How Government Works

Every tax is a pay cut. Every tax cut is a pay raise.
Citizens for Limited Taxation

How Government Works

A fundamental truth about government is that any solution to any problem will require higher taxes. It is not feasible for governments to consider lower taxes. Show me an instance in the last 2000 years where a government solution to a problem involved lower taxes. The solution (unless you want higher taxes) is not to request a solution to a problem from a government. Period!
I offer you some stories to consider. It applies to the Town of Framingham as much as it does to the federal government or the state government.

How Government Works
A fundamental truth about government is that any solution to any problem will require higher taxes. It is not feasible for governments to consider lower taxes. Show me an instance in the last 2000 years where a government solution to a problem involved lower taxes. The solution (unless you want higher taxes) is not to request a solution to a problem from a government. Period! I offer you some stories to consider. It applies to the Town of Framingham as much as it does to the federal government or the state government.

How Government Works (1)

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.
Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people.
Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.
Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."
So they laid off the night watchman.

How Government Works (1)
Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job. Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies. Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports. Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people. Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary. Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost." So they laid off the night watchman.

How Government Works (2)

Recently, Canada passed a law requiring gun registrations. The government estimated that it would cost $119 million a year to implement and gun permits would pay $117 million. Now it turns out the government is saying the cost will be $1 billion and gun permits will still cover $117 million. This is a 42,900% overrun in costs to the taxpayer.
If you think the cost overrun is interesting, what's really even more interesting is that each year, for as long as this lunacy lasts, Canadians will be paying $1 billion a year to solve a problem that they never had. And that's how government works. Solving problems you don't even have.

How Government Works (2)
Recently, Canada passed a law requiring gun registrations. The government estimated that it would cost $119 million a year to implement and gun permits would pay $117 million. Now it turns out the government is saying the cost will be $1 billion and gun permits will still cover $117 million. This is a 42,900% overrun in costs to the taxpayer. If you think the cost overrun is interesting, what's really even more interesting is that each year, for as long as this lunacy lasts, Canadians will be paying $1 billion a year to solve a problem that they never had. And that's how government works. Solving problems you don't even have.

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