The Water’s Fine
Summer’s coming, and soon it will be time to hit the pools for a swim.
Unfortunately, a huge number of America’s public swimming pools are government projects, not community- or club-based.
Why do I say “unfortunately”? Well, when governments run such institutions, then funding become a nasty problem, with a lot of local governments finding themselves strapped for cash, pitting citizen against citizen in their attempts to keep such great services open.
Grand Rapids experienced something like this. Tight budgets had forced the Park and Recreation bureau to announce that only three of the city’s six pools would be open this summer.
So that’s when Roosevelt Tillman stepped in. Not into the pool, but into funding the pool. He set up a community group called “Making Great Waves,” which has so far raised $250,000 to fund all six swimming pools. Which will be open this summer.
The donation program was a wide community effort, with strong business participation. Tillman himself got involved because of his fond memories of swimming in those pools when he was young. Apparently others, too, had fond memories.
This is just more proof that all sorts of good things can be supported by people without necessitating increased taxes. I bet quite a few of the people who gave generously would have objected to a tax increase, even if the extra tax amount was less than they ended up giving.
What’s the difference? Volunteerism. Control.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
