In a Tea Party World, Firemen Let Your House Burn Down

Last week a Tennessee family lost its home, worldly possessions, three dogs and a cat when firefighters refused to put out a blaze. In that corner of America, they don’t believe in taxing and spending on things like firefighting. Rather, it’s a service for which one pays — or, in this case, forgets to pay — a $75 annual fee.

Firemen did eventually tackle the flames — once they spread to the neighbor’s house. Guess who paid their fire fee.

To be clear, the fee applies to residents who live outside the city limits of South Fulton. People living within that particular patch of Tennessee appear to be able to depend on the services of their fire department without bartering. — PZS

MSNBC:

Cranick, who lives outside the city limits, admits he “forgot” to pay the annual $75 fee. The county does not have a county-wide firefighting service, but South Fulton offers fire coverage to rural residents for a fee.

Cranick says he told the operator he would pay whatever is necessary to have the fire put out.

His offer wasn’t accepted, he said.

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