tax and all of his NO-BAMA tea bagger signs burned up.

Dude, it's $75. Considering the benefit, $75 is nothing.

From the article:

"I thought they'd come out and put it out, even if you hadn't paid your $75, but I was wrong," said Gene Cranick.

Fuck his freeloading ass, he expected all of his neighbors paid and expected a free ride. Fuck him and fuck his charred house. I hope the insurance company denies his claim for not paying for fire service.

This is a glimpse into a possible future if you let people privatize services.

I've seen this guys live interviews on tv. First, they've put out fires before for people who hadn't paid the $75 under the previous fire chief. Second, the mans neighbor offered to pay the firefighters $500 to put it out, and this was after the man himself said of course he'd pay the fee or whatever they wanted. Third, many of the firefighters were in tears over not being permitted to put water on his house. Fourth, if people are saying "oh well, you pay or you burn", then what was the point of refusing all the money they were offered? Punishment? Thats against the constitution. The man SAYS he's paid it in the past and had no trouble paying it now, but it's just one of those damn things that he forgot about. Maybe someone here gets 10 notices to pay it, that doesnt mean this man got 10 notices and so we can assume he said "fuck it" or whatever the hell other fairy tales we think maybe a person might have said to fit what we already have decided. He says he simply forgot about it, and right now there's no reason to disbelieve it. Until there is, we should take his word.

Part of every penny you pay in county sales tax goes to the municipalities general fund, which includes fire department money. There should be no such thing ever, anywhere in america, as an ADDITIONAL subscription fee for a fire department! Thats not America. America tried this idea in the 1700's and it failed miserably as it does now.

What's the fee for the police to come out?

Agreed.

The response in this thread shows how many asshole are out there.

51 burned homes :disgust

Aren't you against socialism? That fire department refuses socialism and demands to be paid for their services. I'm surprised you're not rallying around their decision.

I guess you're one of those people that is against socialism unless you're directly benefiting from it? :error

You must be a stinking liberal!

You guys still don't get it. The fire department is a city fire department, this guy lived outside the city limits. You think a fire department in for example Chicago is required to put out fires outside the city limits? People in the city limits prolly get fire protection included in their city taxes. Outside nothing, so the city fire department as a COURTESY extended its services outside the city limits if you pay a $75 fee. This guy dind't pay it so he got fucked. If anyone its the countys fault for not paying that citys fire department to extend fire services to their residents since they obviously can't afford their own fire department

They should have brought marshmellows

People not agreeing is not equal to people not understanding.

If the idea is to generate income, then why did they refuse to allow him to pay after the fact... LIKE THEY HAVE IN THE PAST?

Punishment?

Welcome to the TeaBagger States of America

Because then no one would ever pay the $75. Duh.

Old woman: What're you doin'?
Old man: Oh, just payin' that fire department fee again.
Old woman: You know ol' Gene down the street didn't pay and his house caught fire the other day?
Old man: Oh yea? So it burned to the ground?
Old woman: No, firefighters put it out!
Old man: Oh. Wait, so what the fuck am I doing this for? *rips up check*

The town county board full of Republicans chose to spend money on a prison then on funding the fire department. The also choose the least desirable scenario from a commission report.

"Example #4 is the least favorable method. Collection would still be an issue and the fire
departments would have no recourse if a rural resident refused to pay the subscription."

PDF File of report

This comes down to pure corruption on the Republican county board for choosing a prison being built that is not even being used.

Damn they spell out why options 1, 2 & 3 would be favorable and as you note why 4 isn't and what do the idiots do? Go for 4 of course. The experts don't know shit, we Teabaggers know whats best for ya..

Very sad situation, and that his 3 dogs and 1 cat were killed in the fire as the firefighters watched. They were already there, the guy and his neighbor both offered to pay them to put it out but they were ordered not to.

Soon if you aren't a paying subscriber to your local police service they're going to watch you get robbed raped and killed.

I don't feel a bit sorry for this f*cker. (If what Brujah says about the animals is true, then I feel _really_ bad about them).

But:
Gee, how would the world work if things were like this? Auto insurance for example: After you wrap your car around the telephone pole NOW you want to pay your $75 and have them cover the accident?

No, sorry, it doesn't work that way. LOL!

Someone saying "I'll pay 'full cost'" under what is basically duress is meaningless. Let him know on paper what it will really cost and if he's got insurance I'll bet he'll let his place burn down anyway.

Compassionate Conservatism at it's finest.

Should have paid.. Why should everyone else have to pay for his house.

good day to be Canadian. Again.

Wonder how that article would have read if the fire department had put out the fire but in the process three firefighters were killed in action???

--T