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The more prefectures and places I visit, the more inclined I am to agree with Alex Kerr’s view of modern Japan: one, there has been a rapid disappearance of traditional Japanese buildings and a subsequent increase of dull, modern buildings; two, massive amounts of tax-payers money is being wasted on public works. Following my belief in minimal government intervention, I propose that local and Prefectural governments in Japan stop building museums, zoos, aquariums, viewing towers – I would like to include roads as well, but that would take a whole article in itself.
Taxpayers’ money is being wasted in all corners of Japan. Every town, village, and city, big and small, famous or not, has wasted massive amounts of taxpayers’ money on public works. This waste can especially be seen in attractions that are not self-sufficient and drain tax dollars every year.
From your average art and history museums to your unnecessary World Brick Museum, there is a museum for practically anything in Japan and most are funded with fees collected from visitors and private donations. Not! Actually, most are funded through your public dollars. Examples of taxpayers’ money going down the drain can be seen as often as rice fields. Here is one example that is close to home.
There is a World Brick Museum in Maizuru, Kyoto. Basically, it is just a place with several brick buildings, but few visitors. The brick buildings were actually quite nice to look at, though I could not figure out why a small city on the Japan seacoast needed to build such a Museum. The city was not famous for brick making or buildings and had no reason to build it other than to attract visitors to come to Maizuru – which it wasn’t doing. It is the equivalent of me building a samurai museum in Hawaii: building something that is out of touch with the local culture and area. There is nothing wrong with building it, if a person or group did it with his or her own money. I do have a problem; however, when my tax dollars (yen) were being used to maintain it – especially when if given the choice, I would refuse funding it.
As I mentioned above, there is nothing wrong with building museums, anniversary buildings, theme parks, viewing towers in Government buildings (Toyama city), or other attractions. If some philanthropist, company, or organization wants to build it with its own money, go right ahead, the free market is not stopping you (although the Government might). However, I am against using taxpayers’ dollars being used to fund attractions that are not voted on or needed by the taxpaying public.
Museums that are needed can expect donations and profits from tickets sold. Museums that are not wanted will not receive donations and profits from tickets sold. Should the local politicians who have much to gain, decide whether or not a museum should be built? Or should the free market or local citizens decide?
If you agree that the local citizens should decide, I propose two possible solutions: give the taxpayers a choice between lower taxes or a range of public facilities, and museums. If a citizen chooses yes for a particular facility, the citizen will add the cost of maintaining it to their yearly taxes. If a citizen chooses no, the cost will be deducted from their tax bill. Not as good as the first solution, but for those who just need others to bear the cost of your wants – despite another person being against it – you can put it to a vote. If more than half of the citizens vote yes, build the building and spread the building and maintenance cost between all citizens.
I would choose very low taxes and pay a fee for the facilities I use. I believe people who should pay only for facilities. However, an exception would be made for a fire station, police station, hospital, and other institutes of public safety. A good example in Japan are public pools, you have to pay an entrance fee to use a public pool. The fee is pricey, but is not a problem when you are paying lower taxes.
Do you think a city’s taxpayers should have the right to at least vote on whether or not to use tax dollars to build an art museum, road, and aquarium? Or should publicly elected officials: those elected to represent the public, make the decision for them? Please comment and give your reasons why.
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