J. Clarke wrote:
And therein lies the problem. The public has somehow gotten the
notion that government-provided services are "free" because there's no
direct charge for them.

Nobody presents it as "are you willing to pay x thousand dollars a
year every year with the price rising with inflation in order to get
this service?" No, it's always "free this" and "free that".


And how do you know the public has this perception? Ask you neighbors, most
everyone knows that their tax check goes to pay for any and all public
largesse.....

Regrettably you as well understate annual cost increases, once the Gov. is
involved it usually exceeds inflation considerably i.e medical costs, school
tuition/costs, judicial etc....The giant Gorilla in most Government
closets....... Rod