Dutifully subsidizing failure

Only in the public sector can the supplier demand more and more in return for less and less:

When Emily Cooper headed off to first grade in Moody, Ala., last week, she was prepared with all the stuff on her elementary school’s must-bring list: two double rolls of paper towels, three packages of Clorox wipes, three boxes of baby wipes, two boxes of garbage bags, liquid soap, Kleenex and Ziplocs.

Schools across the country are beginning the new school year with shrinking budgets and outsize demands for basic supplies. And while many parents are wincing at picking up the bill, retailers are rushing to cash in by expanding the back-to-school category like never before.

Now some back-to-school aisles are almost becoming janitorial-supply destinations as multipacks of paper towels, cleaning spray and hand sanitizer are crammed alongside pens, notepads and backpacks.

Between property taxes and the many state lotteries that were allegedly put into place to create revenue "for the children," there is no reason the average family should have to subsidize the school's operating supplies.

But then, money is always tight when you choose to keep the underperformers on the payroll as well...