Jim, Unlike a private entity the city has the attention of mass media without charge and they have the capability of putting leaflets in all the libraries and all the government owned businesses. I could care less whether there trees are more expensive or less NO government entity should be in direct competition with the private sector unless the commodity being supplied by the private sector is inferior in some manner and government is our last hope to receive this commodity.
On Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 4:55 PM, James Hornaday Jr. <rail...@sbcglobal.net>wrote: > Eric: > > While this business appears to be a city subsidized operation, have you > actually gone out and checked the prices of trees in commercial lots around > the city? What if commercial prices are lower than the city's prices? If > the city prices are higher, and any citizen bought a city tree, wouldn't > that be an indication that the city doesn't have any bargains ,and any > citizen buying a city tree would be less than smart? > > If the city's tree prices are lower than the commercial prices, doesn't > that suggest the commercial prices are too high? And citizens should buy > city trees? > > Maybe I'm simplifying the situation. Tell me if I'm wrong. > > Jim Hornaday > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Eric Vought <evou...@gmail.com> > *To:* missourilibertycoalition@googlegroups.com > *Sent:* Mon, December 7, 2009 3:12:36 PM > *Subject:* Re: it appears indeed that the city is in direct competition > with the private sector with an advantage > > > On Dec 7, 2009, at 2:02 PM, Tom Martz wrote: > > > > Basically, we contracted for a limited number of Christmas trees > > (100) through regular bidding process guidelines as required by the > > City’s Purchasing Division. We then offer the program as a “break- > > even” type of service to interested patrons visiting the park, with > > tree prices starting at $35 (6 ft.) and ranging to $50 (8 ft.) and > > $75 (10 ft.), based upon size and condition. As you might imagine, > > our feedback from the public regarding this service has been > > extremely positive. > > > Indeed. The specific problem is that by selling the trees at a "break > even" cost, they are not accounting for the taxpayer subsidy of their > own administrative overhead, the sales venue, advertising, etc. A > business cannot simply ignore those costs and is at an unfair > advantage. Why not allow vendors to pay a small fee to come in and > sell their trees. Then the vendor is paying for their own overhead and > can make the competitive decision of whether the venue is worth the > cost. Not to mention a small amount of revenue for the park which does > not need to be taken out of citizens' pockets by force. Or do this > through the Springfield farmers' market which is already set up as a > public produce sales venue. > > It is the exact same problem with accounting for government health > care. There is a lot of overhead service provided to Medicare by other > government agencies (e.g. IRS, GAO, HHS) which is not accounted for in > the cost of Medicare service or calculated in the 'savings' over > private insurance. It is dishonest bookkeeping. It is criminal when > Enron does it, it should be criminal when the government does it. > > Sincerely, > > Eric Vought > "Faith does not absolve us from trying to understand our world and > make moral distinctions with the eyes and brain given us. Religion is > as much responsibility as direction: Duty not Distinction." > > -- > This is a Free Speech forum. The owner of this list assumes no > responsibility for the intellectual or emotional maturity of its members. > If you do not like what is being said here, filter it to trash, ignore it or > leave. If you leave, learn how to do this for yourself. If you do not, you > will be here forever. > > -- > This is a Free Speech forum. The owner of this list assumes no > responsibility for the intellectual or emotional maturity of its members. If > you do not like what is being said here, filter it to trash, ignore it or > leave. If you leave, learn how to do this for yourself. If you do not, you > will be here forever. -- "no cause is lost if there is but one fool to fight for it" ~Will Turner~ ~Pirate's of the Caribbean @ World's End~ "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." ~Goethe www.moliberty.org http://417-political-pundit.blogspot.com The power to tax involves the power to destroy. ~Justice John Marshall~ Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! -Pericles (430 B.C.) A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law. ~Justice John Marshall~ -- This is a Free Speech forum. The owner of this list assumes no responsibility for the intellectual or emotional maturity of its members. If you do not like what is being said here, filter it to trash, ignore it or leave. If you leave, learn how to do this for yourself. If you do not, you will be here forever.
