Truth...and consequences...in Tennessee.

[curmugeon]

Seems the story about the 'privatized' fire crw who let a man's house burn down is full of half truths. With a bitt of digging I found the account in the local  newspaper for South Fulton, TN and it appears that some liberal/progressive sites are getting a little liberal with the story and are acting like it was a 'private' fire service. South Fulton is not the bad guy here. Seems they offer a service (they are not required to offer such service) for people who live outside their normal service area, a $75 annual fee for fire service in the nearby county area. They send out notices every year and then follow up with a phone call. The county does not offer fre service because the county commissioners decided they didn't want to raise taxes to provide for a fire service, and in addition did not apply for federal funds because, being Republican, they don't like federal interference in their county. Thus, a man loses his home and pets, possibly because he didn't think he needed to pay $75 a year, or because the county commissioners had their head up their asses, or he thought he could get a free ride on the South Fulton Tennessee taxpayers dime. End result, he loses his home, his pets, and more. After the fire, he goes to town, finds the fire chief, cold cocks him, and is now looking at jail time.

Fire districts exist in a lot of rural areas. You pay a fee for fire service. It is just like getting phone or electricity or paying your property taxes. It is something if you have half a brain, you do.  If you live in a city you pay for fire service through property taxes. No free lunch here. So, South Fulton gets bad press, Cranick goes to jail, and liberals have a field day with a half truth.

For a better take on the story, read Mother Jones...