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Originally Posted by Drolefille
I still don't see it as an either/or situation. I get that they probably didn't want to pay more in taxes, however I don't see why the county couldn't contract with the city and charge the country residents via county taxes. It wouldn't cost any more than it does now and possibly less.
It shouldn't be about incorporation vs. optional fee, IMO. And the fact that incorporation was on the table, not a requirement to pay for emergency services, brings a lot more issues into play.
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Folks opt to live in rural, non-incorporated areas for a great many reasons, not the least of which is the ability to privately contract for services, rather than having municipal costs/municipal employees foisted upon you. There's also the ability to discharge a firearm on your own property, own livestock, not worry about having to jump through hoops if you want to construct something, etc.
Rural life does come with a few costs, for example, you know that in most cases, law enforcement coming to your aid is probably going to take a pretty long time, so you have to be armed. You have to maintain a well and a septic system. You probably have propane gas. If you live in a neighborhood and have a decent association, you can contract for security/police and fire services.
It's a different sort of lifestyle and a different sort of person. No one out there typically wants to have a governmental solution for their problems. And as you can see, that doesn't always work out nearly as well as the alternative. That said, these folks pay a lot less for fire protection than you or I do.