TIP Public Services You Use

[Nuthatch]

What kinds of public services do you take advantage of? Are there any that you have started using again that you hadn't used in some time?

Locally one of our bus services has expanded numbers of runs due to increased ridership.

I am returning to a local library when I used to only use one in the town I worked.

The free Notary Service at the County Clerk's office is handy too.

The dog park is nice.

The local basketball courts often still have a game.

The rails to trails walking paths are pretty nice.

I have even used the IPod "Walking Tour" download to see a town in a new way.

All but the bus use above is free. What are you using?

 

[ainitfunny]

Unfortunately, the very services you list ARE THE ONES MOST LIKELY TO BE CUT (with the possible exception of bus service, which WILL see routes scrutinized and cost cutting measures applied) Because of the SAME MONEY SHORTAGE HITTING EVERY OTHER PART OF OUR ECONOMY.

Our little town (Gig Harbor WA) which I did not think even HAD ten people employed is CUTTING TEN PEOPLE OFF THE PAYROLL they just announced day before yesterday.
Other ways towns and cities will probably be looking at to make budgets work:
also look for fire service (emergency first aid, hospital runs) cut
potential fire service cuts
police staff reduced and patrol mileage cut to save gas
parks closed to lay off staff and curb maintenance and policing costs
street repair budget cut/construction canceled
libraries closed or days/hours open trimmed/staff laid off/book purchases suspended
public pools closed or open hours trimmed or fees significantly raised

 

[The Freeholder]

We're on county water (and no backup well, %@!# it), electric co-op for electricity (limited backups), I've had to call the sheriff once in two years (suspicious stranger call for a neighbor not at home) and of course I use the paved roads. VFD is about 2.5 miles away.

With the exception of the paved roads, I could address all this, given a bit of time and non-interference from the government.

When I lived in town, we also had sewer, a full-time FD and trash pickups. Now I have a septic tank and pay to have the trash hauled. The "yard waste" that I used to have to haul to the street in nice, neat not, over 5' bundles now gets burned in piles out back--excellent way to spend a chilly Saturday!

Used to use the library a lot when we lived in town (and close to it), now it's the Internet and Amazon.com.

Oh, and none of that you listed is free. Somewhere, someone's taxes are paying for it.

 

[Straycat]

I used to occasionally visit the library, but they hardly ever have the things I'm looking for, so I tend to just buy whatever books I want online at places like Alibris and Bookfinder.

Heck, we haven't even called the fire dept. or police dept. for anything. We've never used the (very minimal) bus service we have locally. We don't go to any of the parks, we use private property. The only services we use (besides roads) are the ones we buy directly, like electric, phone and garbage pickup.

I assume you're separating things like utilities from "public services?"

 

[Nuthatch]

Oh, yes, I am separating roads and infrastructure. And I know nothing is ever free. Blah, blah blah.

My point is, are there ways you can use what you already pay for instead of paying a second time?

Ways to be frugal I guess. Like borrowing dvds and downloads from the public library. Or using their computers.

I just went to town and stopped at the library and saw a sign that their heating unit is under repairs and so they are cutting hours until it can be fixed. There are going to be cutbacks on all kinds of things, I am sure. It is nice to know about alternatives.

Our state has an approved kitchen you can rent for a reasonable price so that you can legally produce food products for sale without having full-time rent on an approved restaurant, etc. A neat way for a second income.

 

[Gingergirl]

I Live out in the county. Services include road repair, road snow removal, storm water control, county sheriff and volunteer fire department.

No water, sewage, streelights, or garbage pick-up.

County social services are in town.

County/town has library and senior center in town.

Town has a golf course and parks we can use for a small fee and a for-fee bus service (but not out in the county.)

Two adjoining counties have county parks.

Don't go into town much.

 

[blueberry]

Sadly, I no longer use my public library. The main branch has become an unofficial shelter for the homeless. I have nothing against people getting trying to get in out of the weather, but every bench, table and chair is full, with the rest standing around the book shelves. It is impossible to browse the books.

Another library branch has become an unofficial day care. It is near an elementary school, and working parents tell their small children to walk over to the library after school, and stay there till they are picked up after work. You can only imagine the chaos with all the active small children, and nobody to watch them.

The city parks are super, and I use them whenever possible.

 

[Publius]

We use none and yet we are paying taxes for it, our road repair and snow removal is paid for every time we buy ga$+tax, we use no other service's that not paid for first at the time we use it.

 

[Bad Hand]

None of what was listed.

 

[lectrickitty]

As far as I know there are ZERO public services available out here. We have a VFD, but the truck doesn't run so it would be useless to call them in case of a fire. We have no parks, buses, dog walks, etc. Our tax money goes to the services provided in the cities (redistribution of wealth?) It would be nice if our tax money stayed in our area. There's a lot we could do with that money, but the officials believe it's needed in the cities much more than it's needed out here. It suddenly dawned on me one of the reasons I don't like cities.... they are benefitting from our work while we are treated like "red headed stepchildren".

 

[FREEBIRD]

Public schools
City and State parks
Public library
City water, sewage, trash pick-up, road repair, police & fire services(including ambulance)

And as the original post said "public services", not "free" services, I'm not analyzing how it's paid for, only what we use.