Bush Cuts Hurt Philly



To the Editor:

One of the biggest scandals of the Bush administration is playing out all across Philadelphia this summer: the city wants to close eight fire engine and ladder companies. Some of these firehouses have served our community for more than 100 years. How exactly, in our post-9/11 world, with firefighters being our first line of defense against domestic terrorism (not to mention, say, fires), can anyone justify this? We need new ambulances, Mayor Street tells us.

Excuse me? Since when have Americans had to choose between one basic emergency response service and another? If the city doesn't have money because the state doesn't have money, where is the federal government? Where is the Department of Homeland Security? Isn't it their job to make certain localities have the tools, equipment, and personnel needed to respond to an emergency?

There's a name for what's going on: the Bush tax-cuts. George Bush gave the 300 billion dollar surplus he inherited from Clinton away in the form of tax-cuts to people who didn't need them--the kind who can buy their own personal fire engines, if you know what I mean. Well, that's money that could have been used as federal aid to the states, to pay for all the stuff you and I rely on, like firefighters, or enjoy, like city pools, libraries, and affordable public transportation.