http://www.blogger.com/feeds/28006963/posts/full/114981847688681322
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16759148&BRD=1091&PAG=461&dept_id=425716&rfi=6
Panel lists open space priorities
By: Audrey Levine, Staff Writer 06/08/2006
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Van Dyke Farm tops open space list
The 192-acre Van Dyke Farm on Davidson Mill Road tops the list of high-priority sites that the Open Space Advisory Committee wants to see preserved, according to Jane Snyder, the committee chairwoman.
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Ahh, it's that time of year again in the People's Republic of South Brunswick. Don't you just love when Mommy Government tells us what is good for us. You silly taxpayers are too stupid to figure out that "open space" is good for your property values. Unless it happens that your property is the "open space" that the Kommissars want!
Let's propose a mental experiment. The people, who think that open space is a great idea, pass around the hat. Let me be the first, I'll pledge a hundred bucks. Form a non-profit five oh whatever corporation and collect donations for open space in south brunswick. Let them sell "shares" of the "open space". Raffles, car washes, tootsie rolls, poppies, white canes, or whatever they can think of. Or just accept donations. With the voluntary donations, they can buy space and keep it undeveloped.
I can hear the lamentations now. "The public won't support it." (Like the local movie theater?) "They don't have the money. Times are tough." (Yeah, paying taxes is a drag!) "It won't happen fast enough to save the planet." (Yeah, like we are just buzzing along now.)
See the hallmark of a bad idea is when you have to force people to do "it"!
Doesn't matter what "it" is. If you have to use force to get your favorite political or social goal accomplished, then sorry it's a bad idea. I like the idea of open space as much as the next person, so let me go to my neighbor's house and steal some money form him so I can have "open space"! Sorry Joe. But you "need" open space more than a new set of tires, your daughter's braces, your son's football, your wife's new frock, food, clothing, whatever! Have to go now I see the police coming to throw me in the clink for stealing Joe's money.
So why is it different for "government" at any level — South Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, State of New Jersey, or the US Federal Government — to do the same thing? Suppose Joe doesn't prefer "open space" over other needs. You see taxes come FIRST. Off the top. Before Joe or John get to decide what is their most important need, Father State — the new King must get his portion. (Half? Three quarters? They have to leave the serfs something!) When government at any level takes taxes from joe or john for their "own good" to do something they don't want, why do joe or john have to pay for it? Taxes are theft. The government is the only entity that can force someone to pay for services that they don't want.
Tin cup around accepting voluntary contributions peacefully is a great idea for "open space" or anything. Taking tax money from people to do "good" is evil violence.
In case you haven't guessed, I don't think that taxes should be used to "preserve open space", or any of the other myriad of "services", that government provides me. I prefer to order form the ala carte menu.
Reinke Faces Life 