Re: Old High School

[Dale Goble <gobled@uidaho.edu>]

On Tue, 7 Jul 1998, Mike Sohns wrote:

> I have been objecting to the expenditure of public funds for the renovation
> of the old high school.  We all subsidize automobiles through property
> taxes, gasoline taxes, and income taxes to name a few.

I seem to be missing something here.  It is permissible to subsidize
automobiles but not a community center?  Why should it be necessary to
raise funds privately for a community center but continue to subsidize
automobiles?

It is this type of assumption that I find so inexplicable in arguments of
those who oppose spending of tax revenues for public purposes: those
making the arguments often find such expenditures for some purposes just
fine.  For example, it is just fine to spend public money to subsidize
automobiles but not public transportation.  More generally, it is
permissible to expend public funds to subsidize private economic activity
but not social activity.

Dale Goble
Moscow