[aronpye]

> free (paid by taxes)

Free != paid by taxes

I also think tax funded services are quite regressive as you have to pay for them whether you use them or not, and there are no market forces driving them to be cost competitive.

[ljm]

Except that tax-funded services are operated without a profit motive, so they're not particularly subject to the market forces that would drive them to become prohibitively expensive. That's one of the features of operating something as a collective, via a government.

At the same time it also becomes an incentive to use them, because they become cheaper than the individualistic alternatives (as with the cost of owning, maintaining, and fueling a car).

[Sohcahtoa82]

That's a pretty naive view.

The profit motive absolutely still exists, as the government will contract out the work to a corporation that will give a kick-back to the politicians that granted them the contract. If not directly via cash (Likely illegal, but still happens anyways), then via campaign contributions or insider stock trading tips (Again, likely illegal, but still happens anyways).

[treeman79]

Market forces keep things cheap. Government services or government granted monopolies that prohibit competition can be extremely expensive and low quality since there is no incentive to compete and improve quality and or prices.

[throwaway0a5e]

>Except that tax-funded services are operated without a profit motive,

They are operated with a "cram as many resources into my silo as possible" motive which is barely better.

[jraph]

In a city, everybody benefit from good infrastructure like a good public transport system, even indirectly.

I don't use public transport that much, I use a bike, but recognize the necessity of public transport anyway.

[teddyh]

https://satwcomic.com/every-time