Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2071a

Pencil notes for letter to Mr. DuPont, probably 1930s, accompanied by a diagram as per Item 2071.

Public Services:

Those services delivered to the community territory through public rights-of-way and by expressly authorized and empowered public servants. (Note: All services given to individuals are private services or special privileges.)

Those acts of public authority delivered to its territory that facilitate exchanges of wealth and services, making possible very great division of labor and efficient social organization.

Public detriments:

1. All those acts of public authority — by public servants — that are beneficial to particular persons or groups and are not delivered to the territory of the community without reference to persons as such.
2. All those acts of public authority that hinder and restrict the free exchange of services and commodities and thereby prevent division of labor and high social organization or the adequate functioning of such organization.
3. All the public collection of revenues except such

as are paid in proportion to public benefits received. It is only these latter that are public costs. All other collections of revenue are public detriments because the payments made do not represent the cost or value of anything received by those who are compelled to pay.