4 ms·

"More people require more services." Well yes, of course that's true. But more people also means more taxes to fund those services.

• ghaff 8y ago
  Yes, but people with families tend to cost more than they pay in taxes given that the school system is something like 90% of my town's budget.
  • TulliusCicero 8y ago
    90% sounds ludicrously high, you sure about that? I mean I realize schools are expensive, but damn surely there are other expensive things local governments do?
    • ghaff 8y ago
      My impression was that number was higher (perhaps because there was a time a few years years back when there was some mismanagement and significant incremental funds needed for the school system). But it's still about 65% and I'm not sure that accounts for all the transfer payments. https://www.ci.lancaster.ma.us/sites/lancasterma/files/uploads/combined_town_report_for_website.pdf https://www.ci.lancaster.ma.us/sites/lancasterma/files/uploa... It's a smallish rural town. There is police, fire, library, water, DPW, etc. but we don't even have services like trash collection which are private. Schools are significant.