When state and local governments run out of money, they have to make cuts. No surprise there.
The problem is, governments are in charge of things many of us value. Like say roads, fire departments, schools. I could go on, but the latest WTF moment in local funding cuts comes to us from Topeka, Kansas. Topeka: A place where it is currently okay to engage in domestic violence because it’s too expensive to prosecute cases. Yes, you read correctly ladies and gentlemen. Your spouse or loved one can beat your ass, you can call the police (are there any left? government pays their salaries too after all) and the police can respond, “Well, good luck, but there’s nothing we can do.”
The good news is that this controversial measure is “under review” which means the final decision has not yet been made (shout out of the abusers who were in jail but got sent home in the interim). In other words, the city may figure out something else is too expensive to prosecute instead. Or maybe they’ll try the Coos Bay solution and cut school to four days to make ends meet. (Way to win the future).
Some people (a minority these days) get testy at the mere mention of raising revenue (taxes) for government services. But really? Is this the level of sacrifice we’re willing to put up with?.