Hmmmm….wouldn’t billing for services be a bit like double dipping? The fire department is already paid by taxpayer dollars for their services, now you want to hit them again in a “round about” way?
As a taxpayer, part of my tax dollars go to the support of the fire department services. As an insurance professional, I have to ask myself why an insurance company should have to pay for the fire department to respond to a fire? Just because a property owner has insurance doesn’t mean that a town or city has a right to collect what it deems to be revenue to perform a service that the property owner is already paying for. While I sympathize with the towns becoming creative in their attempts to balance their budgets, I do not think this approach is fair and I feel that it discriminates against those building owners who carry insurance.
1. FD Service charge is a standard coverage on most (all?) policies, but very seldom necessary.
2. Yes, you will see a rate increase; see 1 above.
3. Yes, it is double dipping. But if you don’t have insurance, will the owner pay the fee? I betcha they will forgive the charge if the inexhasutable coffers of the evil insurance companies are not available.
4. Another benefit (?) of life in New Jersey?
When the insurance companies started bringing suit against the fire service for failure to extinguish a fire I think they opened themselves up to this sort of thing and yes the rates will increase.
Does anybody actually believe another $150,000 in revenue will make any difference in the operation of the city? The public needs to get into an uproar over getting bled to death by politicians who lack the ability to manage budgets. Their only solution is to suck more money out of the taxpayer. WRONG! No other entity, whether it’s a family or a business, has the luxury of an endless supply of money. Instead of throwing good money after bad, they need to re-examine their spending and oversight and find a way to make due with what they have. If they overspend, they should be accountable lose their jobs. Get someone else in who has the skills and desire to stop the out of control spending.
As a resident of the great state of NJ I believe I’m qualified to offer some commentary. The entire state is an economic and social cesspool run by crooked politicians. None of them have the brains to manage anything let alone a budget. I’m with Al on this one. You don’t solve budget problems by asking the citizens to bend over so you can reach your grubby hand in further and get more money. Why are there 265 school superintendants? Why do state workers get lifetime medical benefits? Why are state workers allowed to retire with full pension from one joy, then take another and get a second, full pension? The Parkway and Turnpike’s have been paid off for decades but the tolls continue….why? Why is there a budget deficit? How many administrators and politicians lost their jobs for failure to perform? (NONE) Why is it schools and recreation are the first to feel the pinch? (because they tug at the public’s heart)
I count the days until I can escape from this hell on earth and allow the state to implode. It’s out of control and nobody will ever be able to put the genie back into the bottle. Not even with weak minded nonsense like surcharges for routine city services.
When politicians enact laws like this they need to be voted out of office. Period. Taxpayers pay for the fire department and the service that it provides. If politicians don’t get that simple understanding they need to go and get real jobs. I’d like to extend an offer to anyone who wants a new home to move to Virginia. We can always use more hard working folks and do not charge extra for services already paid for by taxes.
Why is everyone advocating a socialist scheme of taxpayer financed fire fighting? At least some of the cost should be borne by those who have the fires. Otherwise, we will continue to allow the perverse subsidy for fire-prone people and overcharge of careful ones.
Is the rule that if it was socialized in the 19th century or earlier, that is OK, but anything from the 20th or 21st centuries is not allowed?
Not sure what it is you are trying to say but let me add this: one of the reasons for budgetary problems at the local level is that the folks who work for the municipality want lucrative benefit contracts, as someone mentioned, lifetime medical coverage, high salaries, fewer work hours, days off etc, etc. etc. This is one of those things American, where everyone wants to move up, every year, in the pay scale. That’s why we have illegals doing yard work…no American would take a job with low wages like that. Homeowers would balk at high service fees expected and workers balk at the low wages offered. And the guy who thought of this one probably was not aware that this is NOT his own bright idea but rather one that has been shot down in several states before Passaic. It does make you wonder where all the money goes….I for one would rather we go back to Nobles Oblige, where the rich would be mandated to work in government and at no pay; we’d get fewer politicians and lower taxes. who’d want a job like that? No moral hazard there…
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Hmmmm….wouldn’t billing for services be a bit like double dipping? The fire department is already paid by taxpayer dollars for their services, now you want to hit them again in a “round about” way?
As a taxpayer, part of my tax dollars go to the support of the fire department services. As an insurance professional, I have to ask myself why an insurance company should have to pay for the fire department to respond to a fire? Just because a property owner has insurance doesn’t mean that a town or city has a right to collect what it deems to be revenue to perform a service that the property owner is already paying for. While I sympathize with the towns becoming creative in their attempts to balance their budgets, I do not think this approach is fair and I feel that it discriminates against those building owners who carry insurance.
1. FD Service charge is a standard coverage on most (all?) policies, but very seldom necessary.
2. Yes, you will see a rate increase; see 1 above.
3. Yes, it is double dipping. But if you don’t have insurance, will the owner pay the fee? I betcha they will forgive the charge if the inexhasutable coffers of the evil insurance companies are not available.
4. Another benefit (?) of life in New Jersey?
When the insurance companies started bringing suit against the fire service for failure to extinguish a fire I think they opened themselves up to this sort of thing and yes the rates will increase.
Does anybody actually believe another $150,000 in revenue will make any difference in the operation of the city? The public needs to get into an uproar over getting bled to death by politicians who lack the ability to manage budgets. Their only solution is to suck more money out of the taxpayer. WRONG! No other entity, whether it’s a family or a business, has the luxury of an endless supply of money. Instead of throwing good money after bad, they need to re-examine their spending and oversight and find a way to make due with what they have. If they overspend, they should be accountable lose their jobs. Get someone else in who has the skills and desire to stop the out of control spending.
This just verifies the contempt that the public and legislators have for insurers and for that matter, the Insurance Industry in general.
They think that we are this “endless pit of money” and that we should give it all up.
Just think how desirable P/C Insurers will find writing in Passaic NJ if this becomes a reality.
As a resident of the great state of NJ I believe I’m qualified to offer some commentary. The entire state is an economic and social cesspool run by crooked politicians. None of them have the brains to manage anything let alone a budget. I’m with Al on this one. You don’t solve budget problems by asking the citizens to bend over so you can reach your grubby hand in further and get more money. Why are there 265 school superintendants? Why do state workers get lifetime medical benefits? Why are state workers allowed to retire with full pension from one joy, then take another and get a second, full pension? The Parkway and Turnpike’s have been paid off for decades but the tolls continue….why? Why is there a budget deficit? How many administrators and politicians lost their jobs for failure to perform? (NONE) Why is it schools and recreation are the first to feel the pinch? (because they tug at the public’s heart)
I count the days until I can escape from this hell on earth and allow the state to implode. It’s out of control and nobody will ever be able to put the genie back into the bottle. Not even with weak minded nonsense like surcharges for routine city services.
When politicians enact laws like this they need to be voted out of office. Period. Taxpayers pay for the fire department and the service that it provides. If politicians don’t get that simple understanding they need to go and get real jobs. I’d like to extend an offer to anyone who wants a new home to move to Virginia. We can always use more hard working folks and do not charge extra for services already paid for by taxes.
Why is everyone advocating a socialist scheme of taxpayer financed fire fighting? At least some of the cost should be borne by those who have the fires. Otherwise, we will continue to allow the perverse subsidy for fire-prone people and overcharge of careful ones.
Is the rule that if it was socialized in the 19th century or earlier, that is OK, but anything from the 20th or 21st centuries is not allowed?
Not sure what it is you are trying to say but let me add this: one of the reasons for budgetary problems at the local level is that the folks who work for the municipality want lucrative benefit contracts, as someone mentioned, lifetime medical coverage, high salaries, fewer work hours, days off etc, etc. etc. This is one of those things American, where everyone wants to move up, every year, in the pay scale. That’s why we have illegals doing yard work…no American would take a job with low wages like that. Homeowers would balk at high service fees expected and workers balk at the low wages offered. And the guy who thought of this one probably was not aware that this is NOT his own bright idea but rather one that has been shot down in several states before Passaic. It does make you wonder where all the money goes….I for one would rather we go back to Nobles Oblige, where the rich would be mandated to work in government and at no pay; we’d get fewer politicians and lower taxes. who’d want a job like that? No moral hazard there…