Consumers Domain
Honoring a thief
'It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them.' - Mark Twain
Once upon a time, in the Kingdom of Ilong-Land, there was a thief - a high-profile thief. This thief, named Turco, does not want small-time theft and he is the type who wants to rob wholesale.
Turco is such cunning and scheming crook that he thought of putting up a legitimate business as a front to cover his activities. Thus, he asked the king that he be granted the authority to operate the water well system of the whole kingdom and promise to deliver a good service. With the King's approval, Turco was able to put up what he named Patubig Espesyal ni Turco.
For decades this entrepreneurial thief operated this important utility delivering pails upon pails of water to the households in Ilong-Land. Contrary to his promise however, Turco's water service leaves so much to be desired. Often the water delivered lacks a pail or two or sometimes the water is murky brown.
But more than the poor service, the people of Ilong-Land complained of the very expensive charges that are being levied as payment. They also complained of erroneous billings - sometimes the bill showed that they consumed 25 pails when in fact only 20 were delivered. When somebody can't pay, Turco charged high interest and other charges, and even threatened to stop the service immediately. Years passed and the people suffered from the extortionate rates, the abuses and inefficiency of Turco's service.
With the growing dissatisfaction, the people began to petition the King and his Magistrate that Turco is charging unreasonably exorbitant fees. Upon review of the Magistrate, he found out that income taxes paid to the Kingdom of Ilong-Land were included in the computation of water bills. This is one of the numerous reasons that the rates were excessive. This income tax is based on the profit of a utility and that supposedly should not be charged to the people of the Kingdom.
This income tax in essence is the share of a utility taken from its profit for the building of roads and bridges in Ilong-Land. As a share therefore this should come from the pockets of Turco, not the consumers.
The Magistrate reasoned that what use would it be levying a tax to the profit of Turco if he will only pass this on to the people. The King could have simply increase the tax of the people directly. He said further that by charging the tax to the water bill, it is as if that Turco is not sharing his profit to the Kingdom at all. Turco benefits from the grant for him to monopolize the delivery of water to the whole of Ilong-Land, giving him a risk-free highly profitable business. And he is not even willing to share a small percentage of his profit to the Kingdom.
Unlike Robin Hood who robbed the rich and gave to the poor, Turco robbed the poor and gave a little part to the Kingdom as tax and presented it as if it was a benevolent act. What's worse is that a big part of this tax collection did not even return to the people as a form of service or a new bridge.
And you know what's worst? Worst is that the King agreed and sided with Turco! What a shame! And you know what's 'worstest' (forgive me, I ran out of a better superlative) - The King gave recognition to Turco for being one of the Kingdom's top taxpayers!
Yes, the King, in a ceremony organized by the Kingdom, honored Patubig Espesyal ni Turco as an outstanding taxpayer because it topped the list in terms of payments remitted to the Kingdom. Turco cheated by charging the people with the tax (which a utility is not allowed to do), then turned the cash over to the King and presto he got an award!
Honoring a thief. Indeed an ironic story. And Turco (and the King!) lived happily ever after...
Before I forget, did I mention what the water business of Turco was called during those times? Well, Patubig Espesyal ni Turco was also known then as PECO for short! Hmmm, this story sounds familiar...
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