This is .... interesting?

Heard this on the 11 0'clock news last night, and thought I'd see if anyone was talking about it on the blogosphere. They were:

Each year, Obion County residents must pay $75 if they want fire protection from the city of South Fulton. But the Cranicks did not pay.

The mayor said if homeowners don't pay, they're out of luck.

But it doesn't end there:

(the fire chief) wouldn't talk to us and called police to have us escorted off the property.

And what I heard on the blogosphere really left me cold, because there was a definite damnation toward libertarianism in the air, that went like this.

"He didn't pay? Let it burn!"

I just happen to have some experience about this. I used to live in a rural area that was served by a volunteer fire department, and I, too was able to be a 'subscriber' to the fire service. However, if I failed to pay my annual fee, the department would still come to my house and put out a fire, they'd just send me a hefty bill.

Seems like the city could have done that in this case.

I've also heard some people claiming that the homeowner 'opted out' of fire service. According to the interview with him I heard last night, this is not true. He simply forgot to pay it in a timely manner (kinda like I did).

Just for the record: libertarians recognize that government is necessary. The difference between them and everyone else is that we want it to be limited to essential public services ... like fire fighting.

pm