User fees might better pay for school safety
With the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act requiring the presence of a safe-school officer at each school in the state, counties are considering how they will pay for the additional expense.
Despite a new problem, the Palm Beach County School Board suggests an old solution — stick it to the taxpayer, or specifically the property owner by raising property taxes. This is the board that cried “needy” when they advocated a 1 percent countywide sales tax increase from (6 percent to 7 percent — more than a 15 percent tax increase) approved less than two years ago by the county voters.
What if instead of sticking it to the property owner/taxpayer, we considered user fees?
The insidious influence of violent television, film and video games cannot be discounted for the various random shootings that occur. Taxing violent video games, violent movies and “fun” violent-themed recreation could offset expenses associated with required security officers at schools in the county.
Responsibility and accountability seem increasingly lost qualities and characteristics in our society. Levying the cost on factors that contribute to the problem, rather than a blanket property tax, makes perfect sense. Let’s consider cause and correlation.
FRANK DON,