"Kodak and the Post Office"
January 20, 2012
In writing about the imminent demise of Kodak because technology moved
beyond the need for film cameras he compared that to the US Post Office’s
continual need to raise rates to cover its costs and how wrong it is for our
government to give it a monopoly to carry first class mail. Ok, I’m
with him that far, but then he throws in that rural folk should at least be
covering the higher cost of delivering their mail.
He continues, and forces me
to write, when he says, “But if people
who decide to live in remote areas don't pay the costs that their decision
imposes on the Postal Service, electric utilities and others, why should other
people be forced to pay those costs?”
I thought we lived in one
big homogenous country where we looked out for one another? Silly me, we’re
supposed to cover our individual costs. So with that I want my share of big
city costs returned. Why should I pay taxes to cover the prisoners from Denver
at the prisons in Canyon City, fuel taxes to cover the six lane highways
through Denver and other big cities, the cost of community corrections in my
community when the prisoners are from larger cities, sales and special use taxes
to build coliseums, mental health centers, and on and on the list goes. There
are a multitude of costs that large cities must pay to protect and provide the
quality of life their citizens deserve. We all pay for services in large cities
that rural life doesn’t need. In return we are generally reciprocated with
subsidized utility rates and delivery services.
It all comes out equal in
the end, unless we start getting picky and pay only for what we use. I want no
part of that.
