And yet the costs of all of those pale in comparison to rents paid on the school building. In my area, at least, that's the line item that dominates. That rent

And yet the costs of all of those pale in comparison to rents paid on the school building. In my area, at least, that's the line item that dominates. That rent then usually gets pumped straight into the bottom line of some REIT or a millionaire's property portfolio. Back when property taxes were higher, building rents were lower (because as you pointed out, supply usually meets demand) and those taxes helped pay for things like, well, childcare.... rather than yachts. But sure, we have regulations that keep children safe too, and it's true that they impose a cost.