Clearly, the fundamental argument here is about private provision of services vs. public provision of services. Is the optimal fire protection service one base

Clearly, the fundamental argument here is about private provision of services vs. public provision of services. Is the optimal fire protection service one based on private subscriber payment to firefighters or a publicly (taxpayer or other government revenue-funded) operated fire department? The best IMO way to view this is to first clarify whether or not that service falls into the 'natural monopoly' category, at least when it comes to basic provision of services. That category is defined by having a lack of meaningful or feasible competition, i.e. would multiple competing services result in a better outcome than a single state-run service would? My view is that provision of fire and police services, health care and education services, water, electricity and fiber optic connectivity service, as well as the maintenance of roads, etc. generally fall into the natural monopoly sector, with caveats: 1) People should be able to augment basic services however they wish, to they extent they can afford. One can purchase a fire engine and a water tank and keep it on one's property, for example. Private security guards can be hired to augment police protection. One can hire a home nurse and expensive medical equipment, etc. Private tutors can be hired to augment a child's education. 2) State-run services should have competitive processes built in - i.e. we may have a public fire department, but the manufacture and sale of fire-fighting equipment is a competitive business and should not be monopolized, etc. Corruption in the form of fire officials giving preferential contracts to sub-par manufacturers in exchange for bribes should be a serious criminal activity, etc.