Sunday blog: Why did that fire truck cost $1.9 million? Because it just does
Commentary by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow: The cost of things is one of the greatest mysteries of this thing we call capitalism. Why does food cost the way it does? What about that plumbing bill? Why is the rent so high?
But nothing tests the good of my Easter soul more than the cost of moving vehicles.
The other day, I was driving my SUV just south of Wichita. Suddenly, the warning light came on. I needed to go to the dealership IMMEDIATELY, the dashboard read.
The car was running perfectly fine until then, and I hadn’t noticed a change in its performance — except after the warning light came on, it would no longer let me use the cruise control or that thing that keeps me from driving off the road.
So I decided to veer left instead of right to visit my friendly dealership. A drop of slobber escaped my gaping mouth.
It turned out I needed to replace a “thermal control valve.” The mechanic even sent me this nifty text message video while I was waiting—a five-minute dissertation showing the car’s motor using words I didn’t understand. In summary, if I didn’t get this valve replaced, “the car will blow up into a million pieces, and I’ll die a slow, painful death.”
So I got it replaced for a couple of thousand dollars. I wiped off another slobber coming out of my mouth.
Did my car really need that thermal control valve replaced? Hell, if I know. But I’m alive, my car is driving wonderfully, and I’m a couple thousand dollars poorer.
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This brings me to another moving vehicle: the aerial platform ladder truck that the Wellington Fire Department wanted to buy and the city council rejected a couple of weeks ago.
Former Fire Chief Tim Hay priced such a truck at $1 million. When the City of Wellington bid it out in January, the cheapest bid was $1.8 million. Earlier this month, Wellington City Manager Jeff Porter reported the cost had risen to $1.9 million. That was a $100,000 increase or a markup of almost 10 percent in just one month.
What happened? Did the newer version of the truck suddenly include a remote-controlled ladder that turns it into a roller coaster? Did the factory have a union strike and now have to pay more to its employees, thus passing the cost on to us?
I understand there is this thing called inflation. But we are currently at 3.2 percent – and the price of this truck just increased 9.47 percent.
Much like my car’s new thermal control valve, there is money to be had.
We spend so much time on social media bashing our local politicians and government staff for spending excess money when the real culprits are probably the suppliers.
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Should a new fire truck with a 100-foot ladder cost almost $2 million? Let’s play a friendly game called the Price is Right.
Let’s say one showcase features a new fire engine with a 100-foot ladder, and the next one features a combine for harvesting wheat. And the price for the fire engine is… $1.9 million! The cost of the 2022 John Deere X9 1100 Combine is… $691,900!
Contestants and viewers at home may leave the show wondering: Does a fire engine cost more than twice as much as a combine? After all, they are both large machinery with a lot of moving parts.
I’m guessing it is all about supply and demand. Quite a few farmers still haven’t gone broke and want/need a combine. There is competition from various combine manufacturers wanting to get that money from those few farmers. Plus, a combine will break down (probably needs a thermal control valve), and that farmer will be back in maybe five to 10 years wanting another one.
If you are a company building fire engines, you know only a specific number of municipalities need aerial platform trucks. These municipalities will only purchase them once every 25 years. I’m guessing there are fewer companies building fire engines than combines. Fire engines are also an emotional investment. People don’t want to perish in a house fire.
Thus, fire engines will be twice as expensive as your combine.
And if it isn’t the fire trucks, the Joe Q. Public is getting gouged; it’s the cost of street pavement, sewer system piping, or other things municipalities need to function as a society.
Suppliers set the price. And a lot of it is because they can.
And that is probably one of the reasons why your taxes are so high.
